Download This Issue - US Concealed Carry

Official Publication of: 

Sarah M. Thompson, M.D. - Guest Editor 

RAGING AGAINST SELF DEFENSE: 

a PSYCHIATRIST EXAMINES THE 

ANTI-GUN MENTALITY 

12 

CCM “Profiles” - Bruce A. Beatty & Donnie Cundiff 

Timothy J. Schmidt / Maria M. D’Amato 

Real life, real stories, real people. 

Tactics & Training - Scott Smith - Contributing Editor 

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH TRAINING. 

04 

07 

20 

A Woman’s Perspective - Kathryn A. Graham - Guest Editor 

WHAT’S WITH THEse APOLOGIES? 

38 

“The History Corner: The Guns of America: Stories 

of Independence” Column by: Alexa H. Madison 

The 1800’s to the Civil war - The flintlocks. 

“Cocked & Locked” Column by: Robert H. Boatman 

FAILURE TO FIRE. 

“The Ordinary Guy” Column by: Mark A. Walters 

DOES MY CARRYING A GUN MEAN I’M A “PARANOID” PERSON? 

CALL ME ANYTHING YOU WANT. 

“Street Tactics: Reality-Based Gun & Knife Fighting” 

Column by: Gabriel Suarez 

THE GOAL OF A GUNMAN. 

21 

23 

25 

30 

“Armed Senior Citizen” Column by: Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D 

A CLEAR VIEW OF YOUR DEFENSIVE AND SECURITY NEEDS. 34 

Photograph by Oleg Volk 

30 

20 

Publisher’s Comments 

Letters to the Editor 

CCM True Stories 

Compiled by Sten Jackson 

Book Reviews - Timothy J. Schmidt - Publisher 

The Concealed Handgun manual by chris bird, 

Enemies foreign and domestic by matthew bracken 

& ARMED RESPONSE BY DAVID KENIK. 

Gun Review - George Hill - Contributing Editor 

Ruger SP101. 

Training Review - Oleg Volk - Guest Editor 

WARRIOR TALK SYMPOSIUM WITH GABE SUAREZ. 

Upcoming Issues 

02 

03 

10 

26 

28 

32 

40 

Photograph by Oleg Volk 

32 

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Delta Media, LLC. 

Volume 02 - Issue 03 

www.concealedcarrymag.com 

Concealed Carry Magazine

A subscriber sent me a few news clippings from The 

Dallas Morning News regarding the heroic actions of Mark 

Wilson in the recent shooting incident at the Smith County 

Courthouse in Tyler, TX. As usual in situations like this, 

you have your anti-gun folks come out and say that if only 

there had been more gun control laws this may not have 

happened. To me, the real story here lies in the selfless 

actions of Mark Wilson. This Texan truly lived by the 

“Cowboy Code,” always ready to help those in danger. Mr. 

Wilson risked and gave his life because it appears he felt a 

moral and social obligation to defend the defenseless. My 

hat goes off to this man who displayed uncommon courage 

in his actions. 

If you are reading this magazine, chances are, you 

agree that Mark Wilson did a fine job in representing those 

of us who make the decision to carry a gun. 

Be safe and God bless. 

Timothy J. Schmidt 

Publisher / Editor 

CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE 

Publisher & Editor 


Managing Editor 

Maria M. D’Amato 

Circulation Manager 

Charlotte Hohner 

Art Director 

Tonnie M. Lund 

Technical Editors 

Sten Jackson 

Fred W. Black 

Hank J. O’Meara 

Column Editors 

Robert H. Boatman 

Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D 

Alexa H. Madison 

Gabriel Suarez 

Mark A. Walters 

Contributing Editors 

George Hill 

Scott Smith 

Guest Editors 

Bruce A. Beatty 

Donnie Cundiff 

Kathryn A. Graham 

Sarah M Thompson M.D. 

Oleg Volk 

Signed articles in Concealed Carry Magazine 

reflect the views of the author, and are not 

necessarily the views of the editors at Delta 

Media, LLC. The claims and opinions in the paid 

advertisements published in this magazine are not 

necessarily the claims and opinions of Delta Media, 

LLC. Delta Media, LLC takes no responsibility for 

these views, claims or opinions. 

Concealed Carry Magazine and United States Concealed 

Carry Association are trademarks of Delta 

Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 

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Volume 2 - Issue 03 2005 

Concealed Carry Magazine - Volume 2, Issue 3; 

April 7th, 2005 (USPS: 022-302, ISSN: 1550- 

7866) is published 8 times per year for $24.97 

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Concealed Carry Magazine www.concealedcarrymag.com 

Volume 02 - Issue 03

Dear Editor, 

The topmost photo on page 24 of 

Concealed Carry Magazine, Volume 02, 

Issue 01, shows an incorrect Harries Flashlight 

Technique. 

When using the Harries Technique, 

the support-hand (flashlight-hand) elbow 

should be down further than that shown in 

the photograph, and the support-hand wrist 

would be better bent upward as sharply as 

possible. This forces firm contact between 

the back of the support hand and the back 

of the wrist-joint of the pistol hand. For a 

“righty,” the right hand presses downward 

and rightward against the left wrist, 

while the left wrist presses upward and 

leftward. Think “Dynamic Tension;” that 

is, balancing opposing forces to achieve a 

steady gun platform. Mike’s teaching was 

always to “make a rifle out of your arms and 

hands,” the pistol then becoming the firing 

and sighting system of the resulting rigid, 

rifle-like unit. 

The Rogers Flashlight Technique 

presents a potential accidental discharge 

problem. My wife, a retired PE teacher 

with a strong background in kinesiology 

and kinesthesiology, points out that when 

one is under stress, it is quite normal that 

the actions of one side of the body are 

mirrored by the involuntary actions of the 

corresponding parts of the other side. For 

instance, in a stressful situation, if one 

fist clenches, the other one will too. Thus, 

the thumb-and-finger-clench movement 

required to turn on the support-hand’s 

flashlight may very well be mirrored by 

a similar thumb-and-finger clench of the 

pistol hand, which could result in firing an 

unintended shot. 

I must admit my bias: Mike Harries 

was my close personal friend and longtime 

pistol coach, so I tend to prefer the 

techniques he taught me. We discussed at 

length the origins of and rationales for these 

Send your letters to: 

Concealed Carry Magazine, Attn: Editor, 

4466 Hwy P - Suite 204 

Jackson, WI 53037. 

Or E-mail: editor@concealedcarrymag.com. 

techniques, and thus I remain convinced of 

their utility and practicality. In any case, 

fear of a stress-induced unintentional 

discharge makes me uncomfortable with 

the Rogers Technique. 

Steve Henigson 

Eastsound, WA 

Dear Mr. Henigson, 

Thank you for your e-mail, and thank 

you for reading Concealed Carry Magazine, 

specifically my article. 

First, let me agree with you. The 

photo to which you refer is not a very 

good representation of the Harries technique. 

I am familiar with the proper usage 

of the technique, but sometimes when 

trying to photograph things—particularly 

when your arms are getting tired from 

the millionth attempt—things don’t come 

out properly. I should have paid more 

attention when selecting that photograph. I 

apologize for the inaccuracy. I do think that 

the text description below the photo was 

pretty accurate. 

Ironically, the photo is closer to the 

“Modified Harries” technique that Gabe 

Suarez teaches—where you don’t employ 

opposing push/pull tension...but that is 

another story. 

I do prefer the Harries technique and 

have had some training in it. I specifically 

don’t call myself an expert in these training 

issues, and tried to expressly disclaim 

any training aspect. I understand your 

concerns about the Rogers technique and 

included it largely because it is Surefire’s 

recommended technique. I have seen this 

technique described in two classes I have 

taken by prominent instructors without 

either mentioning your concern—but I do 

think it could have some validity and should 

be taken into consideration. 

Due to volume received, not all letters can 

be answered. Letters may be edited for 

space and clarity. 

Again, thank you for the input. I will be 

a bit more careful in my photo selection in 

the future. I hope you will continue to read 

and support Concealed Carry Magazine. 

Duane Daiker 

Contributing Writer 

Dear Editor, 

For years, I searched for a type of 

magazine like yours and have subscribed 

to several other publications completely 

unsatified with the lack of information 

about carrying concealed firearms, until I 

found yours. 

I am a detention deputy (correctional 

officer). As a detention deputy, I deal 

with societies most violent and dangerous 

people. It’s not uncommon for inmates 

to threaten myself or other correctional 

officers while we carry out our duties as jail 

officers. Since inmates have nothing else 

better to do while they are in jail, they have 

all the time in the world to study our faces 

and habits so they can easily recognize us 

once they return to society. 

On several occasions, former inmates 

have recognized and approached me 

when I was off duty with my family. It is 

for this reason that, years ago, I chose to 

carry a concealed firearm with me when 

I’m off duty. Many correctional officers, 

including myself, were never trained how 

to safely carry a concealed firearm when 

we attended the corrections academy. Since 

many correctional officers have no special 

arresting powers, the thought of us carrying 

firearms off duty was never considered 

while we were in training. 

After reading just one issue of 

Concealed Carry Magazine, I’ve become 

more knowledgeable in carrying my 

firearms concealed and concealment 

holsters than I have in 6 years worth 

of reading other firearm magazine 

publications. As a new subscriber, I’m 

very excited and looking forward to 

many years of valuable information from 

Concealed Carry. 

Michael Drake 

Hudson, FL 




Alex (Grandson). Quite a 

good shot for a nine-yearold, 

especially with a rifle. 

I was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1955, 

the third of seven children to Daniel J. Sr., 

and Stella A. Beatty. Having four brothers 

and two sisters, I am still surprised that my 

parents were able to maintain their sanity. 

My father worked in the printing 

industry, and both of my parents did their 

best to instill in us the virtues of honesty 

and integrity. From a very young age, love 

of God and country were the order of the 

day. In those days, correcting your children 

was not a felony and my mom was a near- 

Ninja with a paddle. The stern discipline 

must have worked. Between my father, who 

passed on in 2001, four brothers, and three 

wives of brothers, we have served a total of 

98 ½ years of active military service. Not 

too many flag burners at our family reunions 

(at least not live ones). 

My father allowed me to shoot a rifle 

for the first time when I was about five 

and I was hooked. Next, I received my 

own BB gun and then a 16 gauge shotgun 

when I was fourteen. Coming from a long 

line of hunters, Dad introduced me to what 

would not only become a great pastime, 

but a passion for firearms freedom that 

has brought many a public official a case of 

the willies. 

In my high school years, believe it or 

not, I was relatively liberal in my thinking 

about gun control. I graduated from Arcanum 

High School in Arcanum, Ohio in 

1974 and joined the U.S. Air Force the 

following October. I entered training as a 

B-52 electronics systems technician. I 

joined to further my education, and boy, 

did I get educated. It was my exposure to 

the military environment that caused me to 

realize the price that had been paid, in blood, 

for our freedoms. 

I did not fire a centerfire handgun until 

I was stationed at Lowry AFB, Denver, 

Colorado in 1975. Volunteering for extra 

duty as a Security Police Augmentee, I 

qualified Expert on rifle and pistol and 

would hold that rating in small arms for 19 

years. So much for my ignorance of firearms 

freedom. I was on a MISSION! 

I read everything about guns that I 

could get my hands on. I bought, traded and 

shot just about any type of gun you could 

think of. I also studied the subject of “gun 

control” and came to know that its real 

definition is being able to hit your target. In 

the company of a group of military friends, 

my firearms experience broadened. In my 

first five years of duty, I must have fired a 

couple of hundred thousand rounds, most of 

it out of my own budget. 

During this time, I began to get into the 

politics of “gun control.” Being a student of 

history, especially military history, I realized 

that if modern day “gun control” would have 

been in place in the past, we would be 

subjects of the throne and America wouldn’t 

exist. Thank the Lord for the wisdom and 

courage of our Founding Fathers. 

I was assigned to K. I. Sawyer AFB, 

Michigan in 1981, and that’s where I got my 

first real taste of restrictive “gun control” 

laws. The State of Michigan, since the 

early 1920’s, required that you register your 

handguns. I decided then and there that was 

something I would NEVER do again. 

Each issue of CCM contains an article that 

“PROFILES” an everyday individual who 

carries a concealed weapon. This article is an 

inspiration to our readers by helping them to 

realize that they are not alone in their lifestyle 

decision to always be armed. 

While studying criminal justice at 

Northern Michigan University, I completed 

a thesis on Michigan’s registration law and 

discovered that, not only had it been useless 

as a crime fighting tool, it only burdened 

the law-abiding citizen and was costing 

Michigan taxpayers untold thousands of 

dollars a year. When I left Michigan, I sold 

every registered firearm I owned and bought 

new ones when I arrived in Free America. 

While stationed again in Colorado, 

the Denver city council proposed banning 

“assault weapons.” In spite of a valiant 

battle, the council passed their ban. Council 

President, Cathy Reynolds, went so far as to 

order the Sergeant-at-Arms to turn off the 

microphone while a pro-gun attorney was 

testifying against the proposal. This would 

not be the first time that my opinion of “gun 

control” would not be well taken in a public 

forum. If not for the escorting officers, I 

may have gotten lost on my way out of the 

building. Thankfully, the ban was thrown 

out by an appellate court. 

After seeing what some of our elected 

“representatives” were capable of, I knew 

in my heart that the battle was joined and 

it would be a long one. I became very 

outspoken, attending every public meeting I 

was aware of, and enlisting every lawful gun 

owner I could. 

About this time, a series of revelations 

came to me. My military duties as a Master 

Instructor conditioned me for public 

speaking. My Oath of Enlistment demanded 

that I protect our Great Nation, from all 

enemies, foreign and domestic. My status 

as an NCO required me to set the example. 



And, most importantly, fatherhood 

meant that I was to be the shepherd, not a 

sheep. My three children depended upon the 

likes of me to protect their Rights for the 

future. WOW! What a realization! And all 

are now good shots. 

More recently, I have been very active 

in the battle for concealed carry in Ohio. 

After a long struggle, Ohio finally passed 

a CCW law, which took effect on April 

8, 2004. From the beginning, the antigunners 

crawled out from under their rocks. 

Unable to stop the legislation, they managed 

to insert some ludicrous restrictions into 

the law. 

Additionally, numerous cities and 

towns passed or proposed ordinances 

that would prohibit concealed carry in 

places such as parks, bus stops, public 

transportation, jogging paths, etc. All the 

places where you get mugged, robbed, raped 

and murdered. The gauntlet was thrown and 

I picked it up. 

“ONE PERSON 

NOT ONLY 

CAN, BUT 

DOES, 

MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE.” 


The Mayor of Toledo, my hometown, 

decreed that there were to be severe 

restrictions on CCW, without even consulting 

with city council. Clyde and Arcanum, Ohio 

city councils passed ordinances banning 

CCW in certain areas. All of this is in direct 

violation of the Constitution of the State 

of Ohio, Ohio Revised Code, recent State 

Supreme Court rulings, and, in the case of 

Toledo, their own Municipal Code, which 

prohibits interfering with the legitimate use 

of a firearm. 

After about a month of attempting 

to educate these public officials as to the 

error of their ways, and being ignored, 

snubbed and insulted, I took action. First, 

I had the occasion to speak face to face 

with the Attorney General for the State of 

Ohio and present him my position papers 

on the issue. Within two weeks, his office 

issued a statewide press release advising 

municipalities in Ohio that said bans 

were invalid, as the cities and towns did 

not have the authority to override the 

state legislature. 

After Toledo refused to retreat, I called 

Bill Hormann, a reporter for the local ABC 

news affiliate 13 Action News. With camera 

crew in tow, I was videotaped carrying a 

concealed pistol virtually everywhere the 

politicians in Toledo said I couldn’t. The 

segments aired on Friday, May 20, 2004, 

at 6:00 and 11:00 p.m., and Mr. Hormann 

did a spectacular job choreographing the 

story. He asked the politicians the right 

questions and really put them on the spot, 

actually getting the law director for the city 

of Toledo to admit the city could not charge 

anyone with a crime for carrying concealed 

in compliance with state law. 

I waited a couple of days, then e-mailed 

every official in Toledo from the mayor on 

down, advising them that if they intended to 

prosecute me, all the evidence they needed 

was on video at the studio; let me know 

when you have the warrant filled out, I’ll 

gladly turn myself in. 

As I expected, they did nothing. 

Clyde, however, is a different story. After 

refusing to repeal their ordinance, they 

were sued by Ohioans for Concealed 

Carry: www.ofcc.net. As this case is still in 

litigation, I cannot comment further, except 

to say that I believe Clyde will lose. 

Arcanum, on the other hand, got the 

hint. I addressed their village council in June 

of last year, and when they understood that 

they had not only overstepped their authority, 

but also that every member of village 

government that voted for the ordinance had 

committed interference with a Civil Right, 

a criminal violation of Ohio Revised Code, 

and could get up to six months in jail, they 

modified the ordinance to comply with state 

law on July 27, 2004. 


In closing, I wish to pass on some 

advice: (1) Do your homework; it pays 

off. Not only is it satisfying to prove the 

opposition wrong, I’ve found it almost 

recreational to beat politicians at their 

own game. Elected officials are not used 

to being reminded that they are servants, 

not masters. (2) NEVER allow yourself to 

say anything you can not ABSOLUTELY 

verify. If, even through an honest mistake, 

you state something that is not true, the 

opposition will barbecue you on the spit of 

public opinion. Should you make a mistake, 

ADMIT it, and correct it IMMEDIATELY. 

(3) No matter what level of hostility you 

face, always keep your cool. Never let them 

see you sweat. Instead of strengthening their 

argument, anti-gunners tend to raise their 

voices. Let them prove the fallacy of their 

argument by their loss of control. Fact, logic, 

knowledge and common sense beat hysteria, 

falsehoods, emotions and lies every time. 

(4) Be the image of courtesy, diplomacy 

and decorum. You will be yelled at, vilified, 

besmirched, insulted, ignored and even 

threatened. Smile, shake their hand and 

NEVER let a discouraging word be heard. 

Being nice, drives them nuts. Use it to your 

advantage. (5) Understand that you can’t 

win all the battles, but we can win the war. 

Finally, don’t give up; don’t give in; 

and certainly do not be afraid to confront 

public officials. One person not only can, but 

DOES, make a difference. Remember what 

happened in Congress in 1994. Politicians, 

as a group, tend to be egomaniacs, which 

means they like power and their primary 

objective, far too often, is re-election. I have 

publicly challenged numerous officials to 

openly debate this issue and very few will do 

it. They don’t want to lose face in the public 

arena and will avoid any chance of that like 

the plague, especially when they KNOW 

they are wrong. Encourage others to get in 

the fight by writing letters, e-mails, making 

phone calls, etc. Challenge the media, 

repeatedly if necessary, when they spew 

forth the lie of “sensible gun control.” If 

you present yourself as intelligent, informed 

and courteous, you will be amazed at how 

often you are treated with respect. 

