Personal Protection Training & Firearm Instruction

Florida Concealed Weapon Class

2008-07-06T12:05:00.017-04:00

The Basics of Pistol Shooting

Course Fee: $150.00

Defensive Training Group offers the Basics of Pistol Shooting as a 10 hour NRA course designed to introduce the shooter to the fundamentals of shooting with a handgun. This is a comprehensive pistol course and is directed at individuals with all levels of experience. This National Rifle Association certified curriculum meets and exceeds the requirements to obtain a Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm Permit. This gun safety course is a mixture of classroom lecture and range exercise instruction and teaches the student how to safely operate a pistol. Students will receive a National Rifle Association (NRA) certificate and workbook upon successful completion of the course.

This NRA pistol course will cover the following

Nomenclature of Handguns (semi-automatics and revolvers)
Firearms Safety
Safe handling and loading / unloading of Handguns
Proper grip and stance
Trigger control and sight picture
Basic shooting positions
Situational awareness and conflict avoidance

The student will need the following

Handgun (semi-automatic or revolver)
100-200 rounds of practice ammunition
Spare magazines or speedloaders (optional)
Hearing and wrap around eye protection
Hat, sunscreen, and full coverage shirts and shoes (no tank tops, low cut shirts, sandals or flip flops)
Rain gear for inclement weather

Defensive Training Group courses are offered at the Gainesville Target Range, Gainesville’s premiere outdoor firearm training facility. We are conveniently located in North West Gainesville, in Alachua County Florida only an hour’s drive from Lake City, Ocala, Chiefland and Palatka, Florida. However, many of our students frequently travel from the Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, Orlando and the Tampa Bay Area for our personal protection and concealed weapon training classes.

Defensive Training Group offer classes in Personal Protection and Combat Pistol training. Our trainers are graduates of Gunsite, Lethal Force Institute LFI, Smith & Wesson Academy and others. We offer training from NRA and Florida CJSTC firearm instructors.

At Defensive Training Group, gun handling and the safe training with a firearm is our utmost priority. Most frequently, we are asked “What kind of gun should I buy?” and we hope to answer these and other questions in this basic pistol course. We also offer a Women Only Class and Personal One-on-One instruction for an additional fee. Our philosophy on concealed carry is that you need the best personal protection instruction available, at a reasonable and affordable price. Defensive Training Group offers the gold standard in firearms training in North Central Florida. For more information visit our website:

www.DefensiveTrainingGroup.com

(352) 318-5308

Have Gun...Will Travel

2005-11-10T21:32:00.001-05:00

Having a gun on your person when you need it, to say the least, is much better than having one in the car or worse, at home! Why didn’t you carry it? Is it because it’s too big, bulky or heavy?

Most people deciding to carry go for a smaller pistol, obviously because of its size / weight, etc. Ask yourself these questions first. Why are you carrying a pistol to begin with? Do you feel a need, or responsibility to carry? If so, what difference does the size or weight matter? If you need one…carry it!

Sure, a full-sized .44 revolver is hard to conceal but let’s be real! If you must carry, get a larger shirt, wear a thick belt, get a good “quality” holster and just carry the damn thing. If you are just starting out though, it’s a good idea to get a full size pistol, and learn to shoot it…and shoot it well. Then learn to carry it. Carrying involves awareness, personal responsibility and “good decision” making. Then, after you can carry a full size pistol, get a small pistol, and learn how to use it…and use it well.

I’ve carried this S&W model 640 .357 mag. as a back-up pistol for about 10 years. It’s been a great pistol and is quite accurate. Here in Florida, where the heat and humidity causes me to sweat, the stainless steel construction is a plus. I’ve come home from work on numerous days, and when I take the gun off, it looks like I’ve been swimming with it. However, I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older, and I have arthritis in my hands, the gun just seems to beat me up, more and more. I got rid of the rubber grips for a purpose; they get hung up on my T-shirts. I really like these wooden grips, but it sure does hurt after fifty rounds or so.

Keep that in mind when you buy a pistol for the purpose of carrying. Make sure you can handle the gun that you choose! Weigh the pros and cons against each other for the size gun that you choose. If the pros win…go for it.

Whatever your decision…make a good, well informed choice, and most importantly, be careful.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

SWAT Roundup 05

2005-11-10T15:43:00.001-05:00

Over seventy Spec-Ops Teams competed in the 2005 SWAT Roundup International in Orlando, FL. Represented were teams from local Police and US Military, also over 20 foreign military and police agencies participated.

