RECCE ROOM

Today is Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas. This week, in light of it being in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, this blog will concentrate on the 12 gun myths of Christmas (or really, of all time). Today's topics: "Knockdown Power" "A .22 will bounce all around inside you" "You don't have to aim a shotgun" "The shockwave from a .50 BMG can kill you" (even if the bullet doesn't hit) "The AR15 was designed to wound, not kill" "Knockdown Power" Often used by "Boomers" who are debating online the efficacy of a .45 ACP vs. 9mm. Once in a Blue Moon, this person can actually shoot straight... usually not. And they have never actually seen a wound channel comparison up close. On the other side of this coin, a good friend is a Critical Care Paramedic for Nashville Fire Dept. - often crew on the busiest ambulance route in the entire nation. He tells me that unless the wound is from a .22, they cannot distin...

Today is Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas. This week, in light of it being in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, this blog will concentrate on the 12 gun myths of Christmas (or really, of all time). Today's topics: "I know how to shoot!" "I've been shooting all my life!" "Husband / boyfriend = firearms instructor" "Military / Law Enforcement Background = Firearms Instructor" When I mention these myths in classes, I make sure to use my most redneck southern drawl. In a mocking way. Because that is indicative of my presumption of the myth-spreader's intelligence when they spew this. The one thing all of these myths have in common is that they are spoken by phony experts.  "I know how to shoot" Often said by someone who means well in reply to the fact that there are classes out there. This person mistakenly believes that knowing what the trigger does means they know how to shoot. I love getting these guys on the line. The...

Today is Day 5 of the 12 Days of Christmas. This week, in light of it being in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, this blog will concentrate on the 12 gun myths of Christmas (or really, of all time).  Today's topic: "Resting your AR15 magazine on the ground will cause a malfunction." As we get going, let's look at this snippet from US Army TC 3-22.9: Came across this thread recently and it had me laughing. For real. A lot.  For the sake of clarity, "prone supported" is prone position where an object is used to support the rifle - sand bags, ruck sack, other equipment. "Prone unsupported" can include resting the rifle magazine on the ground.  For the record, the following major tactical schools / instructors teach prone unsupported with the magazine rested on the ground: Thunder Ranch Valor Ridge Tactical Response Front Sight CSAT Pat McNamara Tactical Rifleman Ronin Tactics Warrior Poet Sage Dynamics - Aaron Cowan Now, onto the thread, and so...

Today is Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas. This week, in light of it being in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, this blog will concentrate on the 12 gun myths of Christmas (or really, of all time).  Today's topic: "A Pistol is just to fight your way back to the rifle that you shouldn't have put down." If you have a pistol, why not shoot the deadly threat with it?  How do you propose to "fight" with it until you get to your rifle?  How do you account for " 3 feet, 3 seconds, 3 shots ?"  Presuming you are not shooting the threat with your pistol, but "fighting," what are you going to do with your rifle when you get it (because shooting threats is clearly not your thing)?

Today is Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas. This week, in light of it being in the middle of the 12 Days of Christmas, this blog will concentrate on the 12 gun myths of Christmas (or really, of all time).  Today's topic: M855 clones.  So many people are "in love" with M855 ammunition. Many will reach out to me and ask angrily why I do not allow M855 at my classes. The answer simply put, is that I use steel targets, and the M855 does one thing well - penetrate steel targets . Since, in this insane idea to turn a profit, I would prefer to be able to use my $200 apiece steel targets more than once, I forbid use of M855 on them. When I ask people why they prefer M855, they often respond with some variation of "it's better!" Better than what, you might ask? Better than other ammo choices is the insinuated answer. But is it? If so, how is it better?  To look at this objectively, let's look at three of the most common topics used to compare ammunition: accuracy...

 Absolutely hilarious - Glitter Bomb 4.0 - for those annoying porch pirates.  You'd think the police would want to stop these legitimate bad guys (the porch pirates). But, they must need to hit their quota. 

Tell me you've never been to a gun class without saying you've never been to a gun class. (or have very limited experience in them) The author collects these from people who make inane statements. The plan is to leave them on this blog from time to time, after a sufficient number have been accumulated. For those who don't know and would like to learn, I'll leave a brief commentary or explanation in italics under each one.  "I would like to take a rifle class. But not a pistol. I already know pistol and don't want to mess up what I know." True experts seek to add tools to the toolbox, never resting on their laurels. If you think (or say) you know something, then you don't. "What certifications do you get from these classes?" There are only a handful of widely recognized certifications one can get from a gun class: NRA, USCCA, POST. My classes, like many, have a certificate of completion.  "Why do you need to take a gun class, do you not ...