Oh, and teach the children: not 

only about firearms safety, but also of 

their heritage and to be thankful to be an 

American. Introduce them at a young age to 

God and the Constitution and discuss both 

with them, often. Remember, believing is 

90% of the battle. Keep the faith and victory 

is ours. I am a former law enforcement 

officer, an NRA Certified Basic Pistol 

Instructor and Patron Member. Feel free to 

contact me at: 

gunfighter1@adelphia.net 

Continued on page 6 


CCM: Was there a specific incident that 

caused you to carry a gun? 

Bruce: In the late 1970’s, I was stationed in 

Colorado with the U.S. Air Force and had a part 

time job managing a 24 unit apartment complex. 

I had large amounts of cash at hand and a wife 

and daughter to protect. 

CCM: Have you ever had to use your firearm 

in a defensive situation? 

Bruce: I was mugged in 1988 by a man who 

brought a knife to a gunfight, and my home 

was invaded in 1987. Both cases resulted in 

no injuries, but I believe 2 individuals took up 

another line of work (one for the state). 

CCM: What training methods do you 

employ? Do you have any recommendations? 

Bruce: Usually I practice random distance, 

multiple target, fast identification and response 

drills. 4 Recommendations: Know thy handgun 

well, and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! 

CCM: How long have you carried a 

concealed weapon? 

Bruce: On and off for about 27 years; 

steadily for the past 10. 

CCM: What weapons do you carry? 

Bruce: Colt 1991A1 Compact .45 

auto; Kimber Custom II .45 auto; Smith 

& Wesson model 13 3” .357 mag; Glock 

models 17 and 26, 9mm. 

CCM: What type of ammunition do 

you carry? 

Bruce: Speer Gold Dot 185 gr. 45; 

Speer Gold Dot 125 gr. 357; Federal 

Hydra-Shok 124 gr. 9mm. 

CCM: What concealment holsters do 

you use? 

Bruce: Don Hume JIT Slide for the 

Colt and Smith; Dillon Leather Belt 

Slide for the Glocks; Bianchi IWB for 

Colt and Glocks. 

CCM: What do you do for a living? 

Bruce: I am an independent telecommunications 

technician, doing new 

systems installation and upgrades for 

major telecommunications companies. 

(Also, retired USAF electronics systems 

specialist). 

CCM: Do you have any advice for 

our readers? 

Bruce: First and foremost, realize 

our enemies are not just the criminal 

element. Well meaning, but ignorant 

anti-gun individuals and groups do not 

seem to understand that self defense is 

a very personal issue, and no amount of 

“gun control” will reduce the risks we 

take by merely leaving our homes. 

Get in the FIGHT! I have been 

fortunate in that I have had the ability to 

become very involved in defending our 

Right to Keep and Bear Arms. One of my 

major reasons is to inspire and motivate 

others to take up the battle. Since Ohio 

passed a shall-issue concealed carry 

law in 2004, numerous cities, towns 

and villages have attempted to restrict 

that Right by passing local ordinances, 

which are in violation of state law, the 

state constitution, and in some cases, 

local law. I have done a great deal of 

research into this matter and have spoken 

to the Ohio Attorney General in person 

regarding this issue (He apparently 

agreed with me; shortly after our 

conversation, his office issued a press 

release advising municipalities that Ohio 

Revised Code and the Ohio Constitution 

prohibit restrictions on concealed carry 

that do not conform with state law). 

Additionally, do not fear contacting 

(or even confronting, diplomatically, of 

course) elected officials. Remind them 

that you sign their paycheck and demand 

that they obey their Oaths of Office 

wherein they swear a solemn Oath to 

protect and defend your Rights. Trust 

me, most do not like to be reminded of 

this, but do not give up. 

Also, do your homework—never 

make a statement you can’t back up, 

and if you do make a mistake, issue a 

correction or retraction immediately, 

before our opponents make political hay 

out of it. Once you lose your credibility, 

it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, 

to regain it. 

Finally, spread the word! Anti-gun 

propaganda is very easy to counter 

with facts and logic. Cultivate a good 

relationship with the local media. This 

will take time, but search out those 

media members that at least will hear 

your side. Write letters (editorials, to 

politicians, station managers, school 

boards, etc.), make phone calls, use talk 

radio, attend “town hall”-type meetings, 

talk to teachers, your children’s friends 

and parents, local police officers and 

officials—anyone and everyone that 

you can. Always—and I can’t stress this 

enough—always keep your cool. Our 

position will not be welcomed by all, 

but with patience, diligence, facts, logic, 

diplomacy, courtesy and the truth, we 

will prevail. 

One more recommendation: become 

a subject matter expert. Get all of 

the training and knowledge you can. Join 

Gun Owners of America, the National 

Rifle Association, your local and state 

firearms groups, and help recruit more 

members. Get involved with youth 

training and safety programs. You can 

make a difference. 



I was born in Rocky Mount, Virginia, on December 

17, 1948. Rocky Mount is a small rural town in the 

shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since I grew up 

on a farm, I was exposed to the outdoors and firearms 

at an early age. I was given my first hunting rifle at the 

age of 10 by an uncle who was in the Marines. It was 

a Crossman CO2 powered 22 caliber pellet rifle. My 

uncle had used the rifle to dispatch jackrabbits while 

he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. 

At the age of 12, Santa Claus gave me my first real 

firearm, a Winchester Model 37, 410 gauge shotgun; Old 

Saint Nick and my Dad made my day! I still have that 

little gun. 

When I turned 21, I purchased my first handgun, 

an H&R 22 revolver. From there, I advanced to 38 

Specials, 357 and 44 Magnums. As the old saying 

goes, the rest is history. I was and still am hooked on 

handguns. I have been carrying a concealed weapon for 

over 25 years. Before I was issued a concealed weapons 

permit, my application had to “show cause or need.” I 

had to pass a background check, be finger printed and 

be insured or “bonded” for $100,000.00. The cost of the 

permit was only $30.00 for 2 years and the insurance 

was $150.00 per year. When my permit was reissued for 

the next 2 years, the insurance cost doubled to $300.00 

per year! When the judge that reviewed and issued 

permits was told of this costly problem, he removed this 

requirement from the application process. 

Safety starts at an 

early age! Grandchildren 

(Left to Right): Spencer, 

Brooke and Trey. 

Drawing from concealment; 

Glock 17; Uncle Mike’s holster 

Each issue of CCM contains an article that 

“PROFILES” an everyday individual who 

carries a concealed weapon. This article is an 

inspiration to our readers by helping them to 

realize that they are not alone in their lifestyle 

decision to always be armed. 

Since that time, the application 

process has changed so one only needs to 

pass a background check, show proof of 

firearms training and pay a fee of $50.00 

for a permit that is renewable every 5 years. 

I count myself fortunate that the courts in 

my area use common sense when it comes 

to ones’ right to carry a concealed weapon 

if they choose to do so. 

In 1987, I became a volunteer Hunter 

Education Instructor for The Virginia 

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. 

This is one of the courses that is recognized 

as “proof of training” for a concealed 

weapons permit. Over the years of teaching 

this course, I felt that I could do more to 

educate people about concealed weapons 

and handguns. 

In 2001, I became an NRA Pistol 

Instructor and a Range Safety Officer. I 

am now certified to teach 2 courses that are 

recognized as “proof of training” when one 

Practice makes perfect! 

applies for a permit. I am an Endowment 

NRA Member, I believe in The Second 

Amendment and the right of law abiding 

citizens to own and carry a legal firearm if 

they choose. I VOTE! I am retired due to a 

workplace accident that happened in 1998, 

leaving me with severe lung damage. Oh by 

the way, I still live in this rural town in the 

shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 





Left: Glock 19 in a IWB holster and magazine pouch of my design. Right (Left to Right): 

Family Pet; Maggie, mixed Beagle and Jack Russel; Nana (Carolyn), Trey and Brooke. 

CCM: Was there a specific incident that 

caused you to carry a gun? 

Donnie: Not really. I have several close 

friends that are in law enforcement who 

thought it was a good idea, so I applied 

for a permit. Boy! Am I glad I listened to 

them! In the past five years, there has been 

several times that I was very glad that I was 

carrying one. You see, my oldest daughter 

was married to a very abusive husband, so 

he and I have not had the best relationship. 

Thank the good Lord, she will be legally 

divorced in April, 2005. 

CCM: Have you ever had to use your 

firearm in a defensive situation? 

Donnie: No I haven’t, but my daughter 

and myself have either, directly or indirectly, 

received several threats from her soon to be 

ex-husband. My daughter has had a c.w.p. 

for several years, but only 

recently has decided to carry regularly. 

CCM: What training methods do you 

employ? Do you have any recommendations? 

Donnie: I am lucky as far as training 

goes. I get free training, well, on their days 

off, from several friends that are in law 

enforcement. I also have my own private 

range at my residence so I can practice 

the techniques that I have learned from 

my buddies. I also read magazines, books, 

watch videos and anything else that pertains 

to self defense. As far as recommendations, 

get the best training you can afford, apply 

what you have learned, go to the range and 

practice. Remember, having the correct 

mindset is a big part of your training. 

Always be aware of your surroundings and 

try to avoid putting yourself in situations 

that could force one to take anothers’ life. 

In reality, most confrontations are usually at 

seven yards or less, which is why I start my 

students shooting at a B 27 target from five 

yards. When they can keep 10 shots in the 

kill zone, they move to the seven yard line 

and shoot again. They continue this exercise 

at ten, twelve and finally fifteen yards. I use 

this exercise to build confidence because as 

the distances increase, the size of the target 

decreases, requiring the shooter to a have 

better sight picture, sight alignment, trigger 

control and breath control. 

CCM: How long have you carried a 

concealed weapon? 

Donnie: I have carried daily since my first 

permit was issued over 25 years ago. 

Left and Right: Kel-Tec 380 in an Ambi pocket holster that I designed. 



Top: Not Bad for a Lefty! Bottom Left: Some of my holsters and magazine pouches. Bottom Right: Kahr 

P40 in belt slide with single magazine pouch. 

CCM: What weapons do you carry? 

Donnie: It depends on the situation and 

how I am dressed. It could be a Kahr P9 

or P40, a Glock 26, 19 or 23; a Taurus or 

Smith & Wesson small frame revolver and 

last and the least a Kel-Tec 380. 

CCM: What type of ammunition do 

you carry? 

Donnie: In 9mm, I currently use Federal 

105 grain Personal Defense Expanding Full 

Medal Jacket. In 40 S&W, I shoot Corbon 

135 Jacketed Hollow Points. The revolvers 

are loaded with Federal Classic +P 158 

Semi-Wadcutter Hollow Point (I think this 

is the old FBI loading). In 380 caliber, I use 

Winchester 95 grain FMJ. 

CCM: What concealment holsters do 

you use? 

Donnie: I am a southpaw, so you know 

it is sometimes hard and expensive to find 

the right holster, so I have been making my 

own for several years. They are Inside the 

Waistband, Pancake and Pocket holsters. 

I also use holsters by Blade-Tech, Uncle 

Mike’s and Galco. 

CCM: What do you do for a living? 

Donnie: I officially retired on disability 

in October, 2001. Prior to my retirement, 

I worked in a water treatment plant for 

over 20 years. During my last five years, 

I was the plant superintendent. On August 

4, 1998, there was an accident at the plant 

and I was exposed to chlorine gas. This 

caused severe lung damage and led to my 

retirement. 

CCM: Do you have any advice for 

our readers? 

Donnie: Yes, you can never have too 

much training. Practice makes perfect so 

go to the range as often as possible. As 

far as handguns and caliber, pick what is 

comfortable for you to shoot and hit your 

target consistently. Shot placement is more 

important than bullet size. There is no 

magical bullet that is guaranteed to stop 

the fight! Remember, one 22 caliber bullet 

in the kill zone is far better than seven 

45 caliber bullets in the dirt! I assume, 

since you are reading this magazine, you 

either already carry a concealed weapon 

or are thinking of doing so. Just remember, 

when you draw your weapon you will have 

only a split second to decide if you want 

to be judged by twelve or carried by six. 

In closing, I will ask that you vote, if you 

DON’T VOTE then DON’T COMPLAIN! 

Introduce someone to the fun of shooting 

and be proud you live in the LAND OF 

THE FREE, AMERICA! Remember, 

HAVE FAITH, SHOOT STRAIGHT, BE 

SAFE! I would like to thank Tim and Maria 

for giving me this opportunity. 




BANK ROBBER CAPTURED 

KELSO, Washington — Cowlitz County 

Sheriff’s say they have taken a bank 

robbery suspect who has been on the 

loose, into custody. 

Deputies received a call from 

a resident on Kalama River Road 

Wednesday at 5:10 p.m. saying they were 

holding a person at gunpoint on their 

property who matched a description of 

the bank robbery suspect. 

The suspect, 56-year-old Steven W. 

Driffill, of West Valley, Utah, was armed 

with a pistol. 

When Driffill was taken into custody, 

officials said he was very wet and was 

believed to have been in the Kalama 

River. 

The sheriff’s department handed 

Driffill over to the FBI Wednesday night. 

KATU.com 

January 5, 2005 

STORE OWNER FIRES IN DEFENSE 

SOUTHFIELD, Michigan — A 17-yearold 

robbery suspect died late Thursday 

or early Friday after he suffered a 

gunshot wound when a store owner fired 

in self defense, police said. 

Rashawn Edward Linnear, of 

Detroit, was armed with a .45 caliber 

handgun when he and two other teens— 

16-year-old Miguil Andrew Jackson and 

15-year-old Deandre Lamar Benson— 

entered the Oakland Party Store on Ten 

Mile Road in Southfield at about 9 p.m. 

Wednesday, Local 4 reported. 

Storeowner, Maurice Gorges, fired 

a shot in self defense after a 17-year-old 

robber pointed a gun at him, police said. 

The three ordered the store’s owner, 

51-year-old Maurice Gorges, and a 

customer to the floor at gunpoint, police 

said. Gorges, of West Bloomfield, said he 

asked the teens to leave after he emptied 

out his register for them. 

“They kept saying, ‘No. Give us the 

safe and the videotape or we’re going 

to kill both of you,’” said the customer, 

whose name was being withheld. 

Gorges, who purchased a gun eight 

years ago after his store was robbed, 

said he fired his weapon when Linnear 

pointed the handgun at him. 

“I didn’t want to do that…I gave 

him a chance, but that’s his choice,” 

Gorges said. 

The 17-year-old suffered a gunshot 

wound to the head. He was taken to 

Providence Hospital, where he was later 

pronounced dead. 

Jackson and Benson, both from 

Detroit, were arrested by Southfield 

police. One was chased and captured by 

a police officer and the other was tracked 

down by a K-9 unit, police said. 

The teens were charged as adults 

Thursday afternoon. Police said they do 

not expect the store owner to face charges. 

Clickondetroit.com 


BROTHER, 79, PROTECTS SISTER 

SARASOTA, Florida — Trouble came 

crawling through Henrietta McCormick’s 

bedroom window Tuesday morning. 

After calling 911 to report a man 

breaking into her northeast Sarasota 

home, McCormick, 82, screamed for her 

79-year-old brother, Julian Scott. 

Minutes later, George T. Jackson, 

was in McCormick’s cramped living 

room nursing a head injury after Scott 

hit him with a handgun. 

Jackson, a 24-year-old resident with 

a lengthy criminal history, died hours later 

at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota 

County Sheriff’s deputies reported. 

“I don’t feel good about it at all, and 

I’m sorry it had to happen, but I’m glad I 

was here to protect my sister,” said Scott, 

shaken from the episode. 

It was after 2 a.m. when McCormick 

told a dispatcher she heard a man 

pounding on the front door then checking 

the windows. Deputies headed out to 

McCormick’s single-story, cinder block 

duplex in the 2600 block of 24th Street. 

By then Jackson was climbing 

through McCormick’s bedroom window. 

“He had a rage in him something fierce,” 

she said. 

10 Concealed Carry Magazine www.concealedcarrymag.com 


McCormick screamed for her brother 

in the next room. Groggy, he reached for 

his handgun and confronted Jackson, who 

lunged at him. 

The two men struggled for the gun. 

A shot fired into the ceiling, deputies 

reported. 

“The brother overpowered him and hit 

him on the top of the head with the butt of 

the gun,” said sheriff’s office spokesman 

Chuck Lesaltato. 

When deputies arrived, Jackson was 

conscious but incoherent. Deputies arrested 

Jackson on charges of residential burglary, 

possession of rock cocaine and possession 

of marijuana, and then took him to Sarasota 

Memorial Hospital at about 3 a.m., where 

he died at 7:36 a.m., deputies reported. 

“We don’t believe he died from the 

head injury,” Lesaltato said. The medical 

examiner’s office and detectives continue to 

investigate the case and Jackson’s cause of 

death, he added. 

Scott isn’t expected to be charged, 

Lesaltato said. Residents in the quiet 

neighborhood, where older houses are 

mixed in with newer homes with big fenced 

yards, were shocked. 

“This scares me,” said John Gilliam, 

whose grandmother lived in the neighborhood 

since the 1960s and knows 

McCormick. “Jackson must have been 

delirious.” McCormick considers herself 

lucky. Her brother moved in just a week 

ago. “I’d probably be in the funeral home 

if he hadn’t been here,” she said. “It’s 

something that came to us; we didn’t come 

to it.” 

Herald Tribune 


CLERK SHOOTS KNIFE-WIELDING 

ROBBER 

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — Neighbors 

of Ayesh Food Market on Hampton 

Avenue and 19th Place say nearly 

everyone in the area knows and likes 

the owner, and police say even a man 

who came in to rob the store knew him. 

“He was armed with a four inch steak 

knife,” said Lt. Steven Spingola of the 

Milwaukee Police Department. 

“He originally confronted the 

owner of the store, who was standing 

in an aisle, and demanded money.” 

When a 23-year-old cashier saw the owner 

in trouble, police say he grabbed the store’s 

revolver and jumped out from behind the 

counter. That’s when police say the suspect 

started chasing the cashier. 

“He was pursued up the aisle by the 

suspect, and he was cornered near the meat 

counter at the south end of the store. He 

then fired his weapon in self defense,” said 

Lt. Spingola. 

While one bullet went through the 

glass, police say three bullets went into the 

suspect, killing him. Officers say the store’s 

gun is a legally owned weapon. 

“It’s completely legal. It’s their right to 

do that. The police can’t be everywhere at 

one time,” said Lt. Spingola. 