Each competitor must attend training classes, in addition to the daily competition. As instructors, we have a chance to meet other SWAT operators, and share various SWAT training tactics and techniques. Firearms trainers from all over the world gather for the five day event, making "networking" an essential part of the program.

Also, teaching pistol shooting techniques through the “language barrier” to our foreign counterparts can be a challenge but with patience by all, it is easily overcome. In our classes alone, we had students from Estonia, Germany, UAE, Spain and Sarajevo.

Many of these competitors have just returned from combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, and were able to share their experiences with us, and since this is a "SWAT" competition, all students are experienced members of active Law Enforcement SWAT Teams. It's always good to know that the tactics that we preach are working for those not only on the front lines in the Middle East but also on the streets of our own country.

Here, the shooters work on "smooth = fast" presentation & magazine changes. As always, participation in this type of event is a very rewarding experience. Everyone comes out a WINNER!

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Back In 1775...My Marine Corps Came Alive...

2005-11-10T14:05:00.000-05:00

The following is an excerpt of the "Brief History of the United States Marine Corps."

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces with the fleet. This resolution, established the Continental Marines and marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.

These Continental Marines’ first amphibious raid was into the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of Captain (later Major) Samuel Nicholas.

Following the Revolutionary War and the formal re-establishment of the Marine Corps on 11 July 1798, Marines saw action in the quasi-war with France, landed in Santo Domingo, and took part in many operations against the Barbary pirates along the "Shores of Tripoli" and during the War of 1812 the Marines fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans.

During the Mexican War (1846-1848), Marines seized enemy seaports on both the Gulf and Pacific coasts. A battalion of Marines joined General Scott's army at Pueblo and fought all the way to the "Halls of Montezuma," Mexico City.

Following the Spanish-American War (1898), in which Marines performed with valor in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, the Corps entered an era of expansion and professional development. It saw active service in the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902), the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900). and in numerous other nations, including Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Mexico, and Haiti.

In World War I the Marine Corps distinguished itself on the battlefields of France as the 4th Marine Brigade earned the title of "Devil Dogs" for heroic action during 1918 at Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Michiel, Blanc Mont, and in the final Meuse-Argonne offensive. Marine aviation, which dates from 1912, also played a part in the war effort, as Marine pilots flew day bomber missions over France and Belgium. More than 30,000 Marines had served in France and more than a third were killed or wounded in six months of intense fighting.

During the two decades before World War II, the Marine Corps began to develop in earnest the doctrine, equipment, and organization needed for amphibious warfare. The success of this effort was proven first on Guadalcanal, then on Bougainville, Tarawa, New Britain, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. By the end of the war in 1945, the Marine Corps had grown to include six divisions, five air wings, and supporting troops. Its strength in World War II peaked at 485,113. The war cost the Marines nearly 87,000 dead and wounded and 82 Marines had earned the Medal of Honor.

In September 1950, the Marines made a daring amphibious landing at Inchon, Korea proving that the doctrine of amphibious assault was still viable and necessary. After the recapture of Seoul, the Marines advanced to the Chosin Reservoir only to see the Chinese Communists enter the war. After years of offensives, counter-offensives, seemingly endless trench warfare, and occupation duty, the last Marine ground troops were withdrawn in March 1955. More than 25,000 Marines were killed or wounded during the Korean War.

The landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Da Nang in 1965 marked the beginning of large-scale Marine involvement in Vietnam. By summer 1968, after the enemy's Tet Offensive, Marine Corps strength in Vietnam rose to a peak of approximately 85,000. The Marine withdrawal began in 1969 as the South Vietnamese began to assume a larger role in the fighting; the last ground forces were out of Vietnam by June 1971. The Vietnam War, longest in the history of the Marine Corps, exacted a high cost as well with over 13,000 Marines killed and more than 88,000 wounded. In the spring of 1975, Marines evacuated embassy staffs, American citizens, and refugees in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Later, in May 1975, Marines played an integral role in the rescue of the crew of the SS Mayaguez captured off the coast of Cambodia.

The 1980s brought an increasing number of terrorist attacks on U.S. embassies around the world. Marine Security Guards, under the direction of the State Department, continued to serve with distinction in the face of this challenge. In August 1982, Marine units landed at Beirut, Lebanon, as part of the multi-national peace-keeping force. For the next 19 months these units faced the hazards of their mission with courage and professionalism. In October 1983, Marines took part in the highly successful, short-notice intervention in Grenada. As the decade of the 1980s came to a close, Marines were summoned to respond to instability in Central America. Operation Just Cause was launched in Panama in December 1989 to protect American lives and restore the democratic process in that nation.