Why do people lie? Surely, there are a myriad of reasons. Sometimes people lie for perceived protection for themselves or others. Some habitually lie . Some are pushing an agenda. Some spread mistruths - sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly. Some people are really convinced they are telling the truth, when, in fact, they are not. Some people just wish to be contrary - and that is the point of this post.  As a young man, I remember watching an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Through the wonderment of the interwebz, I have since learned that the episode in question is named "In the Big Inning." This episode stood out to me first because it was about baseball, and I have always enjoyed watching and playing the game of baseball. The second part that stood out was a moment when the umpire advised the teams that 3 strikes is an out, 3 outs are an inning, and 6 innings is a game. One of the players protests and says "last year we got 4 outs!" Outside of a dro...

 Quite possibly, one of the most prevalent misconceptions about firearms is this thought: "The handgun carry permit class is a training class." As a handgun carry permit instructor, I wish I could put this one to bed, once and for all. Since that seems highly improbable, here is an important reminder.  The carry permit class is NOT a training class. Even the State of Tennessee recognizes this fact. At this link : "...you must attend a Tennessee handgun safety course ." (emphasis mine)

 From a reader: "How do you not let all the criticism get to you?" First, it is important to point out, for every critic, I have 10 people say they appreciate what I am doing. Furthermore, I get a LOT of repeat business. That speaks volumes.  Second, it is important to understand that they are only haters because they aren't doing as well and because they are jealous. Remember: haters are just confused followers.  Never once have I looked at a firearms school that was not doing as well as I am and thought and said: "YoU'rE dOiNg It WrOnG!!!" To be fair, I've not looked at firearms schools doing better than I am and thought the same, either.  On more than one occasion, I have thought "how can I adopt that and put it into my school?" And that's why I'm doing better than many, and offering a high quality product.  And that's why I am more content. 

By reader request, here is "tell me you've never been to a gun class, without saying 'I've never been to a gun class'."  My thoughts in italics below the interesting comment. "Half of the class will be FEDS." Haven't had one "FED" yet.  "Anyone charging to teach small unit tactics right now is suspicious." Anyone giving that information away for free is even more suspicious.  "No one in the  photo has a decent position, and 1 person in the kneeling photo might have bone support. this is somewhat surprising since the instructor lists Appleseed expert rifleman in his qualifications." - I've attended 4 Appleseeds - have seen kneeling demonstrated one time - never have we shot from it in the Appleseed class. So not only has this person never been to a class, but they have also never been to an Appleseed, yet rely on the reputation of Appleseed.  - I know of at least seven different kneeling positions - high kneel...

This blog has detailed wacky hiring practices for over a decade. Most of the wacky behavior has stemmed from people in HR. In that vein, found this golden nugget of a comment on Reddit: "It's HR - they think of employees as a resource and are convinced they can find a diamond if they just ghost enough candidates. They are certain they can and WILL employ that one rockstar, for minimum wage, of course. Their profit chart demands it, they have to obey." - Lukas11112000 Cue Yoda: "The Padawan is right!"

 From a reader:  "Geez where are these people coming from how do you attract so many winners?" Specifically, he references the yahoos I get on this blog, my training page, and other outlets. Lots of the yahoos comment on FB ads, and there are a handful of comments in other areas, as well. Generally speaking, the yahoo comments can be divided up into several broad categories, based on what motivates the yahoo to comment. Also, there are one-offs that do not seem to fall into these broad categories.  The internet expert examples: "So you have to have this class to get a carry permit?" (on a handgun carry permit ad) "Yes" "Well, I'm going to have to check that out, not sure I believe that." "Google the legal stuff. Shoot with an experienced friend. Costs a lot less." "... therefore, all others honor both is specifically implied." Said one who felt we were wrong about which states honor the Enhanced and the Concealed Permits i...

Let's make everyone mad today. Why? Because they probably need it. Especially if the content of this post makes them mad.  Seen on social media: First: That tank is going to need a driver / crew. That's where my rifle comes into play. Don't think that's the case - how did Vietnam and Afghanistan tie up the powerful American military for so long? Liberals mad now - check.  Second: If you think that "most of the American military would never attack the civilians," then I have some oceanfront property here in Tennessee to sell you. Most of the military will follow orders rather than lose their jobs. Don't believe me?  96% of the Air Force took the jab .  Conservatives mad now - check.   Third: To those civilians who open carry- this person is right and you are wrong! Fudds mad now - check.  Other observations?