Regular customers were glad to hear 

no one else was hurt, especially the owners. 

“These are good guys. They treat you right,” 

said Henry Blount. 

“The owner was in the far aisle 

shielding a customer from the suspect,” 

said Lt. Spingola. 

Police say the suspect appeared to be 

in his 30s. Police say they don’t expect any 

charges to be filed in this case. 

JSonline.com 


RETIRED NYC FIREFIGHTER SHOOTS 

SUSPECT 

BOWIE, Arizona — The man being credited 

with stopping the accused kidnapper is no 

stranger to danger. 

He moved to Bowie after retiring from 

the New York City Fire Department where 

he was one of the first people into the World 

Trade Center after terrorists first attempted 

to topple the towers in 1993. 

He says, “I just drew and fired.” 

His one shot went through 24-year-old 

Johnny Williams’s shoulder and through the 

cinder block of the building. 

Ritchie doesn’t want his last name 

known. He says the suspect walked into the 

Mountain View RV Park in Bowie at 5:45 

a.m. and told him this was a robbery and to 

give him all the money in the cash register. 

Ritchie says, “I saw his gun coming out. He 

reached inside his sweatshirt. I saw a gun 

and I said, ‘Oh well, time to react.’ I reacted 

faster than he did.” 

Ritchie told Eyewitness News 4 

that after he shot the suspect, he called 911, 

looked out the window, and saw the wouldbe 

robber running through the parking lot 

and getting into his parked truck. 

Ritchie was the wrong man to 

mess with. His weapons instructor told 

Eyewitness News 4 that all the locals know 

he carries a sidearm. 

“We’ve never been robbed. Seeing it, 

changes a lot of people’s attitudes. It’s an 

attitude-adjustment tool,” Ritchie says. 

It’s that tool, Ritchie says, that saved 

his life and probably the lives of others. 

“He put my life in danger by drawing 

his weapon. He brought it on himself.” 

Ritchie did all this in about two seconds 

and, at the time, he didn’t know 

Johnson was wanted for murder. 

His message to the man he shot? “You 

got what you deserved. Now you’ve got to 

pay. You got caught.” 

KVOA.com 


ROBBERY SUSPECT DEAD AFTER BATTLE 

SOUTH HOUSTON, Texas — Police say a 

man found shot to death in south Houston 

early today is believed to a would-be robber 

who exchanged gunfire with a homeowner’s 

son a couple hours earlier. 

A woman who lives on Darlinghurst 

near Fleetwell told police she saw four 

armed, masked men breaking into a nearby 

vacant home about 11 p.m. Monday, and 

called her son to come to her house. 

When he arrived, police said he 

retrieved a gun from his mother’s house 

and the two went outside to check on the 

suspected burglars but suddenly found 

themselves confronted by the group. 

Police said the woman was grabbed 

by one of the armed men and held 

briefly. When she struggled free, her son 

exchanged gunfire with the men as they ran 

away, police said. 

Police called to investigate the incident 

began a search of the area and, about 1 a.m., 

the body of a gunshot victim was found in 

the backyard of a home five houses from 

where the skirmish took place. 

Police said evidence probably will be 

referred to a grand jury without charges. 

Houston Chronicle 


Volume 02 - Issue 03 www.concealedcarrymag.com 

Concealed Carry Magazine 11

How often have you heard these 

statements from misguided advocates of 

victim disarmament, or even woefully 

uninformed relatives and neighbors? Why 

do people cling so tightly to these beliefs, 

in the face of incontrovertible evidence 

that they are wrong? Why do they get so 

furiously angry when gun owners point 

out that their arguments are factually and 

logically incorrect? 

How can you communicate with these 

people who seem to be out of touch with 

reality and rational thought? 

One approach to help you deal 

with anti-gun people is to understand 

their psychological processes. Once you 

understand why these people behave so 

irrationally, you can communicate more 

effectively with them. 

DEFENSE MECHANISMS 

Projection 

About a year ago, I received an 

e-mail from a member of a local Jewish 

organization. The author, who chose to 

remain anonymous, insisted that people 

have no right to carry firearms because he 

didn’t want to be murdered if one of his 

neighbors had a “bad day”. (I don’t know 

that this person is a “he”, but I’m assuming 

so for the sake of simplicity.) I responded 

by asking him why he thought his neighbors 

wanted to murder him, and, of course, got no 

response. The truth is that he’s statistically 

more likely to be murdered by a neighbor 

who doesn’t legally carry a firearm 1 and 

more likely to be shot accidentally by a law 

enforcement officer. 1 

How does my correspondent “know” 

that his neighbors would murder him if they 

had guns? He doesn’t. What he was really 

saying was that if he had a gun, he might 

murder his neighbors if he had a bad day, or 

if they took his parking space, or played their 

stereos too loud. This is an example of what 

mental health professionals call projection 

—unconsciously projecting one’s own 

unacceptable feelings onto other people, so 

that one doesn’t have to own them. 3 In some 

cases, the intolerable feelings are projected 

not onto a person, but onto an inanimate 

object, such as a gun, 4 so that the projector 

believes the gun itself will murder him. 

Projection is a defense mechanism. 

Defense mechanisms are unconscious 

psychological mechanisms that protect us 

from feelings that we cannot consciously 

accept. 5 They operate without our awareness, 

so that we don’t have to deal consciously 

with “forbidden” feelings and impulses. 

Thus, if you asked my e-mail correspondent 

if he really wanted to murder his neighbors, 

he would vehemently deny it, and insist that 

other people want to kill him. 

Projection is a particularly insidious 

defense mechanism, because it not only 

prevents a person from dealing with his own 

feelings, it also creates a world where he 

perceives everyone else as directing his own 

hostile feelings back at him. 6 

All people have violent, and even 

homicidal, impulses. For example, it’s common 

to hear people say, “I’d like to kill my 

boss,” or “If you do that one more time I’m 

going to kill you.” They don’t actually mean 

that they’re going to, or even would, kill anyone; 

they’re simply acknowledging anger 

and frustration. All of us suffer from fear and 

feelings of helplessness and vulnerability. 

Most people can acknowledge feelings of 

rage, fear, frustration, jealousy, etc. without 

having to act on them in inappropriate and 

destructive ways. 

Some people, however, are unable 

consciously to admit that they have such 

“unacceptable” emotions. They may have 

higher than average levels of rage, frustration, 

or fear. Perhaps they fear that if they 

acknowledge the hostile feelings, they will 

lose control and really will hurt someone. 

They may believe that “good people” never 

have such feelings, when in fact all people 

have them. 

This is especially true now that 

education “experts” commonly prohibit 

children from expressing negative emotions 

or aggression. Instead of learning that such 

emotions are normal, but that destructive 

behavior needs to be controlled, children 

now learn that feelings of anger are 

evil, dangerous and subject to severe 

punishment. 7 To protect themselves from 

“being bad,” they are forced to use defense 

mechanisms to avoid owning their own 

normal emotions. Unfortunately, using 

such defense mechanisms inappropriately 

can endanger their mental health; children 

need to learn how to deal appropriately with 

reality, not how to avoid it. 8 

(This discussion of psychological 

mechanisms applies to the average person 

who is uninformed, or misinformed, about 

firearms and self defense. It does not apply 

to the anti-gun ideologue. Fanatics like 

Charles Schumer know the facts about 

firearms, and advocate victim disarmament 

consciously and willfully in order to gain 

political power. This psychological analysis 

does not apply to them.) 

Denial 

Another defense mechanism commonly 

utilized by supporters of gun control 

is denial. Denial is simply refusing to 



accept the reality of a given situation. 9 For 

example, consider a woman whose husband 

starts coming home late, has strange 

perfume on his clothes, and starts charging 

flowers and jewelry on his credit card. She 

may get extremely angry at a well-meaning 

friend who suggests that her husband is 

having an affair. The reality is obvious, but 

the wronged wife is so threatened by her 

husband’s infidelity that she is unable to 

accept it, and so denies its existence. 

Anti-gun people do the same thing. It’s 

obvious that we live in a dangerous society, 

where criminals attack innocent people. 

Just about everyone has been, or knows 

someone who has been, victimized. It’s 

equally obvious that law enforcement can’t 

protect everyone everywhere 24 hours a day. 

Extensive scholarly research demonstrates 

that the police have no legal duty to protect 

you 10 and that firearm ownership is the 

most effective way to protect yourself and 

your family. 11 There is irrefutable evidence 

that victim disarmament nearly always 

precedes genocide. 12 Nonetheless, the antigun 

folks insist, despite all evidence to the 

contrary, that “the police will protect you,” 

“this is a safe neighborhood” and “it can’t 

happen here,” where “it” is everything from 

mugging to mass murder. 

Anti-gun people who refuse to accept 

the reality of the proven and very serious 

dangers of civilian disarmament are using 

denial to protect themselves from the 

anxiety of feeling helpless and vulnerable. 

Likewise, gun owners who insist that “the 

government will never confiscate my guns” 

are also using denial to protect themselves 

from the anxiety of contemplating being 

forcibly disarmed and rendered helpless 

and vulnerable. 

Reaction Formation 

Reaction formation is yet another 

defense mechanism common among the 

anti-gun folks. Reaction formation occurs 

when a person’s mind turns an unacceptable 

feeling or desire into its complete opposite. 13 

For example, a child who is jealous of a 

sibling may exhibit excessive love and 

devotion for the hated brother or sister. 

Likewise, a person who harbors 

murderous rage toward his fellow humans 

may claim to be a devoted pacifist and 

refuse to eat meat or even kill a cockroach. 14 

Often such people take refuge in various 

spiritual disciplines and believe that they 

are “superior” to “less civilized” folks 

who engage in “violent behavior” such 

as hunting, or even target shooting. They 

may devote themselves to “animal welfare” 

organizations that proclaim that the rights 

of animals take precedence over the 

rights of people. 15 This not only allows 

the angry person to avoid dealing with his 

rage, it allows him actually to harm the 

people he hates without having to know 

he hates them. 

This is not meant to disparage the 

many wonderful people who are pacifists, 

spiritually inclined, vegetarian, or who 

support animal welfare. The key issue is 

not the belief itself, but rather the way in 

which the person experiences and lives 

his beliefs. Sincere practitioners seek to 

improve themselves, or to be helpful in a 

gentle, respectful fashion. They work to 

persuade others peacefully by setting an 

example of what they believe to be correct 

behavior. Sincere pacifists generally exhibit 

good will towards others, even towards 

persons with whom they might disagree on 

various issues. 

Contrast the sincere pacifist or animal 

lover with the strident, angry person 

who wants to ban meat and who believes 

murdering hunters is justified in order to 

“save the animals”—or the person who 

wants to outlaw self defense and believes 

innocent people have the obligation to be 

raped and murdered for the good of society. 

For example, noted feminist Betty Friedan 

said “that lethal violence even in self 

defense only engenders more violence.” 16 

The truly spiritual, pacifist person refrains 

from forcing others to do what he believes, 

and is generally driven by positive emotions, 

while the angry person finds “socially 

acceptable” ways to harm, abuse, or even 

kill, his fellow man. 

In the case of anti-gun people, 

reaction formation keeps any knowledge 

of their hatred for their fellow humans out 

of consciousness, while allowing them 

to feel superior to “violent gun owners”. 

At the same time, it also allows them 

to cause serious harm, and even loss of 

life, to others by denying them the tools 

necessary to defend themselves. This makes 

reaction formation very attractive from a 

psychological point of view, and therefore 

very difficult to counteract. 

Defense Mechanisms Are Not 

Mental Illnesses 

Defense mechanisms are normal. All 

of us use them to some extent, and their use 

does not imply mental illness. Advocates 

of victim disarmament may be misguided 

or uninformed, they may be stupid, or 

they may be consciously intent on evil, 

but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are 

“mentally ill.” 

Some defense mechanisms, however, 

are healthier than others. A safe general 

rule is that a defense is healthy if it helps 

you to function better in your personal 

and professional life, and unhealthy if it 

interferes with your life, your relationships, 

or the well-being of others. Young children 

utilize projection and denial much more 

commonly than do healthy adults. On 

the other hand, “if projection is used as a 

defense mechanism to a very great extent in 

adult life, the user’s perception of external 

reality will be seriously distorted.” 17 

Defense mechanisms are also frequently 

combined, so that an anti-gun person 

may use several defense mechanisms 

simultaneously. For example, my unfortunate 

correspondent uses projection to 

create a world in which all his neighbors 

want to murder him. As a result, he becomes 

more angry and fearful, and needs to 

employ even more defense mechanisms 

to cope. So he uses projection to attribute 

his own rage to others, he uses denial that 

there is any danger to protect himself from 

a world where he believes he is helpless and 

everyone wants to murder him, and he uses 

reaction formation to try to control everyone 

else’s life because his own is so horribly out 

of control. 

Also, it’s important to remember 

that not all anti-gun beliefs are the result 

of defense mechanisms. Some people 

suffer from gun phobia 18 , an excessive 

and completely irrational fear of firearms, 

usually caused by the anti-gun conditioning 

they’ve been subjected to by the media, 

politicians, so-called “educators,” and 

others. In some cases, gun phobia is caused 

by an authentic bad experience associated 

with a firearm. But with all due respect 

to Col. Jeff Cooper, who coined the term 

“hoplophobia” to describe anti-gun people, 

most anti-gun people do not have true 

phobias. Interestingly, a person with a true 

phobia of guns realizes his fear is excessive 

or unreasonable, 19 something most anti-gun 

folks will never admit. 




Defense Mechanisms Distort 

Reality 

Because defense mechanisms distort 

reality in order to avoid unpleasant emotions, 

the person who uses them has an impaired 

ability to recognize and accept reality. This 

explains why my e-mail correspondent 

and many other anti-gun people persist 

in believing that their neighbors and coworkers 

will become mass murderers if 

allowed to own firearms. 

People who legally carry concealed 

firearms are actually less violent and less 

prone to criminal activity of all kinds than is 

the general population. 20 A person who has a 

clean record, has passed an FBI background 

check, undergone firearms training, and 

spent several hundred dollars to get a permit 

and a firearm, is highly unlikely to choose 

to murder a neighbor. Doing so would 

result in his facing a police manhunt, a 

trial, prison, possibly capital punishment, 

and the destruction of his family, job, and 

reputation. Obviously it would make no 

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sense for such a person to shoot a neighbor - 

except in self defense. Equally obviously, the 

anti-gun person who believes that malicious 

shootings by ordinary gun owners are likely 

to occur is not in touch with reality. 21 

THE COMMON THREAD: 

RAGE 

In my experience, the common 

thread in anti-gun people is rage. Either 

anti-gun people harbor more rage than 

others, or they’re less able to cope with it 

appropriately. Because they can’t handle 

their own feelings of rage, they are forced 

to use defense mechanisms in an unhealthy 

manner. Because they wrongly perceive 

others as seeking to harm them, they 

advocate the disarmament of ordinary 

people who have no desire to harm anyone. 

So why do anti-gun people have so much 

rage and why are they unable to deal with it 

in appropriate ways? Consider for a moment 

that the largest and most hysterical anti-gun 

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MANY MODELS IN STOCK AND MORE ARRIVING 

MONTHLY. CALL US! 

groups include disproportionately large 

numbers of women, African Americans and 

Jews. And virtually all of the organizations 

that claim to speak for these “oppressed 

people” are stridently anti-gun. Not coincidentally, 

among Jews, Blacks and women 

there are many “professional victims” 

who have little sense of identity outside of 

their victimhood. 

Identity as Victim 

If I were to summarize this article in 

three sentences, they would be: 

(1) People who identify themselves as 

“victims” harbor excessive amounts 

of rage at other people, whom they 

perceive as “not victims.” 

(2) In order psychologically to deal 

with this rage, these “victims” utilize 

defense mechanisms that enable them 

to harm others in socially acceptable 

ways, without accepting responsibility 

or suffering guilt, and without having 

to give up their status as “victims.” 

(3) Gun owners are frequently the 

targets of professional victims because 

gun owners are willing and able to 

prevent their own victimization. 

Thus the concept of “identity as victim” 

is essential. How and why do members of 

some groups choose to identify themselves 

as victims and teach their children to do the 

same? While it’s true that women, Jews, and 

African Americans have historically been 

victimized, they now participate in American 

society on an equal basis. And other groups, 

most notably Asian-Americans, have been 

equally victimized, and yet have transcended 

the “eternal victim” mentality. 

Why, for example, would a 6’10” 

NBA player who makes $10 million a year 

see himself as a “victim?” Why would 

a successful, respected, wealthy, Jewish 

physician regard himself as a “victim?” 

Conversely, why might a wheelchair bound 

woman who lives on government disability 

NOT regard herself as a victim? 

I would argue it’s because the basketball 

player and the physician believe that their 

identities are dependent on being victims 

—not because they have actually been 

victimized, but because they’re members of 

groups that claim victim status. Conversely, 

the disabled woman was probably raised to 

believe that she is responsible for her own 

success or failure. 

In fact, many people who have been 

victims of actual violent crime, or who 

have survived war or civil strife, support the 

right of self defense. The old saying is often 

correct: “a conservative is a liberal who has 

been mugged.” 

14 Concealed Carry Magazine 



Special Treatment and 

Misleading Leaders 

Two reasons for these groups to insist 

on “victim” status seem likely. First, by 

claiming victim status, members of these 

groups can demand (and get) special 

treatment through quotas, affirmative 

action, reparations, and other preferential 

treatment programs. 

Second, these people have been 

indoctrinated to believe that there is no 

alternative to remaining a victim forever. 

Their leaders remind them constantly that 

they are mistreated in every imaginable 

way (most of them imaginary!), attribute 

every one of life’s misfortunes to “racism” 

or “sexism” or “hate crimes,” and dream 

up ever more complex schemes for special 

treatment and favors. 22 These leaders 

are the ones who preach that the entire 

Black experience is slavery and racism, 

or that Jewish history before and after the 

Holocaust is irrelevant, 23 or that happily 

married women are really victims of sexual 

slavery. 24 

Likewise, the NAACP is suing 

firearms manufacturers to put them out 

of business, 25 and is especially opposed 

to the inexpensive pistols that enable the 

poor to defend themselves in gang-ridden 

inner cities. The Department of Housing 

and Urban Development (HUD) proposed 

evicting anyone who dares to keep a tool 

of self defense in any of its crime-infested 

housing projects. Jewish leaders, especially 

those in the politically correct “Reform” 

branch, preach that gun control is “a solemn 

religious obligation,” 26 contrary to the 

teachings of their sacred scriptures and their 

own history. 27 Law enforcement agencies 

falsely teach women that they are safest 

if they don’t resist rapists and robbers, 28 

while women’s organizations advocate gun 

control, thus rendering women and their 

children defenseless. 