In August 1990, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait set in motion events that would lead to the largest movement of Marine Corps forces since World War II. Between August 1990 and January 1991, some 24 infantry battalions, 40 squadrons, and more than 92,000 Marines deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Storm was launched 16 January 1991, the day the air campaign began. The main attack came overland beginning 24 February when the 1st and 2d Marine Divisions breached the Iraqi defense lines and stormed into occupied Kuwait. By the morning of February 28, 100 hours after the ground war began, almost the entire Iraqi Army in the Kuwaiti theater of operations had been encircled with 4,000 tanks destroyed and 42 divisions destroyed or rendered ineffective.

Overshadowed by the events in the Persian Gulf during 1990-91, were a number of other significant Marine deployments demonstrating the Corps' flexible and rapid response. Included among these were non-combatant evacuation operations in Liberia and Somalia and humanitarian lifesaving operations in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and northern Iraq. In December 1992, Marines landed in Somalia marking the beginning of a two-year humanitarian relief operation in that famine-stricken and strife-torn nation.

During the late 1990's, Marine Corps units deployed to several African nations, including Liberia, the Central African Republic, Zaire, and Eritrea, in order to provide security and assist in the evacuation of American citizens, during periods of political and civil instability in those nations. Humanitarian and disaster relief operations were also conducted by Marines during 1998 on Kenya, and in the Central American nations of Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In 1999, Marine units deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Allied Force.

Soon after the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., Marine units deployed to the Arabian Sea and in November set up a forward operating base in southern Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Today, Marines stand poised to fight...around the globe as they have for the past 230 years.

Semper Fidelis.

CCW Class, 11-05-05

2005-11-06T08:10:00.001-05:00

The goal of the Basic Pistol Course is to ensure that the students can safely load, unload, and reload their pistol, however I require that reloading can be preformed from positions other than just standing…this makes for some interesting observations by the students and also it adds some realism to the training day.

What sometimes seems like mundane or routine exercises under "normal" conditions can become difficult and taxing by having to change to a position other than standing.

Consider training under as many conditions as your imagination will allow. Can you perform reloads and magazine changes in the dark? Try manipulating your weapon while holding a flashlight also! This shooter uses a S&W .357 magnum…and quite well too.

This woman shoots while on the move with a S&W 9mm. It’s great to see more and more women taking charge of their own personal security and becoming involved in self defense handgun training. These students are professional, intelligent and are very prepared for their training. They've done extensive research on this subject and usually pepper me with a barrage of questions regarding tactics, and equipment. It's a great way to keep me on my toes also.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

The Beirut Battalion…They Came In Peace

2005-10-20T23:17:00.000-04:00

On Sunday morning at about half-past six a.m., October 23, 1983, the Marines of 1st Battalion / 8th Marine Regiment were about to wake up to the nightmare of their lives.

A large Mercedes stake-bed truck driven by an Iranian, crashed through the barbed-wire barriers protecting the Marines and crashed into the lobby of the headquarters building and came to a stop. The Iranian suicide bomber detonated the 12,000 pound PETN bomb vaporizing himself and destroying the four-story cinder-block building causing it to collapse, crushing the sleeping Marines inside.

Barely had the roar of the explosion, heat waves and concussion subsided as the Marines had to adapt to the situation at hand, and react to the magnitude of this attack. Even while rescue efforts were underway, snipers in the hillsides of Beirut took potshots at the rescuers searching for their fellow Americans.

The Beirut Battalion’s mission was not to fight in this war, but by its armed presence keep the peace between the occupying armies and the several dozen armed militias that were wreaking havoc on the civilian population.

In all…241 Americans: 220 Marines, 18 US Navy shipmates, and 3 brave US Army soldiers were killed. Never forget that “they came in peace” and never forget the Beirut Battalion.

The Beirut Memorial outside Camp Lejeune, N.C., home of the 22nd & 24th MEU's

Lightning Out of Lebanon

2005-10-18T23:44:00.001-04:00

"Lightning Out of Lebanon", written by Tom Diaz and Barbara Newman, is an "essential addition to our understanding" of the current terrorist threats to America. This is a brilliant account of how an FBI agent, Rick Schwein, captured a Hezbollah terrorist operating in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2002.

The authors remind us that "Hezbollah held the record for terrorist murders of Americans before al Qaeda seized that grisly distinction with the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001" and they point out that "a successful terrorist plot can be woven of many threads, some of which appear in isolation to be innocent, or at worst, merely petty crime."

