Woman Stops Home Intruder. In this episode of the KSA Defense Podcast I discuss a recent news story about a woman who shot an intruder in her home. She had purchased a handgun the day before this occurred. See links below.

 Audio of 911 call as man enters her home

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This is our inaugural episode for the KSA Defense Podcast. I take a few minutes to discuss what KSA means and the reasons I am involved with self defense and firearms training.

      An often asked question is “Why do you carry a gun?”  The reason(s) I carry a gun are many, but the one I’m most comfortable giving is as follows. I carry a gun because I have a responsibility to my family to ensure their safety.  I do not carry a gun to protect you or your family. I believe we each must take care of ourselves or no one else will. During the Arkansas CHL Course I teach, we cover the different ways to carry a firearm, selecting a handgun and various other topics as required. The most interesting discussions we have is why you need carry a gun in the first place.

If you choose to carry a handgun for self defense you accept the moral, and legal obligations associated with it. Morally you must realize that in order to stop a threat from killing or gravely injuring you deadly force might be required. Can you accept the fact you may have to take the life of another person and can you tolerate the judgement and consequences that go along with it? As you make the decision to carry a handgun you have an enormous legal responsibility. The mere fact you are carrying a weapon opens you up to any number of potential criminal penalties if you do not play by the rules. In fact the first rule for concealed carry is literally the first rule listed by the State of Arkansas Concealed Handgun License documentation; Arkansas statue 5-73-301 clearly states: “Concealed means to cover from observation so as to prevent public view.” If the handgun is not concealed you could be charged with brandishing a weapon. From the minor to the extreme case of being charged with a felony if you are found to have displayed or used your weapon the legal responsibilities can be intimidating.

I have had a few clients come to me after a class and tell me they do not want to apply for their license because of all of the responsibility that goes along with it. Interestingly one of the questions on the license application is “Do you desire a legal means to carry a concealed handgun to defend yourself?” I attempt to explain that the license is just that, a legal means to carry a concealed handgun to defend yourself. One of the first concepts taught in the course is the best way to not get in trouble is to Avoid Trouble! I believe Col. Jeff Cooper said “carrying a handguns is not a necessity, but there is a great deal of comfort having one available…” I believe that carrying handgun is not unlike having a fire extinguisher in your home.  You pray you never have to use it, but when you need it you are very glad to had access to it.

Several years ago when I received my license I did it because I was scared. I took the course only after being a victim of a crime. Obtaining a license is not a difficult process it’s going to cost you some time, money and a little effort like anything else. Too many clients come to me after something has happened and like me are scared. They are reacting to a circumstance which caused them to take action after the fact. Should everyone carry a handgun for self defense? It is a personal decision. The latest statistics I have seen report that over 92,000 Arkansas residents have concealed handgun licenses. So there are a lot of people with a license and most likely about 20% of them carry at some point and probably 20% of that number carry on a daily basis.

So, why do I carry a gun? To protect me and my family. I agree with Col. Cooper there is a degree of comfort I get from having access to a tool that could protect my family. I carry it because now it is part of my life, I don’t leave home without it. I carry on my body like a responsible person should and I know how to use it. So what does it take for you to get a concealed handgun license? That is the topic of the next post so please come back.

Until next time, Finish the Fight!

  The sales of firearms are sill on the rise according to media reports. We don’t know what percentage of these sales are first time buyers. I see a lot of first time clients who just bought their first handgun. The story usually goes something like; “I went to (insert name of local gun shop) and the salesman recommended I get one of these.” Most of the time the gun is still in it’s original box and still has all of the factory lube smeared throughout. I remember when I bought my first handgun. I was thrilled and was sure I bought the right one, because I was told it was “the gun” for me. The best was to approach your purchase of a firearm is to treat it like buying a car. Regardless if it’s your first or one of many you should always follow a series of steps before completing the purchase. The following is my process and it has worked for me.