Victimhood is good business for 

organizations that foster victim status. 

As victims, the members depend upon 

the organization to protect them, and the 

organization in turn relies on members for 

funding and political power. In the interest 

of self-preservation, these organizations 

work hard at preserving hatred and bigotry 

and at keeping their members defenseless 

—and therefore dependent. 

Anti-gun groups love victims! 

From my observations, pro-victimhood 

is a feature of all of the anti-gun special 

interest groups, not just the ones mentioned 

here. Every organization that supports gun 

control apparently wants its members to 

be helpless, terrified and totally dependent 

on someone else to control every aspect of 

their lives. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a 

religious, racial, ethnic, political, social, or 

charitable group. From Handgun Control, 

Inc. to the Anti-Defamation League to 

the Million Mom March, they all want 

you to live in fear. In this scheme, soccer 

moms are “victims” just as much as are 

inner-city minorities. 

If these organizations truly cared about 

the people for whom they claim to speak, 

they would encourage safe and responsible 

firearms ownership. They would help people 

to learn how to defend themselves and their 

families so that they wouldn’t have to live 

in fear. They would tell everyone that one 

of the wonderful things about being an 

American is that you have the right to keep 

and bear arms, the right to defend yourself, 

and how these rights preserve the right to 

be free. 

The Psychological Price of 

Being a Victim 

In our current society, victimhood has 

many perceived benefits, but there are some 

serious drawbacks. Victims tend to see the 

world as a scary and threatening place. They 

believe that others treat them differently, 

unfairly, and even maliciously—and that 

they are helpless to do anything about it. This 

belief, that they are being mistreated and are 

helpless to resist, generates tremendous 

rage, and often, serious depression. 

But for victims to show rage openly 

can be dangerous, if not outright suicidal. 

For example, a battered woman who 

screams at or hits her attacker may provoke 

worse beatings or even her own murder. And 

a person who successfully defends himself 

loses his status as “victim.” For someone 

whose entire identity is dependent on being 

a victim, the loss of victim status is just as 

threatening as loss of life. 

So, unable psychologically to cope 

with such rage, people who view themselves 

as victims: (1) use defense mechanisms to 

displace it into irrational beliefs about 

neighbors killing each other, and the 

infallibility of police protection, and (2) 

attempt to regain control by controlling gun 

owners, whom they wrongly perceive as 

“the enemy.” 

Say NO to Being a Victim! 

But no one needs to be a victim! Quite 

simply, it’s not very easy to victimize a 

person who owns and knows how to use 

a firearm. If most women owned and 

carried firearms, rapes and beatings would 

decrease. 29 Thugs who target the elderly 

and disabled would find honest work once 

they realized they were likely to be looking 



www.concealedcarrymag.com Concealed Carry Magazine 

15

down the barrel of a pistol or shotgun. It’s 

nearly impossible to enslave, or herd into 

concentration camps, large numbers of 

armed people. 

COMMUNICATING WITH 

ANTI-GUN PEOPLE 

How can you communicate more 

effectively with an anti-gun person who 

is using unhealthy defense mechanisms? 

There are no quick and easy answers. But 

there are a few things you should keep 

in mind. 

Anger and Attacks Do Not Work 

Most gun owners, when confronted 

by an anti-gun person, become angry and 

hostile. This is understandable, because 

gun owners increasingly face ridicule, 

persecution and discrimination. (If you 

don’t believe this, ask yourself if anyone 

would seriously introduce legislation to ban 

African Americans, women, or Jews from 

post offices, schools, and churches. Even 

convicted felons aren’t banned from such 

places—but peaceful armed citizens are!) 

But an angry response is counterproductive. 

It’s not helpful to attack the person 

you’re trying to persuade. Anything that 

makes him feel more fearful or angry will 

only intensify his defenses. Your goal is to 

help the person feel safe, and then to provide 

experiences and information that will help 

him to make informed decisions. 

Be Gentle 

You should never try to break down a 

defense mechanism by force. Remember 

that defense mechanisms protect people 

from feelings they cannot handle, and if 

you take that protection away, you can cause 

serious psychological harm. And because 

defense mechanisms operate unconsciously, 

it won’t do any good to show an anti-gun 

person this article or to point out that he’s 

using defense mechanisms. Your goal is 

gently and gradually to help the person to 

have a more realistic and rational view of 

the world. This cannot be done in one hour 

or one day. 

As you reach out to people in this 

way, you need to deal with both the 

illogical thought processes involved and 

the emotional reactions that anti-gun people 

have to firearms. When dealing with illogical 

thought processes, you are attempting to use 

reason and logic to convince the anti-gun 

person that his perception of other people 

and his perception of firearms are seriously 

inaccurate. The goal is to help him to 

understand that armed citizens and firearms 

are not threats, and may even save his life. 

REVERSING IRRATIONAL 

THOUGHTS 

The Mirror Technique 

One approach that can be helpful is 

simply to feed back what the anti-gun person 

is telling you, in a neutral, inquisitive way. 

So, when replying to my anonymous e-mail 

correspondent (above), I might respond, “So 

you fear if your neighbors had guns, they 

would use them to murder you. What makes 

you think that?” When you simply repeat 

what the person has said, and ask questions, 

you are not directly challenging his 

defenses. You are holding up a mirror to let 

him see his own views. If he has very strong 

defenses, he can continue to insist that his 

neighbors want to murder him. However, if 

his defenses are less rigid, he may start to 

question his position. 

Another example might be, “Why do 

you think that your children’s schoolteachers 

would shoot them?” You might follow this 

up with something like, “Why do you entrust 

your precious children to someone you 

believe would murder them?” Again, you 

are merely asking questions, and not directly 

attacking the person or his defenses. 

Of course the anti-gun person might 

continue to insist that the teachers really 

would harm children, but prohibiting them 

from owning guns would prevent it. So 

you might ask how using a gun to murder 

innocent children is different from stabbing 

children with scissors, assaulting them 

with baseball bats, or poisoning the milk 

and cookies. 

It’s important to ask “open-ended” 

questions that require a response other 

than “yes” or “no.” Such questions require 

the anti-gun person actually to think about 

what he is saying. This will help him to reexamine 

his beliefs. It may also encourage 

him to ask you questions about firearms use 

and ownership. 

The “What Would You Do?” 

Technique 

Once you have a dialogue going with 

an anti-gun person, you might want to insert 

him into a hypothetical scenario, although 

doing so is a greater threat to his defenses, 

and is therefore more risky. You might 

ask how he would deal with a difficult or 

annoying co-worker. He will likely respond 

that he would never resort to violence, but 

“other people” would, especially if they 

had guns. (Projection again.) You can then 

ask him who these “other people” are, why 

they would shoot a co-worker, and what the 

shooter would gain by doing so. 

Don’t try to “win” the argument. Don’t 

try to embarrass the person you’re trying 

to educate. Remember that no one likes 

to admit that his deeply held beliefs are 

wrong. No one likes to hear, “I told you so!” 

Be patient and gentle. If you are arrogant, 

condescending, hurtful or rude to the antigun 

person, you will only convince him 

that gun owners are arrogant, hurtful people 

—who should not be trusted with guns! 

DEFUSING EMOTIONAL 

REACTIONS 

The “You Are There” Technique 

Rational arguments alone are not likely 

to be successful, especially since many 

people “feel” rather than “think.” You also 

need to deal with the emotional responses 

of the anti-gun person. Remember that most 

people have been conditioned to associate 

firearms with dead toddlers. So you need 

to change the person’s emotional responses 

along with his thoughts. 

One way to do this is to put the antigun 

person (or his family) at a hypothetical 

crime scene and ask what he would like to 

have happen. For example, “Imagine your 

wife is in the parking lot at the supermarket 

and two men grab her. One holds a knife to 

her throat while the other tears her clothes 

off. If I see this happening and have a gun, 

what should I do? What would happen next? 

What if after five minutes, the police still 

haven’t arrived?” 

Just let him answer the questions and 

mentally walk through the scenario. Don’t 

argue with his answers. You are planting 

seeds in his mind than can help change his 

emotional responses. 

The Power of Empathy 

Another emotion-based approach that 

is often more successful is to respond 

sympathetically to the plight of the anti-gun 

person. 

Imagine for a moment how you would 

feel if you believed your neighbors and coworkers 

wanted to kill you and your family, 

and you could do nothing at all about it 

except to wait for the inevitable to occur. 

Not very pleasant, is it? 




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This is the world in which opponents of 

armed self defense live. All of us have had 

times in our lives when we felt “different” 

and had to contend with hostile schoolmates, 

co-workers, etc. So we need to invoke our 

own compassion for these terrified people. 

Say something like, “It must be awful 

to live in fear of being assaulted by your 

own neighbors. I remember what it was 

like when I was the only (Jew, Mormon, 

African-American, Republican) in my 

(class, football team, workplace)—and even 

then I didn’t think anyone was going to kill 

me.” It’s essential that you sincerely feel 

some compassion and empathy; if you’re 

glib or sarcastic, this won’t work. 

Using empathy works in several 

ways. First, it defuses a potentially hostile 

interaction. Anti-gun people are used to 

being attacked, not understood, by advocates 

of gun rights. Instead of an “evil, gun-toting, 

extremist,” you are now a sympathetic, 

fellow human being. This may also open 

the door for a friendly conversation, in 

which you can each discover that your 

“opponent” is a person with whom you 

have some things in common. You may 

even create an opportunity to dispel some of 

the misinformation about firearms and self 

defense that is so prevalent. 

This empathy technique is also useful 

for redirecting, or ending, a heated argument 

that has become hostile and unproductive. It 

allows you to escape from the dead end of 

“guns save lives” vs. “the only reason to 

have a gun is to murder children.” With 

empathy you can reframe the argument 

entirely. Instead of arguing about whether 

more lives are saved or lost as a result of 

gun ownership, you can comment on how 

terrifying it must be to live in a country 

where 80 million people own guns “solely 

for the purpose of murdering children.” 

You should not expect any of these 

approaches to work immediately; they 

won’t. With rare exceptions, the anti-gun 

person is simply not going to “see the light,” 

thank you profusely, and beg you to take 

him shooting. What you are doing is putting 

tiny chinks into the armor of the person’s 

defenses, or planting seeds that may 

someday develop into a more open mind or 

a more rational analysis. This process can 

take months or years. But it does work! 

CORRECTIVE EXPERIENCES 

Perhaps the most effective way to 

dissolve defense mechanisms, however, 

is by providing corrective experiences. 30 

Corrective experiences are experiences 

that allow a person to learn that his ideas 

about gun owners and guns are incorrect in 

a safe and non-threatening way. To provide 

a corrective experience, you first allow the 

person to attempt to project his incorrect 

ideas onto you. Then, you demonstrate 

that he is wrong by your behavior, not 

by arguing. 

For example, the anti-gun person will 

unconsciously attempt to provoke you by 

claiming that gun owners are uneducated 

“rednecks,” or by treating you as if you 

are an uneducated “redneck.” If you get 

angry and respond by calling him a “stupid, 

liberal, socialist,” you will prove his point. 

However, if you casually talk about your 

M.B.A., your trip to the Shakespeare 

festival, your vegetable garden, or your 

daughter’s ballet recital, you will provide 

him with the opportunity to correct 

his misconceptions. 

If you have used the above 

techniques, then you have already provided 

one corrective experience. You have 

demonstrated to the frightened, anti-gun 

person that gun owners are not abusive, 

scary, dangerous and sub-human monsters, 

but normal, everyday people who care about 

their families, friends and even strangers. 

As many gun owners have already 

discovered, the most important corrective 

experiences involve actually exposing the 

fearful person to a firearm. It is almost never 

advisable to tell someone that you carry a 

concealed firearm, but there are ways to use 

your own experience favorably. 

For example, if you’re dealing with 

an anti-gun person with whom you interact 

regularly and have a generally good 

relationship—a coworker, neighbor, church 

member, etc.—you might indirectly refer 

to concealed carry. You should never say 

anything like, “I’m carrying a gun right now 

and you can’t even tell,” especially because 

in some states that would be considered 

illegal, “threatening” behavior. But you 

might consider saying something like, “I 

sometimes carry a firearm, and you’ve 

never seemed to be uncomfortable around 

me.” Whether to disclose this information 

is an individual decision, and you should 

consider carefully other consequences 

before using this approach. 

First-hand Experience 

Ultimately, your goal is to take the 

anti-gun person shooting. Some people will 

accept an invitation to accompany you to the 

range, but others are too frightened to do so, 

and will need some preliminary experience. 

First, you want to encourage the 

anti-gun person to have some contact 

with a firearm in whatever way feels most 

comfortable to him. Many people seem to 

believe that firearms have minds of their 

own and shoot people of their own volition. 

So you might want to start by inviting 

him simply to look at and then handle an 

unloaded firearm. This also provides you 

the opportunity to show the inexperienced 

person how to tell whether a firearm is 

loaded and to teach him the basic rules of 

firearms safety. 

Encourage the newcomer to ask 

questions and remember that your role 

is to present accurate information in a 

friendly, responsible and non-threatening 

way. This is a good time to offer some 

reading material on the benefits of firearms 

ownership. But be careful not to provide so 

much information that it’s overwhelming. 

And remember this is not the time to launch 

into anti-government rants, the New World 

Order, conspiracy theories, or any kind of 

political talk! 

Next, you can invite your friend to 

accompany you to the shooting range. (And 

if you’re going to trust each other with 

loaded guns, you should consider yourselves 

friends!) Assure him that no one will force 

him to shoot a gun and he’s free just to 

watch. Let him know in advance what he 

will experience and what will be expected 

of him. This includes such things as the need 

for eye and ear protection, a cap, appropriate 

clothing, etc. Make sure you have a firearm 

appropriate for your guest should she/he 

decide to try shooting. This means a lower 

caliber firearm that doesn’t have too much 

recoil. If your guest is a woman, make sure 

the firearm will fit her appropriately. Many 

rifles have stocks that are too long for small 

women, and double-stack semi-autos are 

usually too large for a woman’s hand. 

Remember that just visiting the range 

can be a corrective experience. Your guest 

will learn that gun owners are disciplined, 

responsible, safety-conscious, courteous, 

considerate, and follow the rules. He will 

see people of all ages, from children to 

the elderly, male and female, enjoying an 

activity together. He will not see a single 

“beer-swilling redneck” waving a firearm in 

people’s faces. 

In my experience, most people who 

visit a range will decide they do want to 

try shooting. Remember to make sure your 

guest understands all the safety rules and 



ange rules before allowing him to handle 

a firearm. If you don’t feel competent to 

teach a newcomer to shoot, ask an instructor 

or range master to assist. Remember to 

provide lots of positive feedback and 

encouragement. If you’re lucky, you’ll 

recruit a new firearms enthusiast. 

But even if your guest decides that 

shooting is “not for him,” he will have 

learned many valuable lessons. He will 

know basic rules of firearms safety, and how 

to clear a firearm should he need to do so. 

This may well save his life someday. He will 

know that guns do not fire unless a person 

pulls the trigger. He will know that gun 

owners are friendly, responsible people, not 

very different from him. Even if he chooses 

not to fire a gun ever again, he will be less 

likely to fear and persecute gun owners. And 

who knows—a few months or years later he 

may decide to become a gun owner. 

Why These Techniques Do Not 

Always Work 

You should remember that you will not 

be successful with all anti-gun people. Some 

people are so terrified and have such strong 

defenses, that it’s not possible for someone 

without professional training to get through. 

Some people have their minds made up and 

refuse to consider opening them. Others may 

concede that what you say “makes sense,” 

but are unwilling to challenge the forces of 

political correctness. A few may have had 

traumatic experiences with firearms from 

which they have not recovered. 

You will also not be successful with 

the anti-gun ideologues, people like Charles 

Schumer and Dianne Feinstein. These 

people have made a conscious choice to 

oppose firearms ownership and self defense. 

They almost always gain power, prestige, 

and money from their antigun 

politics. They are not 

interested in the facts or in 

saving lives. They know the 

facts and understand the 

consequences of their actions, 

and will happily sacrifice 

innocent people if it furthers 

their selfish agenda. Do not 

use these techniques on such 

people. They only respond 

to fears of losing the power, 

prestige and money that they 

covet. 31 Conclusion 

By better understanding 

advocates of civilian disarmament, 

and by learning 

and practicing some simple 

techniques to deal with their 

psychological defenses, you 

will be much more effective in your efforts 

to communicate with anti-gun people. This 

will enable you to be more successful at 

educating them about the realities of firearms 

and self defense, and their importance 

to our liberty and safety. 

Educating others about firearms is hard 

work. It’s not glamorous, and it generally 

needs to be done one person at a time. But 

it’s a very necessary and important task. 

The average American supports freedom 

of speech and freedom of religion, whether 

or not he chooses to exercise them. He 

supports fair trials, whether or not he’s ever 

been in a courtroom. He likewise needs to 

understand that self defense is an essential 

right, whether or not he chooses to own or 

carry a gun. 

Sarah Thompson is a retired psychiatrist and gun 

rights activist. She lives in Sandy, Utah. 

This article was also published by Jews for the 

Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc. (JPFO) 

- Website and in their Gran’pa Jack Series. Please 

see www.jpfo.org 

NOTES 

1 

Lott, John R., Jr. 1998. More Guns, Less Crime. 

University of Chicago Press. Pp. 11-12; 

Proposition B: More Security Or Greater Danger?, St. 

Louis Post-Dispatch. March 21, 1999. 

2 

Lott 1998, Pp. 1-2. 

3 

Kaplan, Harold M. and Sadock, Benjamin J. 1990. Pocket 

Handbook of Clinical Psychiatry. Williams & Wilkins. 

P. 20. 

Brenner, Charles. 1973. An Elementary Textbook of 

Psychoanalysis (rev. ed.). Anchor Books. Pp. 91-93; 

Lefton, Lester A. 1994. Psychology (5 th edition). Allyn & 

Bacon. Pp. 432-433. 

4 

Brenner 1973. P. 91. 

5 

Kaplan and Sadock 1990, p. 20; Lefton 1994, p. 432. 

6 

Talbott, John A., Robert E. Hales and Stuart C. Yudofsky, 

eds. 1988. Textbook of Psychiatry. American Psychiatric 

Press. P.137. 

7 

“Kids Suspended for Playground Game.” Associated 

Press. April 6, 2000. 

8 

Lightfoot, Liz. “Gun Return to the Nursery School Toy 

Chest.” The London Telegraph. May 22, 2000. 

9 


10 

Stevens, Richard W. 1999. Dial 911 and Die. Mazel 

Freedom Press. [Analyzes the law in 54 U.S. jurisdictions]; 

see, e.g., Bowers v. DeVito, 686 F.2d 616, 618 (7th Cir. 