They document how Ismalal Ascari an Iranian member of Hezbollah organization was the suicide bomber that leveled the US Marine Barracks in Beirut on October 23, 1983 and Hezbollah operatives in Saudi Arabia are responsible for bombing the American barracks at Khobar Towers in 1996 killing 19 Americans and wounding 515 others.

The authors give a chilling warning that Hezbollah will "simply adjust their tactics to the realities of the moment without changing their ultimate goals - eradicate the Little Satan of Israel, expel the great Satan of the United States" and they finally remind us that "Al Qaeda did not send stealth bombers to the United States. It sent fanatical men willing to die."

"Lightning Out of Lebanon" is a must-read for your understanding of the War on Terrorism and our responsibilities in fighting it.

Lightning Out of Lebanon, Hezbollah Terrorist on American Soil
Tom Diaz & Barbara Newman
ISBN 0-345-47568-2

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Police Sniper School - 05'

2005-10-18T19:21:00.001-04:00

This year’s Law Enforcement sniper school had a variety of snipers…some with 25 yrs experience and others with less than two. Several of these snipers have performed very well in past state and regional sniper competitions also, for some of them, this was just four extra days of training. And as anyone in a specialty unit knows, most of the officers have to provide their own equipment, while others have only the bare bones necessities that their law enforcement agencies have supplied to them.

As an instructor, this is one of the most rewarding classes that I teach. The amount of knowledge that I gain from each of the students is almost overwhelming at times. It’s great to put the students in situations, and watch them work their way out of it, on their own…finding solutions that I never thought of.

Each sniper brings something to the table, whether its years of actual experience, former US Army & Marine Corps sharpshooters, or seasoned police officers and sheriff's deputies.

It isn’t possible to put on a law enforcement sniper school in four or five days that covers all aspects of police sniping; the Marine Corps scout-sniper school is at least eight weeks long. However, in four days we exposed the new snipers to the basic needs of law enforcement sniper training, and the experienced snipers got an extra four days to hone their skills.

Overall, it seemed that most of the students went away with something more than they came with.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Remember the U.S.S. Cole (DDG-67)

2005-10-10T20:48:00.000-04:00

On October 12, 2000 at 1118 hrs a small boat approached the USS Cole, moored in Aden, Yemen for refueling, and detonated a bomb, killing 17 of our shipmates and wounding 39 others. Built in Pascagoula, MS and commissioned in 1996, the Cole is named for a Marine Corps machine-gunner killed on “Iwo Jima” in 1945. Fifty-five years after that epic battle, 17 young sailors, male and female, serving their nation would be killed by suicide bombers intent on bringing their Islamo-Facist global jihad against the West.

On this 5th anniversary, let us remember those who gave their all:

Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Kenneth Clodfelter
Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer Richard Costelow
Mess Management Specialist Seaman Lakeina Francis
Information Systems Technician Seaman Timothy Lee Gauna
Signalman Seaman Cherone Louis Gunn
Seaman James Rodrick McDaniels
Engineman 2nd Class Marc Ian Nieto
Electronics Warfare Technician 2nd Class Ronald Owens
Seaman Lakiba Nicole Palmer
Engineman Fireman Joshua Langdon Parlett
Fireman Patrick Howard Roy
Electronics Warfare Technician 1st Class Kevin Shawn Rux
Mess Management Specialist 3rd Class Ronchester Santiago
Operations Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Lamont Saunders
Fireman Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr.
Ensign Andrew Triplett
Seaman Craig Bryan Wibberley

True patriots are like those on the USS Cole that gave of themselves for our freedom, for our way of life. For our children’s safety tomorrow, they gave their lives. Each night we sleep in safety underneath a "blanket of freedom" only because those who wear our nation's uniform are standing ever vigilant ready to give their lives in defense of our liberty just as these sailors did on October 12, 2000. And everyone that enjoys the freedom that we have in America, should stop and say a prayer for the families of the sons and daughters that were taken from us and for those who were wounded. We also give thanks to those sailors who brought that terrible situation under control and praise them for their courage and selfless devotion to duty in such a tragic event.

At the Memorial Service for the USS Cole in Norfolk, Va. on October 18, 2000, speaking to the families of those killed, their fellow shipmates, and President Clinton, Admiral Robert J. Natter CINCLANTFLT stated, "Today we gather and pause as a nation, as a Navy, and as a family to remember and honor our shipmates on the Cole. We remember and honor their courage, and we remember and honor their service. But most of all, we remember and honor their answering of that highest call, and we remember and honor their ultimate sacrifice. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, when it comes time for our response, remember the Cole."