Research: You found this blog post so you can find out information on the any handguns that is made. Each manufacture has a web site you can check out to see the latest and greatest. Check sites like www.gunbroker.com or www.impactguns to see what the price range is for the various models. Google the specific gun you are looking at and see the good and sometimes bad reviews. Go to your local bookstore and check out the gun magazines to see what features or comparison are available. One note of caution on the magazine reviews,  negative reviews of handguns  are hard to find.

Gun Buddy: Gun people are good people. I depend on my gun buddies to give guidance on what they have heard or experience they may have with a specific model or manufacturer. A great personal example come to mind. I was contemplating a Glock 26 as a primary concealed carry gun. I had carried a Glock 19 for a while, but I was lured by the more compact size. So I asked around.  I found that a lot of people had previously owned a model 26. So with a little prodding I learned the very thing I was considering, the compact size, was the primary reason they were no longer owned by my buddies. The leads me to my last partt of the process. Many times you can find a buddy with the very gun you are looking for. So you ask, can I shoot it?!

Test Drive: You would never buy a car before taking it for a test drive. You should never buy a gun without first having a chance to shoot the exact gun you are about to purchase or shoot one identical to it. Locally, we do not have a dealer with an adequate indoor range so I rely on my fellow gun owners. A gun that looks great in the box or feels great in the hand may not shoot that well for you. A great benefit of belonging to a local gun club or shooting facility is the networking with other gun owners. (Insert shameless plug for the club I belong to MVSA) I have yet to not find a gun that a client, or myself, wanted to shoot. It does not take too few many phone calls to track somebody down that is willing to let us test drive the gun.

Guns are tools. A master carpenter or weekend hammer hero can accomplish a lot with the proper tool along with some knowledge, skill and attitude. It’s a bad feeling after spending several hundred dollars for THE GUN you go to the range to shoot it and you are disappointed. Take it from someone whose made that mistake. Use the criteria I mentioned and you will no be disappointed.

Until next time, Finish The Fight!

  This past week I hosted a group of ladies for a self defense seminar. “Empowering” “Whoa! I had no idea”  “I’m going to try that on my husband…” were some of the comments I heard during the evening. The purpose of this post is to give our readers  some insight to what we learned and discussed during the evening. Each time I get an opportunity to teach or speak I emphasize  three fundamental principles Knowledge, Skill and Attitude (KSA). I promise everyone I train they will receive new knowledge and some new skills.  I can’t guarantee I will change their attitude, but I challenge them to examine their attitude towards self defense.  This evening was no different.

We started the evening with some straight talk: Most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim has some type of relationship with. Also, the number one location for sexual assaults occur in the home. This lead to our purpose for the evening.

Fear: We are all afraid of Overt Human Aggression aka fear of other people trying to hurt us. It’s the the universal phobia we all share. Fear is a God given gift. Fear is not being able to control the unknown. How do you prepare for the things that scare you?

Boundaries: Boundaries are not only physical, but emotional too. We did a simple drill where the group is divided in half and then the simply walk toward each other until they reach and uncomfortable distance from one another. This “personal space” was consistently just a little outside arms reach. Knowing how to establish, recognize and defend your boundaries is critical component of protecting yourself.

Self Defense Skills: This event was hands-on and everyone participated in the drills. Here is a brief list of some of the techniques that were demonstrated, taught and practiced: Striking (hand/knees/feet), Choke Defense and the dreaded Ground Defense. Everyone got individual instruction and was able to practice the technique and then demonstrated to the group. They really got into this part especially when it was time to beat on me.

We concluded our evening with some discussion on weapons and their place in self defense and some question and answer time. I always enjoy teaching and this night was no different. Just before this class started I received confirmation that the next class on Tuesday December 27th was sold out. So, I will be offering another session in January. Stay in touch and check our updates to see the date of the next class. Until next time, Finish The Fight!