1982) [no federal constitutional right to police protection.] 

11 

Kleck, Gary and Gertz, Marc. 1995. Armed Resistance 

to Crime: The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense with 

a Gun. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology. Vol. 86 

(Fall), pp. 150-187. 

12 

Simkin, Jay, Zelman, Aaron, and Rice, Alan M. 1994. 

Lethal Laws. Jews for the Preservation of Firearms 

Ownership. 

13 


14 

Brenner 1973, p. 85. 

15 

Veith, Gene Edward, Jr. 1993. Modern Fascism: 

Liquidating the Judeo-Christian Worldview. Saint Louis: 

Concordia Publishing. Pp. 39-40 [fascism exalts nature, 

animals and environment]. 

16 

Japenga, A. 1994. Would I Be Safer with a Gun? Health. 

March/April, p. 54. 

17 

Brenner 1973, p. 92. 

18 

Kaplan and Sadock 1990, p. 219. 

19 

American Psychiatric Association. 1994. Diagnostic and 

Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. 

P. 410. 

20 

Lott 1998, pp. 11-12. 

21 

Most American gun owners are not violent criminals and 

will not be potential killers. “The vast majority of persons 

involved in life-threatening violence have a long criminal 

record and many prior contacts with the justice system.” 

Elliott, Delbert S. 1998. Life Threatening Violence is 

Primarily a Crime Problem: A Focus on Prevention. 

University of Colorado Law Review. Vol. 69 (Fall), pp. 

1081-1098, at 1093. 

22 

Sowell, Thomas. 2000. Blacks and bootstraps. Jewish 

World Review (Aug.14). 

 

23 

Wein, Rabbi Berel. 2000. The return of a Torah scroll 

and confronting painful memories. Jewish World Review 

(July 12). 

24 

Dworkin, Andrea. “Terror, Torture and Resistance”. 

 

25 

Mfume, Kweisi, speech at the 90 th annual NAACP 

meeting, July 12, 1999. 

26 

Yoffie, Rabbi Eric H. Speech supporting the Million 

Mom March, May 14, 2000. 

27 

“If someone comes to kill you, arise quickly and kill 

him.” The Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin. 1994. The 

Schottenstein Edition. New York: Mesorah Publications. 

Vol. 2, 72a. 

28 

Rape and Sexual Assault, Dean of Students Office 

for Women’s Resources and Services McKinley Health 

Education Dept., University Police, University of 

Illinois; Hazelwood, R. R. & Harpold, J. 1986. Rape: The 

Dangers of Providing Confrontational Advice, FBI Law 

Enforcement Bulletin. Vol. 55, pp. 1-5. 

29 

Lott 1998, pp. 78, 134-37. 

30 

Frank, Jerome D. 1961. Persuasion and Healing. The 

Johns Hopkins Press. Pp. 216-217. 

31 

Richardson, H. L. 1998. Confrontational Politics. Gun 

Owners Foundation. 



PHOTOGRAPH BY OLEG VOLK 

WWW.A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM 

We have all heard that there is never 

such a thing as too much practice or training 

for any activity that requires us to use our 

motor skills. Like anything else, this applies 

to firearms, especially since most of the 

actions with firearms require the use of 

fine motor skills. Unfortunately, getting the 

training that we so often read about in the 

current crop of firearms related publications 

requires time and travel. Both are items that 

many of us find in short supply. Toss in 

the cost of the course, lodging and related 

expenses; these courses are out of most folks 

price range. 

That said, do not be discouraged; there 

are lots of training opportunities available 

to you. To start with, if you are a novice 

in the world of concealed carry, several 

states mandate formal training to get your 

initial carry permit. These courses cover the 

basics of firearms safety, basics of the laws 

pertaining to concealed carry in your state, 

how to operate a handgun, etc. All of this is 

the foundation to make you a safe shooter. 

At your concealed carry class, there 

is a chance to not only get some range 

time under the watchful eye of the trainer, 

but to interact with your fellow students. 

This is a chance to ask questions on many 

things, holster/belt/ammo selection, carry 

position, etc. It is also a chance to explore 

the knowledge base of your fellow students 

and see where, if and when they have taken 

other training. Also, query the instructors of 

the course about further training, they most 

likely will be NRA Certified Instructors 

and should be able to refer you to more 

advanced training. 

Another source for information on 

shooting is your local shooting clubs. You 

would be surprised at the information that 

your local shooting range will have on the 

classes, when they are given and who teaches 

them. Take one or more, and from different 

instructors; there is a wealth of information 

on shooting out there. These instructors do 

not have to be “big name” people, but they 

should have some instructor credentials- 

NRA, military, etc. 

When choosing an instructor from the 

local pool of talent, there are a few things to 

look for. Other than the training credentials, 

determine if the trainer will share their 

knowledge with you? Does the instructor 

“know it all?” If so, find somebody else. 

There is no such thing as an expert in 

firearms training. Quality instructors, like 

any other professional, know their limitations 

and continue their own education. Yes, there 

is continuing education in shooting and 

I have found a lot of it comes from the 

questions students ask because they make 

the instructor think. 

While it may sound trite, does the 

instructor know firearms? With the wide 

array of handguns on the market, it is 

important that the instructor knows how to 

safely handle and manipulate the market 

biggies. If he doesn’t know how to keep a 

Glock, Sig, Beretta, 1911, Taurus, Smith, 

etc. functioning and their safeties, find 

someone else. That doesn’t mean they have 

to know every pin, lever, etc. in the pistol; 

but, knowing whether it is a single action 

or double action and knowing the slide stop 

lever and decocking lever, are areas that the 

instructor should have working knowledge. 

This basic knowledge of a variety of firearms 

helps keep the class safe if a pistol has a jam, 

failure to feed, etc. 

Another good resource for training 

information are shooting organizations 

such as the United States Practical Shooting 

Association(USPSA) and International Defensive 

Pistol Association. Check out their 

websites, www.uspsa.org or www.idpa.com. 

They have information on the organizations 

and affiliated clubs that are in your area. 

The reason I suggest looking into 

USPSA and IDPA for shooting instruction is 

most of the competitors generally are serious 

shooters. They have better than average 

gun handling skills, are knowledgeable of 

their firearms and generally will share that 




The 1800’s to the Civil War – The Flintlocks 

Mountain man, Joe Meek, was setting traps in foothills 

of the Rocky Mountains. Out of the wilderness he carried 

his traps, his supplies, his old style flintlock and his furs for 

payment from the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. In the 

1830’s, Meek was a “free trapper,” a trapper beholden to no 

fur company, truly independent. 

A quote from Joe Meek himself: 

“Free trappers prided themselves on their hardihood and 

courage. Each claimed to own the best horse; to have 

had the wildest adventure; to have made the most narrow 

escapes; to have killed the greatest number of bears.” 

What kind of weapon did Meek and his ilk carry? 

He carried a flintlock. Flintlocks were used in the early 

1800’s of the American Frontier into the 1860’s and into 

the Civil War. These long rifles were made in Pennsylvania, 

Kentucky and Missouri. The flintlock could be fired only 

once, then had to be reloaded. Black powder was widely 

used until the 1890’s. Gun battles with black powder 

and the flintlock would produce terrific clouds of white smoke 

that obstructed the view and resulted in many missed targets. 

The gun was loaded from 

a paper package that contained 

powder and a shot. A little powder 

was poured into the priming pan, 

as the hammer was half cocked. 

The remaining powder and the 

shot with the paper as wadding, 

was inserted into the barrel end 

and was rammed down with 

a rod. 

To fire, the hammer was moved to full cock, the trigger 

was pulled and the frizzen hit the flint. This contact created 

the spark that ignited the full charge. Too heavy a charge 

could explode in the shooters face. In wet or windy weather, 

the powder wouldn’t ignite, or there could be a “flash in the 

pan” which would not set off the main charge. The shooter 

might believe the shot had fired and reload, causing the gun 

to explode into pieces. It was possible to forget to remove the 

ramrod, causing it to land a distance away. If the shot was not 

fully rammed, either to reload quickly or to lessen the kick, 

the shot could harmlessly fall out of the barrel if the barrel 

was aimed at a downward slant. Since it took so long to load, 

you needed to make each shot count! 

Joe Meek, mountain man, adventurer and free trapper, 

harbinger to the great Western emigration of the later 1800’s 

could shoot and reload only once in the same amount of 

time it took for an Indian adversary to shoot a half dozen 

arrows. He and his flintlock remain a true example of rugged 

individualism and the American Spirit. 

Alexa H. Madison, a collector of fun historical facts and stories. Concordia 

University Graduate—History. Madison traveled the Western U.S. for 20 

years before settling in the Wisconsin area. e-mail: madison@wi.rr.com 

The Guns of America: Stories of Independence 



Continued from page 20 

information with you. I would lean a bit more 

to IDPA because I see more tactical leaning 

shooters; meaning they take personal protection 

seriously. 

While many will argue that this is not “real 

world” training, I disagree. Shooting an IDPA or 

IPSC event teaches you how to handle pressure; 

peer group comments, the timer, the stress of 

shooting, moving and thinking on your feet. 

All of these are valuable tools to have in your 

shooters tool box. Action pistol shooting, while 

not perfect, builds confidence in your ability to 

manipulate your handgun and to do it safely. 

Many of the top action pistol shooters; 

Todd Jarrett, Rob Leatham, Ernie Langdon and 

Matt Burkett, train high speed, low drag units 

such as the U.S. Navy SEALs and Army Special 

Forces. They are not there to teach these guys 

tactics, but how to deploy their handguns and to 

use them efficiently (yes, even professionals get 

training). These top shooters are a great source 

of handgun handling information. Not only do 

they have high profile clients, but they will train 

you and me. You just have to ask them what they 

require for completion of a class. 

In addition to the big names of shooting, 

your local shooters are a great source of 

information. While you may not see your local 

shooters in the gun rags, many have years of 

experience handling firearms and are avid 

shooters. They can help you with placement of 

your gear, your draw, etc. All you have to do is 

ask and participate in the game. 

It probably sounds like I am a pushing 

firearms training. The Reader’s Digest version, 

YES. There are a couple of reasons for be protraining. 

First, carrying a firearm is a right and 

with that right comes massive responsibility. 

Part of being a responsible shooter is knowing 

how to use your chosen firearm. Secondly, if you 

ever have to use your firearm in self defense, 

having documented training shows your have 

taken steps to know how to use your firearm. 

I don’t just preach training to folks. 

Personally, I take at least one formal class a year. 

It keeps my skills sharp, helps me to be a better 

instructor, gives me a broader network of folks 

to draw on for information and it’s fun. 

Over the next few issues, we will be 

looking at several things you can do to improve 

you shooting skills. Some of the material will 

include, videos/dvds, shooting skill tips, etc. 

Next issue, we will discuss both the pros 

and cons of supplementing your training with 

videos/dvds. 

Author is a disabled vet, who was an active duty Army 

MP and USAF Reserve Security Policeman. He is airborne 

qualified and has attended numerous military courses. 

His civilian training includes courses at Gunsite, ASAA, 

Storm Mountain, Blackwater and he is a certified Glock 

and Sig Armorer. 

22 Concealed Carry Magazine 



www.concealedcarrymag.com

FAILURE TO FIRE 

Your life is threatened. Your gun is in 

your hands aimed at your attacker’s chest. 

You have a split second to pull the trigger. 

Nothing happens. Your gun does not go bang. 

You feel no recoil impulse. Your gun is a lump 

of metal at the end of your arms. Suddenly 

it’s too late. 

This nightmare occurs in waking life a 

lot more often than you probably think. In 

actual fact, it is quite common, very real, 

and usually tragic in its consequences. In 

almost every case, it’s not the gun that fails to 

function. It’s the shooter. 

To intentionally fire a bone-crunching 

chunk of lethal lead dead-center into the 

vital organs of another human being bears no 

resemblance whatsoever to punching a small 

hole in a piece of paper. There are plenty of 

people who are extremely good at executing 

the latter and totally incapable of performing 

the former. These people, I am sorry to say, 

should not carry guns outside the confines of 

a shooting range. To carry a deadly weapon 

and not be fully prepared to shoot and 

kill another person with it places you and 

everyone around you in jeopardy—except the 

very criminal from which you believe you are 

protecting yourself. 

Much has been made of the distinguished 

research of John R. Lott, Jr., author of “More 

Guns, Less Crime” and “The Bias Against 

Guns,” which shows that Americans use 

guns defensively about 2.5 million times a 

year, and that 98 percent of the time merely 

brandishing the weapon is sufficient to stop 

an attack. The corollary to this, of course, is 

that in two percent of the incidences, about 

50,000 times a year, simply drawing your gun 

is not enough. You have to follow through 

with more aggressive action. You have to 

fight. You very well might have to kill another 

human being. 

In the movies, most of the time, when 

someone pulls a gun the action stops and 

the game is over. In reality, at least some 

of the time, when someone pulls a gun the 

action is just beginning. Rank beginners 

are sometimes heard to say, “Well, I would 

fire a warning shot, or I would just shoot to 

wound the guy.” These are undoubtedly the 

same hopeless victims who believe the best 

way to stop a grizzly bear attack is to call the 

animal’s mother a dirty name or to slap the 

charging beast on the nose. The only way to 

stop an attack is to stop the attacker, and you 

can be reasonably assured of a stopping shot 

only if you shoot with intent to kill. 

No cop is ever taught to fire one shot 

and then look around to see what happened. 

Advanced firearms training always includes 

what we used to call the Mozambique drill. 

It was called this back in the days before 

political correctness became pandemic and 

those infected by it started going around 

talking like language-challenged social 

workers. Today, the most used variation of the 

exercise is referred to as the automatic failure 

drill. It calls for meeting a deadly threat by 

firing two shots one on top of the other, a 

double-tap if you will, into the center mass 

of the bad guy’s chest followed by a third shot 

into his brain. Only after these three killing 

shots are delivered as quickly as possible, a 

matter of about a second with a little practice, 

can you afford to pause and assess the 

situation. Police trainers know this is the best 

way to preserve the life of the officer. It is also 

the best way to preserve your own. 

As it turns out, even most cops aren’t up 

to performing anything like the Mozambique 

drill in the real world. Overcoming the 

unwillingness of most human beings to kill 

another human being is the biggest single 

problem firearms trainers face, and it extends 

to military and law enforcement people as 

well as civilians. 

More than 20 percent of new law 

enforcement applicants openly admit they 

could not or would not shoot a violent 

assailant even to save another officer’s life. 

Sometimes intense training can overcome this 

malignant streak of cowardice, sometimes it 

can not. In World War II, only 15 to 20 

percent of American riflemen were able to 

deliberately kill an enemy soldier with aimed 

fire. In Vietnam, American soldiers fired 

55,000 rounds for every enemy soldier they 

killed. Military analysts estimate that 80 to 85 

percent of soldiers cannot kill another human 

being if they are directly accountable for it. 

I have talked at length with firearms 

instructors from every armed discipline 

at every level of instruction and they 


You can’t just go out and start shooting bad guys for 

practice. The best firearms schools come as close to 

synthesizing reality as they can. Photo by the author. 



A 230-grain jacketed hollowpoint has just been 

launched downrange faster than a military fighter jet 

can fly. Is it going to destroy paper and ink or flesh 

and blood? Photo by the author. 

unanimously confirm the problem. This is not 

just a challenge for firearms instructors, it’s 

a potential threat to the continued existence 

of civilization itself. Somebody has got to be 

able to take aim between the eyes of the bad 

guy and pull the damn trigger. Otherwise, 

only the bad guys will survive. 

Unfortunately, you can’t just go out and 

start shooting bad guys for practice. Not for 

long. If legal executions were carried out by 

firing squad instead of healthcare providers, 

and if each and every citizen were required 

to serve on a firing squad like he or she is 

required to serve on a jury, it would certainly 

help. People have no right to whine about 

the crime rate if they refuse the possibility 

of getting their hands dirty in the process of 

cleaning it up. 

The best firearms schools come as close 

to synthesizing reality as they can. Students 

shoot targets that look like human beings, 

though it’s hard to convince your mind that 

something you can shoot all day long without 

killing it is alive. More often, it works the 

other way around. An efficient and successful 

assassin learns to think of the live human he’s 

killing as inanimate, just another target made 

out of meat. 

Shooting is a martial art, where the body 

controls the environment in accordance with 

a paradigm created by the mind. In the case 

of deadly weapons and lethal capabilities, 

the paradigm includes the death of your 

adversary. If you can justify drawing your gun 

on someone, you can justify shooting him, 

Students shoot targets that look like human beings. 

An assassin learns to think of the live human he’s 

killing as just another target. Photo by the author. 

and if you can justify shooting him you can 

justify killing him. If you can’t connect those 

dots all the way to the end, don’t carry a gun. 

You’ll just end up handing out free weapons 

to violent criminals. 

Mindset must precede and direct the 

application of mechanical shooting skills. 

Otherwise, the skills, which are quite easily 

learned in and of themselves, have no focus 

and are therefore meaningless. It’s the mind 

that must be trained, the mindset that must 

be practiced. 

Don’t practice your draw in your living 

room where you snatch your gun out of your 

holster and just leave it hanging there. Practice 

at the range, where every draw includes the 

necessary step of firing your weapon into a 

target you imagine is a man. 

Go hunting with your handgun. Kill 

something. Demonstrate to yourself that flesh 

and blood is not the same as paper and ink. 

The most telling comment on real-life 

practical shooting skills I’ve ever heard came 

out of a conversation with Jeff Cooper, the 

man who single-handedly revolutionized 

combat handgun techniques. Sitting in front 

of his fireplace under the trophy mount of a 

huge kudu he brought down with a perfect 

shot in South Africa, overlooking the ranges 

of Gunsite Academy where some of the 

best shooters in the country gather to hone 

their practical accuracy in the most realistic 

conditions it’s possible to simulate, Cooper 

said, “One of the best examples of technique 

I can recall is, a couple came home one night 

over in West Los Angeles and they were 

greeted on the second deck by a creep with 

a gun. The creep says to the man, Lay down 

on the floor. He was going to tie him up with 

tape, and so the guy lets him do it. While the 

creep is tying the guy’s hands the girl reaches 

around and pulls the pistol out of the creep’s 

waistband and kills him with it. Now, I don’t 

know how good a shot she was, but she was 

good enough.” 

She did not fail to fire. 

Robert H. Boatman is the author of Living With 

Glocks (Paladin Press, 2002), Living With The Big 

Fifty (Paladin Press, 2004) and Living With The 

1911 (Paladin Press, 2005). He can be reached at 

interboat@aol.com. 