The sailors of the USS Cole live in our hearts; they live in our souls. Never forget those who died, never forget those who killed them...remember the Cole.

CCW Class, 10-09-05

2005-10-09T21:55:00.001-04:00

Today's CCW class at the Gainesville Target Range went off without a hitch, except for a "squib load." This shooter used his Colt "Police Positive" .38 spl. and a new Kel-Tec P3AT .380 ACP. We couldn't have asked for better shooting weather either, overcast sky with a slight breeze. Normally, it's still hot-n-sticky in Gainesville this time of year.

This Kel-Tec pocket pistol sure is "small" in these big hands. However, this shooter had no
problem putting his rounds on paper at 12 yards. The double action only trigger on the Kel-Tec doesn't lend itself to precise shooting for many new shooters; however this man has a good grasp on the basic fundamentals of pistol shooting (and his Kel-Tec) and applied them very well.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

"Squib Loads"

2005-10-09T20:36:00.001-04:00

Today, I experienced a Squib Load while teaching a Basic Pistol Shooting course. The student was firing a brand new Kel-Tec P3AT in .380 ACP. The ammunition being used was new-in-the-box Winchester, .380 ACP, 95gr. FMJ. While firing a string of five shots, the third shot was “noticeably” less than the all of the others. We had gone over the possibilities of misfires, hang-fires and squib loads in the classroom, but this was the first time I’ve experienced one like this. The report was less than ¼ of what a normal shot would be, and the slide never moved to the rear.

I checked the bore of the pistol and was surprised to find that the bullet had exited the barrel, and we were not able to recover it. Also, the exterior of the fired case and condition of the primer was the same as all of the other fired brass.

The NRA student workbook, The Basics of Pistol Shooting describes a Squib Load cartridge malfunction as the “development of less than normal pressure or velocity after the ignition of the cartridge.” The danger is obviously that the bullet may not exit the barrel completely thereby causing an obstruction. If the obstruction is not removed, the result of firing another cartridge could be catastrophic to the shooter and the firearm. Take Squib Loads very seriously and check the bore if you suspect that you’ve experienced anything out of the ordinary.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

CCW Class, 10-01-05

2005-10-04T21:06:00.001-04:00

Michael is a 23 year-old full time law student at the University of Florida. Here, he fires a S&W 915, 9mm semi-auto from the "roll-over" prone position at a distance of 15 yards. Having only fired a gun several times in his life, he took to the challenging "moving & shooting" portion of the class very well (note the brass casing in the air).

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

"Close" Only Counts In...

2005-10-04T00:29:00.001-04:00

All of the firepower in the world will not do you any good if you don’t hit your target. However, hitting your target isn’t the ONLY goal; it’s the incapacitation of your adversary that we are shooting for (pardon the pun). What causes this?...you might ask…well read on. There’s more to it than just “Bullet Placement.”

There are few controversies in the law enforcement / self-defense community that have stimulated as much controversy [and argument] as “bullet potential.” For the most part, opinions, ballistics, personal preferences and "war stories" have made it impossible to differentiate between the fact and fiction of a bullets wounding potential.

However, in 1969, the NYPD began an in-depth documentation and study of police combat situations and the results were published in what would become the seminal treatise “Department Order SOP 9 (s. 69)” or SOP #9. The Firearms and Tactics Section of the NYPD began gathering data in January 1970, with the study results published in 1981. By analyzing the facts available from autopsies, pathologists, medical examiners and ER surgeons the study found that the one factor that stood out as a proper measure of bullet efficiency was not the size, shape, configuration, composition, caliber, or velocity of the bullet but Bullet Placement was the “cause of death or an injury that was serious enough to end the confrontation.”

Then in 1989, the FBI published the Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness study that furthered the study of Bullet Effectiveness on human targets. In this study, Special Agent UREY W. PATRICK published that “projectiles incapacitate by damaging or destroying the central nervous system, or by causing lethal blood loss.” And as the bullets’ effects to either of these systems increase so does the “likelihood of incapacitation increase.”

Also noted was that the critical wounding components for handgun ammunition, in order of importance, were bullet penetration and the permanent wound cavity that the bullet created. The bullet had to penetrate the body deep enough to reach and pass through vital organs, and the permanent wound cavity had to be large enough to maximize tissue destruction and cause the consequent hemorrhaging.

As far as the “immediate incapacitation theory” goes, with the exceptions of hits to the brain or upper spinal cord, the concept of immediate incapacitation of the human target by a gunshot wound just isn’t reasonable.