My son's football team - the Green Hill Hawks - have made the playoffs and are a number 1 seed. They play later this evening at home. All of their games will be at home until the championship level games - which will be held in Chattanooga. This is their second year in existence, and their first year in Division 5 - 5A. They went 9-1 and defeated every other team in their division. Particularly sweet for the team were victories over Wilson Central (my son and about 10 teammates played for them in 9th grade) and Mt. Juliet (a number of players played there before Green Hill opened up). Anyone familiar with high school football rivalries understands how sweet it is to beat your rival.  A week ago today was the Green Hill - Mt Juliet game, held at the Mt Juliet field. For those not from the area, the two high schools are about a 10 minute drive apart, and both within Mt Juliet city limits. Of course, the hype was big. For the most part, the Green Hill Hawks players, students, parents...

After reading this post , a reader asked if I felt anti-military for some reason, or if it was a genuine evaluation. Let me be clear: THANK YOU! To all vets who have served, and to all active and reserve service members.  That out of the way, let's make sure we look at this from an unbiased point of view- for or against the military. Let's make sure this is not psychological projection. This author believes that there is not an anti-military sentiment in most of the US Society at this time. Perhaps a little by the most extreme of the rabid left, but largely the US is pro-military, or at least neutral. If anything, our society may lean a bit too much toward "military worship" in many circles.  If we were to take a drink of water and swallow the red pill (the movie version - aka "reality"), we might just realize that the problem is the reverse. There is a real problem with an entitlement mentality in various military factions, and a class warfare against t...

A reader read this post and asks, "Since you are a firearms instructor, and have likely seen a lot of people on the line, where would you rank the typical infantryman?" Outstanding question! First, let's set up the scale. If firearms skill was like martial arts, and used a belt system: White Belt Yellow Belt Orange Belt Green Belt Blue Belt Purple Belt Brown Belt  Black Belt Master Belt Grandmaster Belt Second, let's establish criteria. Otherwise, it is just an arbitrary opinion with no real applicability other than to start an argument.  Primary priority - pistol efficacy. This because civilians need pistols much more often than rifles. Marksmanship, gun handling, presentation, and tactics are the four sub-criteria. Pistol efficacy is weighted at 75%.  Secondary priority - rifle efficacy. Same reason as above. Marksmanship, gun handling, presentation, and tactics are the four sub-criteria here. Rifle efficacy is weighted at 25%.  Third, let's make some of the in...

 A reader of this blog, who has his own excellent blog, recently wrote : Whatcha Gonna Do in ACW2? When the shooting starts, where will you be? Hiding with the lights off... or taking aim from behind a tree? On the phone to 911 in a panicked call? Or armed behind the cover of a stone wall? Under the bed covers just trying to get some rest? Or in the deep concealment of a wet, miserable sniper nest? Will you be praying to God to save you from danger? Or praying to God for help to win in your righteous anger. Be that brave person to go deep behind enemy lines To disrupt, destroy, burn, steal, and kill all you can find When there is nothing left to lose, there is everything to give Your life as a free citizen remains yours to live Do what you must. Offer "No Mercy" and "No Quarter" Kill all of those that are "just following an order" Take out their families, burn their homes to the ground Leave their bodies hanging to rot, gagged and bound When the count of t...

Social media is a great source of entertainment. Take this one for example, in a Reddit "AITA" (Am I The Asshole?) question, the post is summed up: "AITA for going after my ex for child support?" Someone decided to accurately troll the community. Reply: "YTA. All Child support is theft."  Ironically - this mirrors my opinion 100%. You should have seen the replies! Triggered #1 - "Tell me you don't pay your child support without telling me you don't pay your child support." Triggered #2 - "Please explain how paying for your own children is theft." Triggered #3 - "Well then, don't breed!" (this was the only one that made any sense!) Masterful troll job here. And right on the money.  

"They got a little bent out of shape when I accidentally pointed my handgun at them - it was pointed behind me when I was reholstering. And one more thing - they got really anal about putting rifles on safe when moving. When I was in combat, we took the rifles off safe before going out on the mission, and didn't put them back on safe until after the mission was over." - Interesting gun "yahoo" Oh, there's one more. He said he would have to look at getting another pistol because he has to change the position of the pistol in his hands when he hits the magazine release button.  Where to start with these statements? * Tell me you were never in combat without telling me you were never in combat. * Why on Earth was the gun pointed to the rear when reholstering??? * If you were in combat, and did that, then you are a blue falcon .  I honestly am torn between this guy needs in an actual class NOW and he never needs another gun. 

  This gem from social media.  Please point to one societal collapse from the past 200+ years where these skills trumped combat skills.  This point is certainly not putting down skills of growing food and general "survivalism," but is pointing out that combat skills have been mandatory in every collapse in recent history. 