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ordinary 

the 

guy 

Like most of you, I’m an “ordinary 

guy.” I have a nice little house in the 

suburbs, own my small business, have a 

wife and two beautiful children, get up and 

go to work every day…and don’t want some 

scumbag(s) taking anything I work for. Like 

you, I’m smart enough to know what goes 

on “out there” every day and have taken 

what I believe to be the necessary steps to 

protect who and what are mine. 

In the previous issue, I wrote about a 

personal experience that changed my life 

forever. An experience that required my 

drawing a gun on a criminal hell-bent on 

violently taking something or someone that 

didn’t belong to him. It was that experience 

that mandated I carry my sidearm, or be 

within a split seconds reach of it 24 hours 

of every day 365 days of every year. I have 

not deviated from that mandate and never 

will. My decision obligated me to change 

the way I dress, the way I carry myself in 

public, my “situational awareness,” and 

made me rethink who I really am and what 

I may be capable of. It shook me to the very 

core of what I am as a human being. 

Interestingly enough, I had been 

licensed to carry for a few years prior to 

being threatened but did so only sporadically. 

I didn’t want to feel like a paranoid whacko 

simply going to the grocery store. So that 

begs the question…Am I a paranoid freak 

because I feel it necessary to arm myself 

when “out and about?” Do “ordinary” 

people really carry concealed guns or am I 

just another one of those “gun nuts?” 

Let’s be real here…None of us want 

to feel that a simple task such as a trip 

to the neighborhood Home Depot or the 

local grocery store should require us to 

carry a loaded 40 caliber (45 for you 1911 

fans) strapped to our waist. I mean, have 

we become so paranoid that we won’t 

walk out to get our mail without toting a 

loaded sidearm? 

The fact is that most people who live 

in “shall issue” states are not licensed and 

do not carry and I wonder why for example, 

don’t most “ordinary” folks take their own 

personal safety and that of their family, 

more seriously? For me, it is unconscionable 

and incredibly irresponsible for a man or 

woman to have no means of protection 

in his/her home, car or on their person. 

I can’t imagine being anywhere with my 

wife and/or kids with absolutely NO means 

of protecting them and I’m sure you feel 

the same, hence why you’re reading this 

publication…and like you, I personally 

know many folks who think the very idea 

of carrying a gun outside of the nightstand 

drawer is repulsive and reeks of paranoia. 

In fact, a large majority of those folks think 

the mere fact that you even have a gun in the 

nightstand drawer is repulsive. 

I’ll be very honest, it wasn’t easy 

strapping up and walking into a bank, 

grocery store, crowded theater, etc. for 

the first time. I felt…Well, kind of weird, 

like I was doing something wrong. I felt… 

Paranoid. I felt VERY self-conscience. Was 

it really legal to walk into this crowded bank 

with a loaded handgun under my shirt? 

Can anybody tell? Am I going to get into 

trouble? Am I really so overly suspicious of 

those around me that I need to be carrying 

this thing? 

Am I paranoid? My office sits right 

next door to the local probation and parole 

office in the same building. I have every 

convicted felon in this county coming 

through the main office doors every day. 

They bang on my door asking to use the 

phone or if we have a key to the bathrooms. 

Losers, and lots of them every single day. 

I see it with my own eyes and hear it with 

my own ears. I’ve listened to these people 

talk about violating their parole and how it 

doesn’t bother them going back to jail. Jail 

doesn’t bother some of these folks. Think 

about that. I see the deputies outside my 

first floor window EVERY day handcuffing 

and shackling these criminals who have 

violated the terms of their probation. I take 

the occasional smoke break with some of 

the probation officers and listen to their 

stories EVERY day. 

Am I Paranoid? These people walk 

around amongst us all day while we 

perform our daily activities and you would 

never know it. Some of these folks don’t 

care if they go back to jail and don’t care 

who they harm be it you, your child, your 

wife/husband, mother, it simply doesn’t 

matter to them. As law-abiding citizens it 

is sometimes very hard for us to fathom 

the hideous fact that there are predators 

out there willing to kill you for the watch 

you’re wearing. 

So, does my carrying a gun insinuate 

in some way that I’m a paranoid citizen, 

scared of my own shadow, afraid of all the 

people I come in contact with during the 

normal course of my daily activities? Does 

it mean in some way that I don’t trust my 

fellow human beings, my neighbors and 

strangers I may come in contact with? Am 

I some kind of introvert that needs therapy 

simply because I have chosen to carry a 

firearm for my own protection? Am I really, 

truly a paranoid person? I don’t know, I’ll 

let you choose the word to describe me but 

whatever word you favor, I’ll gladly wear 

it with honor and so should YOU as the 

opposite word is VICTIM and I’ll let the 

anti-gun crowd wear that badge. 



y T i m o t h y J . S c h m i d t 

Reading is something that I love to 

do. Unfortunately, it is difficult for me to 

find time to read as much as I’d like to. 

Nonetheless, I’ve recently finished three 

good books that I’d like to share with you. 

Armed Response – A Comprehensive 

Guide to Using Firearms for Self Defense 

by: David Kenik 

David Kenik has written a fast-paced, 

no-nonsense book that is jam-packed with 

valuable information. I’ve read a lot of good 

self defense guide books, and they all have 

well written sections on gun safety, gun 

selection, ammunition and holsters. Mr. 

Kenik’s book is no exception. He covers 

these basics quite well. 

It is the other sections of the book that 

make Armed Response stand out from the 

rest. Mr. Kenik starts out with a chapter on 

the “Misconception of Police Protection.” 

The author pulls no punches when explaining 

how it is not the job of the police to 

protect us. Their job is to investigate crimes 

that have already been committed. 

Chapter 5, discusses the 

concept of Body Alarm Reaction. 

This has to do with stress-induced 

adrenal response. While some books 

briefly mention this, Mr. Kenik dives 

deep into what it might feel like to 

go through what he calls the Body 

Alarm Reaction. Furthermore, he 

recommends specific physical and 

mental training so that the reader can 

be prepared to adequately deal with 

the bodies natural response to life 

threatening danger. 

Chapter 8, which is entitled, 

“The Need for Empty Hand Skills,” 

is written by Ralph Mroz. The author 

smartly includes this section in his 

book as a wake-up call to his readers 

who may think that carrying a gun is 

“good enough.” This chapter opens 

with two bold statements. Number 

one, the foundation of all self defense 

skills is empty hand skills. Number 

two, no matter what weapon(s) you 

carry and are trained with, you 

are still most likely going to have 

to depend on empty hand skills at 

some level for any type of attack. 

My favorite chapter of the book 

is entitled, “After the Confrontation, 

What Next?” Check out this excerpt from 

this valuable chapter. “The criminal crosses 

the hallway towards your bedroom and you 

realize that he is heading right for you and 

your family. You instantly blind him with 

your flashlight and he obeys your order; 

“DON’T MOVE. DROP THE WEAPON.” 

Now what?” This section of the book goes 

on to tell you exactly what you should do 

and say in a situation like this. 

In summary, Armed Response, is 

packed with valuable real-life lessons about 

preparing to face a lethal threat, winning a 

gun fight and surviving the ensuing court 

battle. The list price for the book is $20 and 

purchase information can be found at: 

www.armedresponsebook.com 

The Concealed Handgun Manual – How 

to Choose, Carry, and Shoot a Gun in 

Self defense by: Chris Bird 

This book gave me a positive 

impression the first time I laid my eyes 

on it. The cover is well designed with 

a provocative yet tasteful photo of a 

“motherly” woman hugging her child and 

holding a short barreled revolver. Wow, that 

says it all to me. Who can argue against a 

mom protecting her kids? I also noticed that 

this book in it its fourth edition. That is also 

a good sign. Lousy books rarely make it to 

a fourth edition. 

Mr. Bird begins this well-written book 

with two eye-opening chapters that offer 

numerous real-life stories of people taking 

the defense of their lives and their survival 

into their own hands. This does an effective 

job in setting the stage for the valuable 

lessons that are to follow. 

Chapter three opens with the gripping 

real-life story of a school shooting in 

Springfield, Oregon. Mr. Bird goes on 

to discuss the recent epidemic of school 

shootings and the logic-less conclusions 

that many anti-gun opportunists make 

from them. 

The chapter entitled, “Staying Out of 

Trouble: Non-Violent Dispute Resolution,” 

offers extremely valuable information. 



The author lays out the finer points of 

conflict avoidance which include mental 

discipline, situational awareness and even 

the subtler side of Aikido. 

One thing that jumped out at me as 

I was reading The Concealed Handgun 

Manual was the “easy-to-read” text layout 

and the fantastic use of pictures. The photos 

in this book are top notch. It is imperative 

to have explanatory photographs in a 

handgun manual. The quality and quantity 

of the images used in this book really put 

it into its own category of professionalism. 

In addition to these great pictures, the 

author writes in a very appealing easy-toread 

style. 

As was discussed in the previous 

book review, The Concealed Handgun 

Manual does an effective job of covering 

the basics of gun selection, safety, holsters 

and ammunition. Mr. Bird writes from a 

perspective that is easy to relate to. He 

comes off as an average guy that just 

happens to be very passionate and very 

knowledgeable about using a handgun for 

self defense. 

In summary, The Concealed Handgun 

Manual, is an expertly written book. If you 

want to get a copy of your own, call (888) 

700-4333. The book sells for $22 plus $5 

shipping and handling. 

Enemies Foreign and Domestic by: 

Matthew Bracken 

Unlike the first two books I’ve 

reviewed here, this one is a novel that 

has no basis in reality. At least not 

yet! If you’ve read John Ross’s book, 

Unintended Consequences, you will 

love Enemies Foreign and Domestic. 

As the blurb on the cover of the book 

states, “A stadium massacre leads to 

the banning of all semi-automatic 

rifles. But who really fired the fatal 

shots and why?” 

This well-written novel takes 

place in the foreseeable near 

future. The plot is expertly 

developed by the author, 

Matthew Bracken. While this 

may be Mr. Bracken’s first 

novel, the plot is complex, yet 

easy to follow. The characters 

are numerous, but easy to 

remember. For me, the book 

was almost impossible to put 

down! The author’s extensive 

military background assures 

us that all of the firearms 

references are flawless. You 

will not read about pistols 

with “clips” and revolvers with 

magazines in Enemies Foreign 

and Domestic. The most shocking 

aspect of this book was the chilling 

believability of the story. 

The author, Matt Bracken, is a 

self-described freedom addict who 

loves ocean sailing above all for the 

pure freedom it often permits. He is a 

constitutional hardliner who believes 

in the original intent of the Founding 

Fathers of our country. Matt believes 

that the clear interpretation of the 

Second Amendment is a pass-fail 

litmus test regarding the state of 

freedom in America, and that we 

may be on the verge of failing that test. 

He has worked as a welder, boat builder, 

sailboat rigger and charter boat captain. 

This is his first novel and he has many more 

waiting impatiently to be put on paper. He 

lives in the San Diego area with his wife 

and two children. Matt is currently working 

on the sequel called, “Domestic Enemies.” 

If you want to get a copy of this great 

novel, go to his website: 

www.enemiesforeignanddomestic.com 

or go to www.amazon.com. You can also 

order it directly from Matt by sending $20 

to Matthew Bracken, PO Box 90443, San 

Diego, CA 92169-2443. 



I have never really been a fan of Ruger 

firearms. They have never struck me as being 

quite right in my hands, and being more of a 

S&W fan, they just came across as being the 

second fiddle. My first handgun was a Ruger, 

a .22 caliber Single Six and I loved it. It was 

a great gun that taught me many valuable 

lessons about firearms ownership. I’ve never 

really cared for any Ruger arm or even really 

enjoyed shooting any Ruger since then. 

Recently, we had a little gathering of 

friends in Utah. One fellow, Ben, brought 

in a small but impressive collection of some 

fine Ruger revolvers. Usually when I thought 

of Ruger Revolvers, I would think of either 

that little Single Six, or huge hunting hand 

cannons. My mental image of Ruger wheelguns 

was realized in three of the four guns. 

Large and heavy hand cannons with long 

barrels suitable for taking down charging 

rhinoceroses. At first, I had no real interest in 

them...but for one of the revolvers he had. The 

one gun that I really took to was Ben’s little 

bobbed SP101 in .357 Magnum. 

This example of the SP101 family 

sported a nice trigger job that made the pull 

feel much lighter than it actually was and had 

soft Hogue rubber grips. These two things 

made firing the little magnum a real hoot, 

even when firing off some of Ben’s custom 

made hand loads. Lots of power in such a 

small package is generally unpleasant, but 

the SP101 delivered all the power without 

any trouble and put it right where I wanted it. 

The hammer spur was bobbed, making for a 

perfectly snag free gun suitable for concealed 

carry in just about any way one would think 

of packing it. With such a hammer one can 

Ruger SP101 (.357 Double Action) Specifications 

Length 

Height 

7.00 in. 

4.80 in. 

Width 1.40 in. 

Barrel Length 

Sight Radius 

Cylinder Capacity 

Weight (w/ Empty Cyl.) 

Trigger Pull 

2.25 in. 

3.80 in. 

35.2 oz. 

not thumb cock the gun to make a shot single 

action, but with the trigger being so smooth 

accurate shooting wasn’t affected at all. 

I had always known Ruger wheelguns 

for being incredibly strong. During my 

police academy training, I witnessed a Ruger 

GP100, unloaded, being thrown up into the 

air, against a brick wall, being run over with 

a police Impala, parking a front tire on it and 

turning the steering wheel to lock. The gun 

was scratched and dinged up and had lost 

the rear sight, sure; but, it still worked and 

fired and reloaded with no problem. If that 

isn’t a testimony of strength, I don’t know 

what is. I had never really considered them to 

be anything more than just “rugged as hell.” 

I was incorrect. With a little trigger work, 

a Ruger can become quite a fine shooter. 

5 

5.5 lbs. 

Thank you Ben. for changing my opinion of 

Ruger revolvers! 

There are a lot of snub nosed revolvers 

out there to choose from, but out of all of 

them, the Ruger is unique. It is arguably one 

of the strongest of the breed of small framed 

snubbies. Strength is important, even in a 

small gun; but, with strength comes a little 

extra weight. Trust me, this is a good thing. 

Have you had the chance to fire off one of 

these ultra-air-light-feather-weight pocket 

revolvers? Using a full house .357 Magnum 

load? If you haven’t, do this; put your 

Concealed Carry Magazine down, stand up, 

walk outside to your car or truck and open the 

hood...and then slam it down on your firing 

hand. Quite unpleasant. The SP101 is made 

of good, old fashioned honest to goodness 

stainless steel, not something NASA mills 

space sprockets out of. The SP101 feels like 

a real gun when you pick it up, and when you 

fire it, it isn’t going to punish you for doing 

it. You can actually enjoy going through a 

whole box of ammo in one shooting session. 

Amazing. The SP101 isn’t even what I 

would call heavy. The two and a quarter inch 

barrel example weighs only twenty five and 

a half ounces. Not enough to displace your 

spine from wearing it on your hip all day, or 

pulling a shoulder out of socket if you carry 

it in your purse; but, enough to give you 

courage when you hear your door being 

pounded on after midnight. 



I’ve overheard “Gunshop Commandos” 

say things like, “Revolvers are only for Old 

Guys,” and that snub nosed revolvers are 

“chick guns.” These statements, while I’ve 

heard at different times in different gunshops 

in different states, are just not true. Sure, 

lots of ladies buy them. Lots of Old Guys 

appreciate them and still buy them too... 

but let’s look at those “Old Guys” for just a 

second. These are cats that have been there 

and done that, and with their age, experience 

and wisdom, they still select a Magnum 

Snubbie? That tells me something. These 

guns work. 

The biggest fallacy about short barreled 

guns is that they are not accurate. This is 

not true. It has been proven many times that 

barrel length has little effect on accuracy. This 

is why Thompson Center Contenders in rifle 

calibers are popular. They are indeed accurate 

while being a fraction of the length of a rifle 

in the same caliber. Sometimes more so. The 

fallacy is because a short barrel means a short 

sight radius and a short sight radius makes 

accurate shooting more of a challenge. 

Here’s another bit from my police 

academy training regarding short revolvers. 

When I was getting geared up to go, the 

gun I elected to take was a short barreled 

S&W Model 10, commemorative of the 

California Highway Patrol. Sure, it garnered 

some chuckles from the other police cadets 

in the class when I drew it out for the first 

time on the firing line. All the others were 

using Glocks and SIGs and Berettas, and 

here’s a snub nosed revolver? “He’s going for 

Detective a little early!” The snickering turned 

to respect when I outshot the entire class with 

it. The snub forced me to concentrate on the 

basic shooting fundamentals and focus very 

hard on the front sight post. That was the 

difference. That’s also why so many people 

say these guns are inaccurate. Truth is, if you 

can’t shoot one of these well, you can’t shoot 

well. Face it. No, stop crying about it, suck it 

up and go out and practice harder. The SP101 

is indeed a very accurate little gun. At about 

10 yards, I was able to keep all five shots 

almost within the same hole. You can’t tell 

me that isn’t good enough for a snubbie...or 

any handgun. 

The SP101 is still relatively new to the 

world. Sturm Ruger rolled them out in 1993, 

so in gun years, they are still just puppies. 

With guns like the 1911, the Single Action 

Army and the P35, all still very popular; the 

SP101 is going to be around for a very long 

time to come...as long as it isn’t sentenced 

to an early death by either some corporate 

suit at Ruger or some liberal Senator finally 

passing an asinine piece of garbage he/she 

calls legislation. 

One of the reasons the SP101 is going to 

be around for so long is that it gives you a lot 

of options. You can get your own SP101 in a 

number of different barrel lengths, 2 ¼ inches 

out to 4. Different calibers; .22, .32H&R 

Magnum, .38 Special, 9MM and of course 

.357 Magnum. Fixed or adjustable sights. 

These options give you guns suitable for a 

wide variety of tasks. Of course, with all these 

options, you still have two solid facts. 1. You 

still have a small 5 shot revolver. 2. You don’t 

have to dig out your old chemistry class book 

to look at the periodic table to know what the 

gun is made out of. Uh, the .22 and .32 guns 

are 6 shots, not five...oh never mind. 

One of the things I like about the Ruger 

double actions is the latch mechanism to 

unlock the cylinder. Most double action 

revolvers use a push forward type latch like 

what S&W uses. I’ve had small magnums, 

using this type of mechanism, unlock on 

accident during recoil when the latch met 

my firing hand’s thumb. Colts use just 

the opposite and you pull it backwards to 

unlock the cylinder. Ruger uses a push in 

(not forward) latch that is easier to use in my 

opinion. I also like the looks of the frame and 

the way the barrel and shroud is contoured 

to match. There are very clean lines. They 

give the small powerful little gun an almost 

elegant look. 