You find your self with a nagging feeling your are being followed or watched. What do you do? There are three decisive steps you need to take. You  must either deter your attacker or put yourself in a position to respond to an attack.

1) Identification: Face the threat and  identify them. Look them in the eye. Hands up in a non-aggressive, but firm stance and ask,  What do you want?

2) Verbal:  You are now preparing for an engagement. If the threat continues to close distance or responds in an aggressive manner you must now directly address the threat with a firm warning: Stop! Go Away! The police are being called! This will draw attention to your plight and take your attacker off-guard. Even if you have not had an opportunity to call the police this will cause the attacker to at least question your intent.

3) Weapon Presentation: As the encounter escalates to a point where you fully believe your are in danger of death or great bodily harm the weapon must be presented and the situation dealt with. Using a weapon is a tool of last resort and should only be used when all other means have been expended.

Be aware of your surroundings. Always have a plan to get away and be prepared to fight if you have to.

YOU SHOOT TO STOP THE THREAT!  This is the mantra you hear in a good defensive handgun course.    Defensive shooting is not a sport unless you consider someone trying to kill you sporting.  Learning a defensive shooting skill set is imperative.   Fundamentals are crucial so we are going to take a look at the fundamentals of handgun shooting.

1) Stance: This is your platform and your starting point to MOVE. In a defensive situation, if you are not moving you will be shot. The key is keeping the weight on the  balls of your feet and being able to move quickly without crossing your feet and falling.

2) Grip: This is key to making solid shots, managing the recoil of the gun and allowing for quicker follow up shots. If you hold the gun incorrectly you risk the gun not performing mechanically and your shots not hitting the intended target.

3) Sight Picture: You need to line the front and rear sights so you have proper sight alignment when you take your initial sight picture. Correctly aligning the front and rear sights of the handgun is what leads to accuracy. Understand, in a high stress situation you may never have the opportunity to get a text-book sight picture.

4) Trigger Control: It’s about the press! The finger gets in the way. Too much, too little or just enough is not the key. It’s about pressing the trigger through its stages. The finger does not come off the trigger while you are engaged with a target. All triggers have resets and when you spend enough proper time with your handgun you learn the stages and reset positions of your particular trigger. Glock handguns have a distinctive reset which you can easily train yourself to hear and feel. Trigger reset equals quicker follow up shots.

5) Follow Through: Like tennis and golf you must follow through with your shot and subsequent actions. Stance, Grip, Sight Picture, Trigger Press, BANG! and continuous BANGS! until the threat is no longer a threat. Follow through is, trigger reset, assess the situation (do I need to shoot more?) then scan the area for more threats. Your threat area is not just what is in front of you it’s all around you.  Yes 360 degrees. Range officers don’t freak out. Defensive shooting is not a sport and threats exist all around us.

Reading a blog post will not make you a better shooter. You need to have some time on the range with someone who can teach each of these skills and help you develop some confidence. Contact Mark at 501-282-3076 so we can set up an appointment to learn about the 5 Critical Skills of Handgun Shooting.

It’s all about being safe.  I could not pass up using the image for this particular post. The picture is from a video clip I show in all of my firearm training classes.  A link to the video is http://youtu.be/MeGD7r6s-zU for those who have not seen it. The video reinforces the fact no matter how experienced you are an accident can happen. An accident is supposed to unintended or so it says in the dictionary, but if you neglect to follow certain guidelines the “unintended” likelihood increases. So what are the rules of gun safety? Here are the basics:

1) ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. A safe direction is not pointed up in the air, pointed down at your feet and NEVER point it at anything you are not willing to destroy.  Control where the muzzle (barrel) is pointing at all times. If this rule was always followed we would not have injuries or fatalities from “accidental shootings.”

2) ALWAYS keep your FINGER off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. This rule is perhaps the most ignored and most frequent violation I see. It is natural to put your finger on the trigger just as it is natural to flinch when you  are startled.  Keep your finger along the outside of the frame until you have the made the decision to shoot.

3) ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until it is ready to be used. A gun that is not in use should be unloaded and secured in a safe manner. When is a gun in use? If you carry a firearm for personal protection it needs to be ready to use. If you are not confident enough in your training and decision making to carry a loaded gun I suggest you get more training.  A responsible gun owner will know how to safely check their firearm to see if it is loaded and take the necessary safety measures to load or unload the firearm as needed.

4) ALWAYS know what is behind you intended target. You are responsible for every bullet leaving the gun. Whether you are at the shooting range, in your home or out in the world bullets are dumb and they don’t have brakes. The bullet stops when it runs out of energy, think first!

I meet a lot of people who are intimidated by firearms. They usually use the term scared, but it is really just intimidation. Following the basic gun safety rules can go a long way in overcoming that intimidation. Firearms are tools and you can be trained in how to effectively use one without endangering those around you.

If you have not watched the video of the DEA Agent shooting himself while giving a safety lecture it’s worth a few minutes. Do me a favor and while watching it see how many of the four basic rules he violated.

Mark Shuffield is a NRA Certified Piston Instructor and Personal Protection Instructor

We will be offering Krav Maga self defense classes beginning in January 2011. Krav Maga is a reality based self defense system that anyone can learn quickly and be able to apply the techniques. Krav is not a martial art as in the traditional style. Krav Maga is taught to all Israeli Defense Forces. It is a powerful self defense system. More information is coming!

Personal safety is something that we often take for granted.  Here are 20 common sense safety tips for women to follow to help keep you out of harm’s way:

1. Don’t worry about offending someone. If you feel unsafe, remove yourself from the area. No apologies necessary.  Gut instinct is usually right.

2. There is safety in numbers. Arrange for someone to jog with you if you must jog after dark. Even well lit public parks and jogging trails have dimly lit areas that can be dangerous.

3. Don’t presume that because your area has been “safe” thus far, that it will continue to be so.

4. Never wear headphones when out walking or jogging alone.  You must always stay alert to your surroundings.

5. When you are out alone, remove any jewelry or items that may attract a thiefs’ eye.

6. Avoid routine with your travels and activities. This will stop anyone with criminal intentions from being able to easily know when you are vulnerable.

7. If using public transportation, always choose an aisle seat to avoid being “blocked in” by a potential assailant.

8. Choose a seat behind the driver of a bus, towards the front and near the door.

9. Make sure the identification of a cab or taxi driver is displayed conspicuously. Sit on the passenger side of the vehicle, in the back seat.

10. Never leave your car unlocked, even for the few minutes it may take you to return a video or pick up your mail at the post office. Attackers have been known to lie in wait for such an opportunity.

11. Always park in a well lit area. If the surroundings or instinct makes you feel the parking area is unsafe, ask a security guard or someone you feel comfortable with to escort you to your car.

12. When approaching your personal vehicle, always have your keys in hand, ready to unlock your car, with a few keys pointing outward to use as a deterrent to any approaching danger.

13. Always check your car before entering

14. Keep your windows up and doors locked when driving alone.  Avoid dimly lit roads, travel on well lit, active streets whenever possible.

15. If you find yourself in a situation where someone is trying to force you into a vehicle, scream, LOUD! And Run.  Do all that you can to avoid getting into the car and being taken to a more secluded location.

16. Choose a wardrobe which maximizes freedom of movement. The best self defense techniques will not help you if you cannot apply defensive techniques or flee from a dangerous situation.

17. Carry a whistle and a small vial of pepper spray.  Both can be attached to your key ring, and should always be in your hand and ready for use when walking alone.

18. Make sure someone always knows where you are and when you plan to return.

19. If you have a cell phone, don’t label your home phone number as HOME in the address book. If your phone is lost or stolen, a reverse number lookup can easily give someone your address.

20. Stay aware of any new faces, vehicles or activity in the areas you frequent alone.