An examination of most gunfights concludes that they are sudden and unexpected. Rapid and unpredictable movement occurs in any physical fight and gunfights especially offer limited and only partial target opportunities. Also, they usually take place in poor light and near or around unforeseen obstacles; and by the life or death stress of sudden, close, intra-personal violence.

This is why we train to fire at the center of whatever is presented for a target. Therefore the proper shot placement is a hit in the center of that part of the adversary which is presented, regardless of anatomy or angle.

In conclusion, many of the tactics techniques and procedures we use today were developed by the Firearms Training Units of these to great institutions and any study of human incapacitation from handgun wounds or the potential effectiveness of bullets would not be complete without a review of these two great works.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

What is Gun Handling?

2005-09-29T21:50:00.001-04:00

A Google search for “gun handling” will return approximately 65,000 results. However, most of the search results are websites describing in some variation the three “fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling” which are: 1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, 2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot and 3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

These rules should be learned and made a part of your basic firearms practices, however they DO NOT address what in my opinion “gun handling” actually is.

“Gun Handling” is more than just the fundamental gun safety rules; it is everything you do with your firearm outside of the firing range. In other words, when you transport, wear, conceal or anticipate the use of your firearm you are engaging in “gun handling.” Think of “gun handling” as tactics with your firearm. If you are standing at point “A” and need to move to point “B” in order to avoid trouble, you do so in a “tactical” manner which means to MOVE and exhibit the proper gun handling skills while doing so. If you must draw your pistol from underneath a garment (movement), you do so while observing the basic gun safety rules.

When moving with a firearm you must observe all of the gun safety rules. You keep the gun pointed in a safe direction (Rule # 1) which I describe as the “Laser Safety Rule.” Also, you move while keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot (Rule # 2) which I call the “Finger on the Frame Rule.” These rules must be followed and practiced ad nausium until they are a part of your very being.

Gun handling requires movement with purpose. If bad things are happening to you….maybe you should move to a new location. Running for the sake of running may not be the answer though. Seek out locations which will provide you with some tactical advantage. In the old western movies it was always the “high ground” that the good guys were seeking when responding to the bad guys. What you need to move to though is terrain which provides you with a tactical advantage. If you want to attract attention, then move to a lit or populated area. If you are trying to hide, then move into the shadows. If you are trying to call the police, then move to where you can get to your cell phone. The one “key” element in all of this is MOVEMENT. You must move in order to survive.

Gun handling is more than just basic Gun Safety coupled with Movement. It is the calculated movement with purpose with the proper gun-safety skills implemented.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

What Kind of Gun Should I Buy?

2005-09-28T22:27:00.001-04:00

There are two requisites for purchasing a handgun as I see it. One is are you willing to learn how to use it? The second is if presented with the dilemma of having to use it to kill another human being to protect yourself, are you willing to do it?

Assuming that you’ve answer yes to both questions, then realistically any quality modern pistol of suitable caliber, at least .38spl / 9mm is fine. Now we come to the question of self-defense training.

All training is broken down into two phases, skill building training and skill maintenance training. When you first learn to shoot a handgun, approach it with the attitude that you must first build or attain certain skills. The skills of loading, unloading, reloading and the clearing of any / all stoppages or malfunctions should be learned before progressing to any survival or self-defense training. Once you’ve learned to “handle” your weapon, then you can begin to learn “how to use it.” Once both of these skills are under your belt, the only thing to do then is to “maintain” these skills, and believe me they are perishable.

So the answer to the question, “What kind of gun should I buy?” is easy. Any gun is fine as long as you learn how to use it and are prepared to do so!

Obviously there are factors to consider such as size and weight preference and where the pistol will be located such as in the home, automobile or carried on your person. As far as I’m concerned, these are the easy ones to answer, it’s the first two questions that are most often overlooked.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

Quotes I Like

2005-09-28T21:57:00.001-04:00

In the study of personal protection, self-defense and survival I have found the following books and authors to be very helpful.

Lt. Col. A. J. Drexel Biddle, U.S.M.C.R.
"Do or Die: A Supplementary Manual on Individual Combat"
1937, Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306

“Remember! You are never defenseless. The assailant’s eyes are an easy mark. At close range a handful of gravel or any handy article might be thrown at the eyes, or a hat whipped into them.”

Captain W.E. Fairbairn
"Get Tough! How to Win in Hand-to-Hand Fighting (1942)"
1979, Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306

“There will be some who will be shocked by the methods advocated here. To them I say in war you cannot afford the luxury of squeamishness. Either you kill or capture, or you will be captured or killed. We’ve got to be tough to win, and we’ve got to be ruthless – tougher and more ruthless than our enemies.”