If you want serious horsepower in your 

gun, Ruger has a new snubbie out now, the 

Super Redhawk Alaskan in .454 Casull and 

.480 Ruger. These are perfect for those living 

in areas where they might be mugged by a 

polar bear. I can’t image what touching off a 

super powerful .454 Casull out of 2.5 inches 

of barrel...I think I’ll go slam my hand with 

the hood of my truck to see what that might 

feel like. 

For the rest of us living in the lower 48, 

I think a .357 magnum would fit the bill just 

fine. .357 Magnum has held a solid reputation 

for a long time as being a potent fight stopper. 

Some would argue that fact, but you can’t 

really argue against a .357 Magnum. Well, 

you could but you would end up bleeding a 

lot. There are still a number of police who 

opt to carry a magnum revolver over a “new 

fangled ottermatic.” Accuracy and reliability 

are advantages often debated in many a gun 

forum and gun shop. 

Flexibility in ammunition is one thing 

that you can not debate. Just take a look at all 

the ammo options that you can fire through a 

.357 Mag revolver. These include super light 

target loads, shot shells, heavy hunting loads 

using bullet shapes and types of all sorts...you 

just can’t shoot this kind of stuff out with an 

automatic and have the gun actually cycle as 

it should. A revolver doesn’t care about any 

of that. You can even fire primer powered wax 

bullet loads and they won’t effect reliability. 

This is why revolvers remain the favorite 

sidearms of most serious outdoorsmen 

today. Of course, for the majority of 

Concealed Carry Magazine readers, such 

specialized ammunition is not the concern. 

Trusting that your defensive weapon will 

work at that dire moment when you need 

it...that is the concern. Everything else is a 

secondary consideration. You want something 

that is accurate, concealable and as rugged 

and reliable as possible? Then consider a 

Ruger SP101. 

George Hill is an NRA Certified Pistol and Personal 

Protection instructor and the writer and publisher 

of Mad Ogre.com. Visit his web site for more information 

on Mad Ogre. http://www.madogre.com. 

Photography by Deveni. 

Volume 02 -- Issue 03 



Making each step of the draw a 

potential firing point is essential 

in order to fit into whatever the 

fight brings. 

HE GOAL OF THE GUNMAN? To hit the enemy fast and 

shoot him to the ground before he is able to hit you. That is all. In 

the end, all else is totally irrelevant. So issues about methods and 

styles, finite accuracy or scores mean absolutely nothing, if you 

cannot hit fast before you yourself are hit. 

What does it take to do that? First and foremost, regardless 

of distances involved, you must get the gun into action and pointed 

and aligned onto the enemy/adversary. This is totally a physical 

action relying on such variables as your grip and draw (learned 

skills), your hand-eye coordination and the ability to focus on and 

point at an object (an instinctual thing). 

Second in order is firing the pistol without disrupting the 

alignment you’ve created. This involves trigger control and is also a 

learned skill. Certain pistols may be easier to use in this area than 

others, but that is another issue altogether. 

These two simple steps may be sufficient to get a hit on the 

adversary. This depends on the distance between you and him, 

which in turn either makes the “target” appear larger or smaller. 

A larger-appearing target (closer to you) presents a greater margin 

for error than a smaller-appearing target (more distant from you), 

and therefore is much easier to hit. The marksmanship problems in 

real gunfights are not very difficult at all. 

The mechanics of getting the pistol “out and on,” in other 

words, drawing and pointing, should be the same regardless 

of distance. I am opposed to the idea of having different draw 

strokes and different firing positions for the various distances. 



We set up this drill as a street robbery. Look at the dynamics, proximity and what 

the shooters are looking at. Force on force will teach you a great deal. 

These students work through drill designed to give them a real-time understanding 

of the time-distance factors of a fight as well as what is necessary to hit. 

Some shooting disciplines teach a twohanded 

position for some distances, and a 

hip shooting position for others, etc. In my 

opinion, this creates more variables than 

are needed. 

Instead, I favor the concept of having 

one draw stroke that raises the pistol out 

of the holster and gets it close to horizontal 

at the side of the ribs, near the pectoral 

muscle. This point of transition between 

“UP” and “OUT” can be a ready position or 

a firing position depending on your intent 

and the proximity of threat. 

The pistol is then extended 

as needed and can be fired 

at any point along that 

horizontal extension toward 

the target. 

Notice that I haven’t 

mentioned the use of the 

sights at all. This is no 

accidental omission. I’ll 

risk disapproval from some 

by saying this, but at close 

range gunfight distances 

(0-15 feet) you may win 

the fight without ever even 

looking at your sights. 

I see far too many 

students in class take 

excessively too much time 

to get a hit on a relatively close and easy 

target. The reason? They are seeking a 

perfect sight picture. Not much of an 

issue on a two-dimensional piece of paper. 

When that paper is replaced by a moving 

attacking human adversary either in a force 

on force problem, or in an actual fight, the 

time frames may not be sufficient to obtain 

a perfect sight picture. Thus students must 

learn through their own training what is 

sufficient to hit without getting hit. 

Initially, in any type of combat, the 

visual focus will be on the adversary. 

Thus, we begin the fight looking at the 

target/threat. The trick, and it’s not much 

of a trick as it comes very naturally, is to 

focus hard (visually and mentally) on the 

spot you wish to drive the gun to. Thus, 

where my eyes focus, my mind will focus, 

and where my mind focuses, my gun will 

go. It’s the same physical phenomena (or 

instinct) that allows us to toss a soft drink 

can into a waste basket across the room. It 

is the same inborn skill that allows you to 

point something out to someone with your 

finger tip. Don’t over think it. It is what 

it is. A natural ability to visually acquire 

something, visually focus on it and point the 

hand (or throw something) at it. 

Sometimes students will attempt to force an inappropriate technique into the fight. Here a student 

attempts a two-handed isosceles posture and is almost over run. A better option would perhaps 

have been to go one-handed and simply point and fire. 

As I said earlier, the aligning or pointing 

of the pistol onto the target is a physical act 

comprised of hand eye coordination, grip 

and aided by a directional draw. Let’s not 

forget the “EYE” part as it’s crucial. Look 

hard at the spot you want to hit and drive 

the gun there. Let’s keep that crucial point 

in mind as it is the common thread that 

runs through the Modern Technique taught 

by Jeff Cooper, the Point Shooting systems 

of Fairbairn, Sykes and Applegate, as well 

as the lesser known system of Quick Kill 

created by Lucky McDaniels. The pistol 

must be aligned with the target via hand eye 

coordination and grip. 

Now if the target is close, as your 

adversary will normally be very close in 

most surprise attacks, you need nothing 

more than this skill to hit quickly. You are 

not relying on the sights to align anything 

at all. Good hits can be expected from arm’s 

length to about 15 feet. 

As the target becomes smaller, more 

difficult to hit or more distant, the more 

visual verification is needed to make sure 

your gun is in fact aligned on target. That is 

what the sights are for. The amount of time 

you spend on those sights (verifying and 

making adjustments based on what you 

see) is proportionate to the distance from 

threat and difficulty of 

the shot. 

Try this. Set up a 

Teuller Drill with your 

training partner and Airsoft 

Pistols. The Teuller 

Drill involves facing an 

adversary charging at 

you from 21 feet with a 

rubber training knife. 

The secret to beating the 

drill is to move as you 

draw and shoot. Run it a 

few times and be honest 

with yourself about what 

you saw when you broke 

the shot. I’ll bet most of 

you will not be seeing 

the same perfect sight 

picture you see on a piece of paper. Some 

may not be seeing anything at all, yet the 

hits will still be on the training partner’s 

body. Try it! 

Good heavens! Am I advocating point 

shooting? I’m advocating hitting your 

adversary using whatever it takes, whatever 

it’s called and regardless of where it came 

from. Avoid labeling your techniques. 

Instead do what you need to do to hit and 

see what you need to see to make sure. 

Gabriel Suarez is an internationally recognized trainer and 

lecturer in the field of civilian personal defense. He has 

written over a dozen books and taught courses in several 

countries. http://www.suarezinternational.com 

http://www.warriortalk.com 

Suarez International, Inc.- 303 E. Gurley St., Ste. 461 

Prescott, AZ 86301 USA - (Office) 928-776-4492 



Gabe Suarez 

Andy Stanford Martin Cooper Leo Daher 

Paul Gomez 

Tom Givens 

Matthew Tempkin 

Ever since reading the book, “Tactical 

Advantage,” written by Gabe Suarez, I’ve 

been curious about the man. An interesting 

writer with many years of police work in his 

background, Gabe has been one of the most 

unapologetic, controversial figures in the 

field of firearm training. Last September, he 

launched warriortalk.com forum to provide a 

venue for personal development of members 

as fighters. Within half a year, the forum grew 

to over two thousand members with a cohesive 

culture. To Gabe, a real-world gathering was 

the next logical step. 

“Our mission is the advancement 

of the art of personal 

defense through open minded, 

non-dogmatic discussions and 

exchange of ideas,” said Suarez. 

The participants were almost all 

members of Warrior Talk forum. 

The cost of the class was symbolic 

$40, just enough to cover the cost 

of the venue. 

Gabe chose Memphis, TN 

because of its central location 

and because it is home to the 

superb Rangemaster indoor range, 

operated by Tom Givens. Tom’s 

fame carries so far that, more 

than once, when I asked about 

a good course in Nashville for 

concealed carry permit and skill set, his course 

in Memphis was recommended to me despite 

the distance! The facility is, indeed, clean, well 

designed and maintained. Rangemaster staff 

has been competent and very helpful. 

The classes were planned in two-hour 

increments from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on 

both Saturday and Sunday. Eight different 

instructors from several organizations, each 

with different and impressive credentials, 

provided a variety of perspectives to the 

participants. Some of the ten courses provided 

a complete picture in just two hours, others 

were to whet the appetite for more training 

and study. 

Paul Gomez, of Options for Personal 

Security, a man with both military and 

police experience, explained the uses and 

maintenance of AK47 type rifles. His course 

provided much hands-on time with several 

makes of that rifle, a lot of basic information 

and some trivia. For maximum safety, inert 

blue guns and magazines were used to 

demonstrate firing stances, in addition to real 

guns used for disassembly and maintenance 

part of the lecture. His approach packed a 

months’ worth of research into a short, inforich 

lesson. 

Tom Givens taught his excellent basic 

pistol course. Consisting of classroom and 

range segments, his lesson covered the legal, 

technical and tactical aspects of carry and 

deployment of sidearms. His approach was 

so detailed and systematic that even expert 

shooters found his content useful and the 

supervised practice helpful. Again, excellent 

safety practices were evident throughout the 

course. Tom also taught a segment on low light 

techniques with handguns, with and without 

mounted flashlights. That lesson prompted 

serious reflection by the participants on their 

current methods and equipment. No amount of 

talking about such things could have replaced 



Top: Keeping an “enemy” at bay from the ground. That drill emphasized combining armed and unarmed techniques to win. Left to Right: 

Simunition Glock, Hands-On trainig and William Aprill shows how to disarm. Photography by Oleg Volk (www.a-human-right.com). 

relevant and instructive range exercises in 

dim to non-existent light. His approach was 

certain to shake anyone out of complacency 

in regard to defensive actions in low light. 

Matthew Temkin, a law enforcement 

officer from New York City, taught point 

shooting. He took the students from the 

technique’s origins with Fairbairn and 

Applegate to the modern refinements. 

In the field dominated by Jeff Cooper’s 

“modern technique” which stresses sight 

use, teaching point shooting requires a 

certain chutzpah or, more likely, practical 

experience suggesting that his methods 

work in the real world. Temkin is a 

character whose personality makes his 

teaching entertaining as well as useful. 

The range time was just enough to outline 

the direction of study required to master 

the methods which were presented, but it 

provided a sound justification for learning 

alternatives to sighted fire. In effect, Tom 

Givens and Matt Temkin provided two 

ways of getting the same result, stopping 

an attack. 

William Aprill taught an eye-opening 

course on disarming a gun-wielding 

opponent. He taught how to fight when 

taken by surprise or when without a weapon 

of your own, showing that the only sure 

way to die is giving up the fight before 

it is over. Again, his course could cover 

but a sliver of the available techniques, 

but it served to educate the participants 

about the wide range of options available. 

As a movie character once said, “We got to 

start thinking beyond our guns.” William 

is a deceptively mild-looking man who 

delivered powerful and rapid counterattacks 

during the demonstrations. They 

served to remind that anyone, no matter 

how inoffensive looking or devoid of visible 

weapons, could be a credible threat. As 

with other such courses, the disarming 

lesson underscored the wisdom of not 

borrowing trouble no matter how many 

guns we might carry. 

South Narc (name withheld for security 

reasons), a SWAT commander in his police 

agency and an assistant commander in a 

narcotics prohibition task force, taught 

the other side of that interaction: retaining 

a pistol in close quarters and using it 

effectively. His class used Simunitions to 

good effect, and provided an invaluable 

introduction to the reality of fighting 

at bad breath range. The versatile use 

of all available tools, including Airsoft, 

Simunitions, inert guns and live weapons 

really set Warrior Talk Symposium apart 

from others. 

Andy Stanford, the man who has set 

up many training programs, including 

Martial Marksmanship Institute, informed 

us about the future of firearms training. 

His information synergized nicely with 

Gabe’s lecture on the integration of force on 

force training with square range time. They 

discussed the ways to identify omissions in 

the personal skill set in order to fill the gaps. 

They stressed that pistolcraft is just another 

martial art, and so the variety of learning 

approaches has to be similarly diverse for 

them to be useful in combat. 

Martin Cooper, a cop from the UK, 

brought a uniquely British perspective to 

the classroom. Coming from the jurisdiction 

where self defense is almost entirely 

prohibited by law, he developed a slapping 

technique designed to stun the opponent 

and break contact without exposing the 

defender to undue legal liability. The 

concept caused smiles all around, but 

most participants became convinced of 

the viability of the fluid, percussive slap 

he demonstrated. In the US, his methods 

may be of most interest to those who live 

in similarly restrictive jurisdictions, such as 

New York City. 

The Symposium provided an 

opportunity to meet several well-known 

trainers, a chance for Warrior Talk members 

to meet face-to-face, and a motivation and 

directions for further training and study on 

several fronts. I got to meet several members 

of my own forum, thehighroad.org, as 

well. The diverse competencies of the 

participants were quite impressive. In sum, 

much team building and learning happened 

—as promised by Gabe. 

Oleg Volk runs thehighroad.org forum for the 

advancement of responsible firearm ownership. 

He is a multimedia professor and advertising 

designer in Nashville, TN. 



Photography by Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D 

Spitfire OC Pepper Spray is always at the ready to 

meet your immediate defensive and security needs. 

www.spitfire.us 

Do you have a clear view of your 

defensive and security needs? Your 

personal safety depends on it. If you are too 

paranoid, you may become overly focused 

on perceived threats to the exclusion of all 

else. If you are not paranoid enough, you 

may walk into an ambush. The world is a 

dangerous place, and you don’t want to 

become some scum bag’s lunch, but you do 

want to be able to enjoy your own lunch. 

What is the solution? 

The solution is to develop a realistic 

and clear view of your defensive and 

security needs. Begin by becoming 

intimately familiar with your surroundings 

and the environment within which you 

travel. Don’t permit yourself to develop 

“gun muscles” or “armed courage.” This 

is a false and misleading view of things. 

Carrying a concealed handgun is no reason 

to venture into areas that you wouldn’t 

venture into if you were not armed. The 

first rule of thumb in your personal security 

hierarchy is to avoid trouble. Carrying 

concealed weapons does not make you a 

police officer! 

Going legally armed does not somehow 

make you responsible for protecting the 

public or becoming involved in altercations 

that are none of your business. Your most 

socially responsible “tools” are the numbers 

“911” on your cell phone! 

It is not all that complex. Use common 

sense. The reason for a civilian to carry a 

gun is personal defense. Thus, you must 

understand your personal risk profile and 

the threat levels to which you are exposed. 

This entails developing knowledge about 

yourself, and the mental and physical 

preparation to deploy that knowledge. Let’s 

break it down. 

How Vulnerable Are You? 

As a senior citizen, ask yourself 

whether you look vulnerable. If the answer 

is “yes,” there are some things you can 

do to look less vulnerable, and there are 

some things you cannot do. Through 

appropriate physical exercise and good 

diet, you can probably improve your health 

and build physical strength. You can take 

a self defense class geared to your level 

of physical fitness. You can train with 

your carry firearm and develop skill in 

its deployment. When you improve your 

physical conditioning and increase your 

skill level with your personal defense 

weapon, you will also develop greater selfconfidence, 

which will be reflected in your 

outward appearance. You don’t have to look 

like food. 

It’s A Dog Eat Dog World 

Keep in mind, the harsh reality that 

anyone whose personal possessions could 

be an object of desire for those who would 

act to take them, if they believed they could 

get away with it, are at risk of a violent 

assault. They need to be prepared to defend 

what they have. For that matter, anyone 

whose hard work has allowed them to 

accumulate any degree of visible personal 

success, must be prepared to sacrifice what 

they have or defend it should the need arise. 

But remember, there is no guarantee that 

sacrifice is any more effective than defense. 

In fact, giving in or surrendering to a 

violent criminal is no option because it will 

lead to a greater escalation of the imbalance 

of power. Criminality is all about power. 

Ask yourself: “Do I have the 

training and resolve to effectively use my 

personal defense firearm to assure my 

survival if the need arises?” 

If the answer is “yes”, keep training, 

because self defense and shooting skills are 

perishable if not practiced. If the answer is 

“no,” get trained and keep training! We must 

all learn to trust the hairs on the back of our 

neck. If something tells you on an intuitive, 

feeling level, or on a precognitive preview 

of a situation, to do something you normally 

wouldn’t do, TRUST THAT FEELING! It 

has saved numerous people’s skins. Listen 

to your inner feelings or “vibes.” They are 

a biologically programmed, inner defense 

response mechanism. 

Appropriate Restraint 

Appropriate restraint means the ability 

to exercise good judgment about the threat 

level you are exposed to and the appropriate 

level of response to the situation. Your 

major influences should be: time of day, 

distance from your assailant, ability to get 

help and your ability to prevail. Remember 

that no matter what criminal activity takes 

place, under law, an overt action must be 

taken by the assailant before you can legally 

react with lethal force. 

There is a level of force continuum. 

In most jurisdictions, a prosecutor or grand 

jury will not condone the use of a much 

greater level of force than what you were 

confronted with. You can’t pull a gun on 

someone for rude behavior, verbal abuse 

or verbal threats. If you are threatened, the 

laws in most jurisdictions, state that you 

have the duty to retreat if possible, except in 

your own home (Most jurisdictions call this 

the “Castle Doctrine”). 