John Styers
"Cold Steel, Technique of Close Combat"
1952, Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306

“CONFIDENCE in yourself—the self assurance that you CAN DO IT—is the first requisite: the rest is a matter of KNOW – HOW and PRACTICE. This confidence will allow you to stay LOOSE, mentally and physically, until the moment which necessitates the application of your chosen plan of attack. Then HIT FAST and HARD, pressing the attack to its successful conclusion.

Brigadier General Samuel B. Griffith, U.S.M.C. (Ret.)
"Mao Tse-Tung, on Guerilla Warfare"
1961, Praeger Publishers, Inc., 111 Fourth Avenue, NY, NY 10003

“The first law of war is to preserve ourselves and destroy the enemy.”

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Why I teach Basic NRA pistol courses

2005-09-22T22:56:00.001-04:00

I teach NRA Basic Pistol courses primarily for women. Lets face it, it’s a mans world, and it’s a right-handed mans world. A female walking into a gun shop, unless there happens to be a female salesperson, is likely to be met by a man that has no experience in teaching women pistol marksmanship. Most male gun owners practice their hobby in a good-ole boy environment that isn’t always welcoming or comforting to women. Not that it’s intentionally that way, it’s been that way for so long and we men are reluctant to change. I have 20 years of experience in teaching women gun safety and do so for the following reason.

I began my official USMC Marksmanship Instructor career in 1986 while stationed at Puuloa Rifle Range, Ewa Beach, Hawaii. I had just graduated at the top of my Primary Marksmanship Instructor (PMI) class and landed a job at the rifle range as a full time instructor. My first assignment was to coach a class of senior enlisted WM’s (Women Marines). It seemed that these women were having a difficult time qualifying with their issue M1911 .45 ACP pistols, and it was my job to get them qualified. Prior to 1986, WM’s were not required to qualify, as the Marine Corps excluded women from combat assignments. Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen P.X. Kelly changed all of that, and from that time forward, WM’s would be required to qualify just like any other Marine. The only problem was that many career Women Marines had never become fully comfortable with the .45 auto pistol.

Soon I recognized the difference between coaching women and groups of male Marines. The women were more comfortable in confronting their fear of the weapon and would openly admit any fears or problems that they had. Unlike their male counterparts, who would be more likely to hide any fear out of peer pressure.

After I connected with the women and recognized this, I soon learned to enjoy working with them. Women were intellectual, easier to teach, approached learning in an organized manner and were more receptive to trying new methods of firing. Also, I felt that I got more positive and honest feedback from women. The proof was in the results, as all of these WM’s were able to qualify, thus keeping their jobs (and mine too). At that point, I learned that teaching groups of women was very different than teaching a Company of Infantry Marines.

Fast forward to 1997. My wife was Christmas shopping with our small children at the mall when a child was abducted from the area near the food court. She had often talked about obtaining her Concealed Weapons Permit and carrying a pistol, but as many of us do, she had procrastinated in obtaining the proper training to do so. After this frightening episode at the mall, she was determined to get her permit. It just so happened that there was a gun show at one of the local conference centers and there was a “Concealed Weapon” course being offered.

After work, I went by and met the instructor. He seemed to be more than qualified, and had an impressive resume’. I called my wife, and she promptly came down and took the class. After the class, she called me and was furious. It seemed that the instructor, had everyone make out a check to him and in return they were handed their certificate. The rest of the class time was spent on his “spiel” trying to sell his “advanced” training course. She never fired a pistol, and really received no hands-on training at all.

I regret having not been an NRA instructor at the time and having the ability to teach civilians basic firearms courses and offer them a certificate of proof of training for their Concealed Weapons Permit. Soon afterwards I contacted an NRA counselor, who set up a course for me, and I took the NRA Basic Pistol Instructor and Personal Protection Course and the rest is history. I believe that there are other women like my wife, looking for basic firearm instruction and don’t know where to go and I want to give them an honest “no B.S.” gun safety course. The goal for my course is that upon completion, she will be able to walk into a gun store and make an informed decision as to what she needs as opposed to being “told” what she needs by some gun shop salesman.

I have taught US Marines, basic marksmanship courses for M-16’s and M1911 and M-9 pistols and 12 ga. shotguns. Also, before the .38 spls. were phased out I coached aviators and air crews with their revolvers. I was a competitive shooter in the Marines with the M-14 rifle and M1911 pistol and was a Crew Served Weapons instructor in Quantico, VA with the M60 and M2 machineguns. I was a Force Recon Marine and taught small-unit tactics and marksmanship in various settings including through interpreters.

As a Law Enforcement Officer, I am a Florida CJSTC certified Firearms Instructor. I have taught several sub machinegun courses, tactical pistol and tactical shotgun courses at our local Police academy. I am an adjunct instructor for Tactical Response Training, Inc. and have taught SWAT related courses including Sniper, Dignitary Protection and Tactical Patrol Rifle.

I believe that all citizens have a right to own firearms and if they chose to carry them, should be afforded the proper training to do so.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

Basic Firearm Safety

2005-09-14T22:53:00.001-04:00

One of the most talked about but least understood subjects (in my opinion), is Gun & Firearm Safety. A guns’ safety is NOT a mechanical device. A guns’ safety is that organ located “in between your ears” and extends out to your “index or trigger finger.”

The subject of gun or firearm safety is usually covered as an introductory subject or a lesson in beginning firearms classes. Once live fire practice begins strict safety rules are incorporated into the course of fire and range safety rules reinforce habits which don’t reflect “real-life” dynamic and violent encounters that a person may actually face.

Obviously, it is impossible to operate public firing ranges without strict gun safety rules, and doing so would be grossly negligent. However, if a person has never trained to operate a pistol in the presence of others, how can that person be expected to deal with a violent dynamic struggle with other persons, possibly loved ones, nearby and being threatened?

Firearm safety is incorporated at all levels of my classes in order to present the student with, in many cases, a new and unique perspective of firearm safety. My firearm safety program is presented in two (2) parts, the “Finger on the Frame” and the “Laser Safety Rule” and is practiced throughout the entire course.

The trigger finger is placed on the side of the frame of the pistol, and is placed on the trigger ONLY when a) the sights are on target and b) a clear decision has been made to fire the pistol. This is the “finger on the frame” rule. No exceptions. Then we examine the “Laser Safety Rule.” Pretend that a laser beam is projecting out of the end of your gun barrel destroying everything in its path. NEVER cover yourself or anyone / anything that you are not willing to kill or destroy. These two rules must be understood and practiced before drawing a pistol from a holster, and especially if it is concealed underneath a garment.

There are three (3) physical / neural reasons enforcement of the “finger on the frame” rule is mandatory for safe pistol presentation.

The first reason for the placement of the finger on the frame of the pistol is Postural Disturbance. Quite simply, postural disturbance is the “upsetting” of our sense of balance during a violent intra-personal confrontation, where our loss of balance causes us to reach and grasp for safety. Obviously if holding a pistol and the loss of balance occurs, an unintentional squeeze / or pull of the trigger could occur causing a negligent discharge of the pistol.

The second reason for placing the finger on the frame of the pistol is Interlimb Interaction, or sympathetic squeeze. This is a term used to describe the involuntary contraction of an individual's hand and finger muscles under extreamly stressful conditions. The sympathetic squeeze can occur when the shooting hand is holding the pistol, and the support hand or non-shooting hand must be engaged in some forceful or violent action. It is possible that the shooting hand could contract with up to 20% of the force being applied by the non-shooting hand.

The third reason for having the finger on the frame of the pistol is the Startle Reflex or Startle Response. The startle response is an involuntary reflex or contraction that humans are born with. It is the sudden twitch that happens in response to any a sudden frightening stimulus. When the ears are unexpectedly stimulated by noise a startle occurs, in which the muscles in the arms, shoulders, neck, and eyes are activated and involuntarily contract. If the noise / stimulus is loud, or if the person is in an aroused state (e.g. anxious, fearful) prior to the startle, the magnitude of the muscle contraction is greatly increased.

With the “finger on the frame” of the pistol, next we examine the “Laser Safety Rule.” Even when presented with a situation where you MUST point a pistol in the direction of another person, do so with out “covering” that person with your muzzle of your pistol unless you’ve made a clear decision to fire. Remember, keep your finger off of the trigger, and never point your pistol at anyone or anything you are not committed to killing or destroying.

The newspapers and history books are full of examples of individuals that violated these basic rules and tragedy was the result. Sometimes death, and in other cases persons were maimed as a result of poor gun handling skills. Gun & Firearm Safety should be incorporated throughout your personal protection training regimen and should also be a part of your personal character. Remember, your safety is in between your ears. Engage it.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group

Semper Fidelis.

Welcome to Personal Protection Training & Firearm Instruction

2005-09-13T16:51:00.001-04:00

This is my attempt to share over 20 years of Personal Protection & Firearm related training to the world.

Feel free to look around.

For more information, view my website: Defensive Training Group