A less than lethal force option that can 

give you the opportunity to retreat is the 

skillful use of OC Pepper Spray. Spraying 

an attacker in the face with two million 

Scoville Heat Units of Spitfire Oleoresin 



Capsicum, will temporarily take down most 

attackers’ aggresssion and gives you the 

opportunity to get away so that you don’t 

have to use your gun. 

Spitfire brand OC comes in a canister 

that conveniently attaches to your keychain 

with a quick release for easy access. A 

positive thumb safety protects against 

accidental discharge of the chemical. The 

canister’s ergonomics allows you to point 

and shoot without killing your attacker. 

However, as a senior citizen, you do 

have an advantage in terms of the doctrine of 

“disparity of force.” This means that if you 

are physically attacked by a much younger 

and fitter fellow, you may be justified in 

using lethal force (i.e., your handgun) if, at 

the time of the attack, you believed that you 

were in immediate danger of being killed 

or suffering serious bodily harm. Because 

you are older and presumably physically 

weaker than the young hoodlum, you might 

have had to resort to lethal force. However, 

remember that in all likelihood, you will 

later have to convince a prosecutor or a 

grand jury that this was so. 

You must be psychologically capable 

of exercising appropriate judgment and 

restraint, or else, you shouldn’t own a gun. 

As I mentioned earlier, don’t develop “gun 

muscles” where, through pure ownership 

of a firearm, you start to feel invulnerable. 

Nothing can be further from the truth! Just 

like “canned courage,” “gun muscles” 

only lead to disaster. If you come upon 

a situation, don’t assume you know what 

is going on unless you are the attacker. 

Many naive “do gooders” with a heavy set 

of “gun muscles” have gotten into serious 

trouble by ASSUMING something was 

something that it was not, only to discover, 

too late, that their initial impressions were 

inaccurate. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN 

TO YOU! 

Owning or carrying a firearm is not 

a panacea, nor is it a license to use it by 

becoming judge, jury and executioner. If 

you cannot convince 12 people (a jury of 

your “peers”) looking at the same critical 

situation with which you were confronted, 

that lethal force was your only viable 

defensive option, then you do not pass go, 

and you go straight to jail. 

With firearm ownership comes the 

responsibility of doing everything you can 

to avoid confrontations if at all possible. 

Carrying a firearm gives you a life and death 

power that should not be unleashed during 

normal day to day activities. Carrying 

a firearm constitutes no 

license or excuse to provoke 

confrontations that could 

escalate, or those that 

you would have normally 

walked or driven away from. 

For example, “road rage” 

demonstrates that the largest 

weapon that a driver can 

have is not a firearm—it is a 

three to four thousand pound 

projectile! 

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offers easy on and off and ultra-concealeability 

to provide a versatile solution 

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situations. Self-control and 

judgment refer to using what 

you know is right and your 

ability to remain in charge 

of your own behavior to 

control your actions when 

under stress. 

In a confrontational 

situation, it is imperative that you take 

control and command. Command presence 

is an absolute. Police departments base 

their direction and authority upon it. They 

give orders to people on a daily basis on 

how to get out of the line of fire. Command 

presence is a necessity to remove you and 

others from danger. 

On a smaller scale, if you are in 

your residence or in a vehicle on the 

road and you are accosted aggressively 

and being threatened with imminent 

bodily harm, you must give commands 

to your children, or to your spouse, or to 

your friend or companion(s), should the 

emergent need arise. In order to survive 

another day, and protect your loved ones, 

you must be prepared to take action 

while giving confident direction to others 

who may otherwise be zombies or panic 

stricken. Panic will get you killed. Someone 

must take the responsibility. There are no 

other choices at this point. A weak kneed 

person is probably a dead person. Without 

command and control, the situation will 

end badly. 

Good Self-Control and Judgment 

These qualities are 

developed and refined from 

good training and confidence 

in one’s self. Having had a 

painful childhood is not a 

viable excuse for exercising 

poor self-control or judgment 

in confrontational 

“What If” Questions and Mental Rehearsal 

Prior to anything ever taking place, 

there are several questions you should want 

to ask yourself and rehearse in your mind. 

You should ask yourself these questions 

about how you are going to respond to 

a wide variety of “what if ” scenarios. 




For example, “what if this happens?” and 

“what if this happens?” You should write 

your answers down for each “what if ” 

scenario, and review them. You can prepare 

well before an incident takes place by 

mentally rehearsing your options. Employ 

relaxation, mental visualization and mental 

imagery, along with self-affirmations. 

Then, if an incident occurs that is similar 

to what you have mentally prepared for, you 

will instinctively run through your checklist 

of responses as the incident unfolds and you 

will be prepared. 

For each “what if ” scenario, ask 

yourself these seven basic, universally 

applicable questions. By doing so, you 

will be preparing yourself to handle most 

possible scenarios: 

1. What options can I choose to avoid 

being in such a situation? 

2. If I can’t avoid it, who will I be facing, 

and what will they be armed with? 

3. What are my responsibilities, and 

what actions must I take to survive and 

prevail? 

4. From where is my best defensive 

posture taken? 

5. How can I prepare myself well ahead 

of such an incident? What training and 

what defensive tools will I need? 

6. How can I best defend myself in the 

particular setting in which I’m involved, 

unfamiliar and uncomfortable as I am, at 

the worst possible moment? 

7. Last but not least. How can I prepare 

myself to deal with the aftermath once 

I’ve survived? And, how can I avoid, or 

be better prepared for, such an incident 

should it happen again? 

Ability to De-escalate 

The ability to de-escalate refers to 

ceasing your lethal response once you are 

sure that the threat and aggression have 

been contained and/or have ceased. This 

is an important part of your total defense 

plan. We’re not the aggressors. We’re the 

defenders. Our right is to survive and not 

to punish. The latter job is for a judge and 

jury. We must do whatever it is that we 

have to do to stop an attacker from doing 

whatever it is that he is doing that threatens 

us with imminent death or serious bodily 

harm. We’re not legally justified in shooting 

someone to punish. So, for example, we 

can’t shoot someone who is running away, 

once they are no longer an immediate or 

continuing threat! 

You Have the Right to Defend Yourself and Survive 

You do have the right to resort to using 

lethal force (e.g., your firearm), if you are 

attacked by someone AND the following 

conditions are met: 

1. Your attacker has the ability and 

the means (e.g., much greater physical 

strength, a deadly weapon such as a 

baseball bat, a knife, karate hands and 

feet, a gun, etc.) to cause you, and/or a 

loved one, and/or a companion, death or 

serious bodily harm. 

2. He has the opportunity and intention 

to cause you death or serious bodily 

harm, such that . . . 

3. You are in immediate jeopardy. 

4. And finally, you cannot preclude or 

prevent the attack from happening by 

retreating. Remember you have a duty to 

retreat if this option is available. If you 

cannot retreat safely, you have the right 

to defend yourself and survive. 

The Aftermath 

Anyone who carries a gun for selfprotection 

should have a lawyer whom 

they trust and can call for representation, 

should they be in a lethal encounter. 

Keep in mind that, after a lethal force 

encounter, you will have to justify all of 

your actions to the authorities. So, you are 

advised against making any statements to 

the police at the scene. You must call your 

lawyer and follow his or her advice. In the 

aftermath of a deadly force encounter, you 

will be acutely traumatized and unable 

to accurately explain what happened. 

Everything you say can and will be used 

against you, so you need to say nothing 

other than something to the effect of: “He 

attacked me, and I thought my life was in 

danger, and I had to defend myself. I would 

like to call my lawyer.” 

It has truthfully been said that the 

reason to take defensive handgun training 

is to learn how to avoid ever having to use 

your gun. This is because the last thing you 

ever want to have to do is to shoot someone. 

However, if you have to employ deadly 

force to stop someone from killing you, you 

either will or will not be prepared to do so. 

If you carry, you should be prepared to do 

so, as your very last resort. That means you 

must maintain a clear and realistic view of 

your defensive and security needs, and train 

to satisfy those needs. Watch your 360 and 

stay safe. 

References and Recommended Reading 

Cooper, Colonel Jeff (1989). Principles of Personal 

Defense. Boulder, CO: Paladin. 

Rementer, Stephen R., & Eimer, Bruce N. (2005). 

Essential Guide to Handguns: Firearm 

Instruction For Personal Defense and Protection. 

Flushing, New York: Looseleaf Law Publications. 

www.LooseleafLaw.com 

Suarez, Gabe (2003). The Combative Perspective: The 

Thinking Man’s Guide to Self defense. Boulder, CO: 

Paladin Press. 

Dr. Bruce Eimer is a hypnotherapist and licensed 

clinical psychologist, and author in Pennsylvania 

and the owner of Alternative Behavior Associates 

www.hypnosisgroup.com. He is a Life Member of the 

NRA, an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor in Pistol, 

Home Firearms Safety, and Personal Protection, a Glock 

Certified Armorer, and the co-author of Essential Guide to 

Handguns: Firearm Instruction for Personal Defense and 

Protection www.looseleaflaw.com. Bruce is a member of 

IALEFI, the International Association of Law Enforcement 

Firearms Instructors. He can be reached by e-mail at 

dr.bruce@hypnosisgroup.com. 





It’s always the same refrain, over and 

over again. 

The Latin expression “ad nauseam” 

means “to the point of nausea.” My nausea 

threshold is pretty low early in the morning, 

I must admit. To add insult to injury, I always 

have to ask the same question—and endure 

the endless, whining answers—every time I 

teach a new concealed handgun class. 

“Why do you want to carry a firearm?” I 

ask a new crop of students. 

“Well, I wouldn’t, except . . .” 

“I won’t actually carry it, but 

sometimes I have to drive through really bad 

neighborhoods . . .” 

“I don’t want a gun, but my husband 

thinks I should have one . . .” 

And so on. Ad nauseam . . . 

Each student acts somehow furtive, 

somehow ashamed, as though they are doing 

something they wouldn’t want to tell their 

mothers about. 

Their mother’s mothers would be 

turning in their collective graves over this 

ridiculous attitude! 

A firearm is a tool, and our grandparents 

and great grandparents knew it very well. 

Yes, a firearm can certainly kill. So can a 

power saw, and I know what I’m talking 

about. I almost watched my adopted brother 

bleed to death from such a horrific accident. 

Screwdrivers and ice picks are among the 

most popular murder weapons. And an 

automobile is the deadliest machine of all! 

Automobiles kill many, many more people 

than those killed by firearms each year. 

So which of these devices do you think 

we should ban? 

Tools, including firearms, do not get 

up and do evil deeds by themselves. I tell 

my concealed handgun students, again 

and again, there is no such thing as an 

“accidental” discharge. There is only a 

negligent discharge. If you learn the safety 

rules, and make them a part of your every 

instinct, firearms are no more dangerous than 

any other tool. And they are far more useful! 

Oh, I can hear your collective gasp of 

horror all the way down here in Texas. Yes, 

dammit, firearms are useful! 

You constantly hear claims that firearms 

are killing kids left and right. The simple 

truth is that more kids are killed playing 

high school football each year than die from 

firearms related incidents, including suicide! 

Another fact that might interest you is that 

zero percent—that’s zero percent—of kids 

who are given firearms and proper training 

in their responsible use ever commit crimes 

with those firearms. The firearms used in 

juvenile/young adult crime are all illegally 

obtained anyway. 

Yet firearms are used by law-abiding 

citizens to prevent a staggering 2,500,000 

crimes each and every single year! And on 

almost every single occasion, no shot is 

ever fired. 

Now tell me the truth. If someone 

told you about a tool that could prevent 

2,500,000 crimes per year, and didn’t tell you 

it was a firearm, you would definitely call 

that a useful tool, wouldn’t you? Of course 

you would! 

So why does everyone choke on the idea 

that firearms are useful? 

My students have come to me because 

they each have made a decision to take 

responsibility for their lives and the lives 

of their loved ones. It is a difficult and 

courageous decision, the mark of a true adult. 

They have faced and accepted the reality 

that police nearly always come anywhere 

from minutes to hours after the crime is 

committed, and therefore are incapable of 

protecting the victim. 

The men and women who come to me 

for concealed handgun instruction have 

recognized this, and they have decided not 

to be victims. They have decided, like the 

courageous five aboard Flight 93, not to 

go quietly to the rear of the airplane and 

call home. 

They have decided, like the founding 

fathers of this country, to bear arms for 

lawful and moral purposes. This is not an act 

of cowardice. It is an act of great courage. 

Our forefathers who took up arms pledged 

their lives, their fortunes and their sacred 

honor. Those were not mere words then, and 

they are not just words now. Everyone who 

chooses to bear arms today is making the 

same pledge. 

You don’t believe me? Well, look at it 

this way. If I observe an unarmed citizen in 

life and death trouble, and I am armed, I have 

a moral obligation to step in and at least try to 

save his or her life. In doing so, I am almost 

certainly risking my own life on his or her 

behalf. If I am so unfortunate as to be forced 

to shoot someone in the course of offering 

said citizen my aid, I will be paying lawyers 



and fending off civil suits for the rest of my 

days—which should effectively wipe out any 

fortune I am ever able to accumulate. Finally, 

the very subject of firearms is so emotional 

that it is entirely possible that a jury may 

convict me of an actual crime even though I 

was acting in clear self defense or defense of 

a third party. This may not touch my “sacred” 

honor, but it certainly affects my public 

honor if I am so unlucky as to be convicted 

of murder! 

So choosing to bear arms is indeed 

an act of great courage. It is a decision and 

a stance that any human being should be 

proud of. 

Yet my students do not come to me 

with pride. They come to me furtively and 

ashamed, desperately making excuses for 

their decision as if the mere association with 

firearms will somehow damage their integrity 

as human beings. Before I can even begin to 

teach them what they must know to bear arms 

safely and legally in this state, I must teach 

them that armed self defense is their right, 

not a privilege they must ask for—and never, 

never something they should apologize for. 

They are requesting a concealed handgun 

license from the state for the sole purpose 

of remaining out of jail, but they were born 

with the instinct and the right to defend their 

own lives. This instinct is not immoral, and 

it never will be. And there is nothing nobler 

than the decision to risk your own life to 

defend someone else. 

It is interesting to watch the process. 

They sit a little straighter now. 

The next step is to teach them Texas 

law and a few simple rules for resolving 

conflicts without violence. We cover some 

firearm safety rules, and they take a range 

test so unbelievably easy it only proves 

that they know at which end of the range 

the target is located. That test is meant 

to be easy. It should be easy for an 80-yearold 

grandmother to pass. It was designed 

that way! 

After the state requirements and testing 

are completed, they take their first steps 

on a lifetime journey together. I would not 

presume to tell my students what is right 

and what is wrong. I tell them about Texas 

law, that’s all. But I do have an obligation 

to make them think about right and wrong. 

They must begin to set their personal 

boundaries and define what they are and are 

not willing to do. 

In the midst of a firefight is not the place 

to make these philosophical decisions! 

For example: If a burglar broke into 

your house tonight and tried to make off 

with your VCR, would you confront and 

try to stop him? If he attacked you then, 

would you shoot to defend yourself? You had 

better know the answers to these and many 

other questions before you choose to keep 

and/or carry a firearm. When the situation 

is happening, it is already much too late to 

think it through. I ask my students to try 

imagine every possible circumstance and 

decide what they would and would not do. 

The thinking process is never complete. It 

is ongoing. 

There is self defense, and there is 

murder. Much of the time that line is clear 

and obvious. But many circumstances can 

blur the line between self defense and murder 

to the point where there is no clear cut right 

and wrong answer. Personal boundaries must 

be set in that gray area. In fact, I can’t imagine 

any decision more personal except possibly 

the decision of what deity to worship. 

That idea sinks in, and my students leave 

the classroom with a lot of thinking to do. 

What they do not yet realize is that the 

thinking they will do over the coming months 

and years is going to change them forever 

—and for the better. It never fails. 

That is the hidden virtue of firearms. We 

do very little moral thinking in our society. 

Most kids today are actually embarrassed 

at the mention of “right” and “wrong.” Yet 

concepts of right and wrong, of duty—and of 

sacrifice—go hand in hand with the idea of 

lawful carry. Training your kids in the use of 

firearms offers a golden opportunity to teach 

them moral values. 

Thomas Jefferson, one of the great 

architects of our nation, understood this very 

well. In 1785, he wrote a letter to Peter Carr, 

then attending school in Paris, in which he 

offered warm advice on how best to seek 

success, both in college and in life. 

In Jefferson’s own words: “A strong 

body makes the mind strong. As to the 

species of exercise, I advise the gun. While 

this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it 

gives boldness, enterprise, and independence 

to the mind. Games played with the ball, 

and others of that nature, are too violent 

for the body, and stamp no character on the 

mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant 

companion of your walks.” 

Excellent advice. 

At a tiny 5’1”, Kathryn A. Graham is a licensed 

private investigator, pilot, aircraft mechanic and 

handgun instructor in Texas. Also a prolific author, 

she has written numerous articles, short stories 

and a science fiction novel entitled Flight From Eden. 

Ms. Graham is the Texas Director for Armed Females 

of America, and a proud member of the Western 

Libertarian Alliance. 

http://www.kathrynagraham.com 



CombatCarry.com 

I just can’t say enough about this forum. Although it 

is relatively new, there are already over 700 members. The 

administrator has been kind enough to give us our own 

section for Concealed Carry Magazine and the United States 

Concealed Carry Association. The members of this forum 

are by and large very knowledgeable and unusually friendly. 

I’ve been on too many gun forums that are populated by 

mud-slinging know-it-alls! I urge all of our subscribers to 

check out www.combatcarry.com and sign up to become a 

member. It is free and it is fun. 

Thank you and be safe. 


Publisher/Editor 

Concealed Carry Magazine and its publisher Delta Media, LLC are not responsible for 

mishaps of any kind which may occur from use of published firearms information, equipment 

recommendations, tactics and training advice or from recommendations by staff or 

contributing writers. Carrying a concealed weapon can be very dangerous if you are not 

well trained and familiar with the weapon you carry. Notice: Some advertisements may 

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those areas where local restrictions may limit or prohibit the purchase, carrying or use 

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Concealed Carry Magazine or Delta Media, LLC. 

Rob Reed shares his experience of Massad Ayoob’s LFI-1 

Class, “The Judicious Use of Deadly Force.” 

Gabe Suarez gives insight into clearing jams in his column, 

Street Tactics: Reality Based Gun and Knife Fighting. 

Oleg Volk delves into the Airsoft .22 Conversion Kits. 

Charles Stewart explains how to “Keep it Running.” 

A Day with Joe Nizzari and Line of Fire, LLC by Timothy J. Schmidt 

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