Social media provides for much entertainment. If you take it seriously, then that is your problem.  Some time back, an individual who had taken martial arts from me in the past, and who followed my Instagram account at the time in question, took offense to an anti-BLM meme that I had shared. Evidently, at some point between elementary school and middle school, she had become quite the raging liberal. Possibly in rebellion to her father, who is anything but.  She made what she felt was a snarky comment, to which I replied "this is why social media is not for children, and further argument for increasing the voting age back to 21." This comment had the desired effect and she felt compelled to fire back.  Among the worst insult she could think of: "I forgot all of the martial arts you taught me." Side note: As a younger girl, she had one of the worst memories I had ever seen, not remembering basic moves and drills from one class to the next. Including and especially th...

As a firearms instructor, it is not uncommon for someone to reach out to me and ask for private instruction and / or coaching. In the past, I have been glad to do this as schedules allow. Moving forward, however, I have decided to only do so under very specific circumstances. Rationale to follow.  Circumstances: 1. It will be small - group.  Why? Simply put - the Billy Graham rule . Some also call this the Mike Pence principle (there may be a book of that title for sale). Not long ago, indirect allegations of impropriety were made, and I was happy there was a witness. Never without a witness. The small - group principle will enable me to hire an assistant for the time.  2. It will be small - group, for a minimum and maximum number of hours.  Why? Simply put, my time and effort is worth a minimum amount money. Why give all of the benefits of a class without making class-sized money? Many people are trying to do one of two things when avoiding a class: pay a certain am...

From social media, Reid Henrichs of Valor Ridge makes a post and states, "Ensuring students get a solid 100-yd zero here at the Ridge." Of course, there is some gun yahoo that showed up on the post and asks, "Why are you such an advocate for the 100 yd zero?" A good reply by one of the other followers is to be had - "take a class and find out." Of course, the yahoo replies: "thanks. I’ve taken many classes at other schools. None that mandate which zero you must have for the class." Here are the reasons this guy is a Gun Yahoo. 1. How does he know the shooter doesn't have a scope with a BDC that calls for a 100-yard zero? One cannot see the rifle in question from this angle. And many scopes call for it.  2. As one who has really taken many classes - often with current and former SEALS, Special Forces, MARSOC, and similar - never once have I met a top tier operator that suggested they could not learn something from taking a class. My mone...

On a social media post demonstrating the insanity of the statement captured in the above screenshot, the following comment was made: I know of three guys in this situation.  All three thought they were raising their own. One guy was paying $1k a month in child support for 10 years until a medical emergency came up and he offered to give blood...once the Dr came back with "sir your blood won't work because....." did he realize what was up. He then took her to court to get his money back...$1k per month for 10 years....the judge told him "yes you were lied to yes this is wrong but it's just bad luck this happened to you and there is no way the state is going to ask the mother to pay you back..." Let that sink in...over $100k she took from him and he can't do anything........ There is a lesson here - get a DNA test prior to paying a dime of child support. 

 Posted by a friend on social media: "Random thought: As you climb the ladder you have to get really good at NOT doing things. I know it’s crazy. For years I always worked on the “to-do” list. Today I have a “not to-do” list. I’m serious. I have a written list that I look at every single day of things that I WILL NOT DO. I have noticed as I have climbed the ladder that more people want to sell me more stuff. They want more appointments with me. More of my time. More comments on Facebook. More of…. Everything I have to screen ALL calls. Limit interaction. Delegate authority to my team and allow them to act on my behalf. I’m as proud of the things I don’t do as the things I do!!" He is correct in every aspect. There are some things that are simply not worth my time. Everyone also thinks that just because they have an idea or need, that it is worth some of your time - and it simply isn't.  When I was a manager in corporate America, everyone thought they needed to speak ...

  "I am never going to recommend you again!" One of those phrases uttered almost exclusively by Karens, that customer service persons, managers, and business owners know will not harm their business one iota. Because if the Karen ever actually did recommend them, it would probably not have resulted in business in the first place. And they probably did not recommend them to begin with. 

Last weekend, I attended another Appleseed clinic. This one was in a different location than my first three. The instructor cadre was also completely different. The Shoot Boss has taken a class with me, and is one of the more friendly gun guys you are likely to meet. Took the class with two friends, neither of whom had been to an Appleseed before.  One of my friends shot a Rifleman score, using my souped-up 10/22. The other showed great improvement.  As expected, I shot the score both times there was an AQT. My second score was "only" a 218 - and the scorer and I agreed there was a double and that would have increased my score to 228 - but we only counted it as one hole, not two.  For the first time at an Appleseed, I heard the Three Strikes of the Match . The presenters made it very entertaining. Not sure why all of this material was not presented at previous events. To be certain, parts were told - but way less than half.  This event was a one-day event, and there ...

This was posted yesterday by Instructor Zero on Facebook.  It is duplicated here in its entirety just in case Facebook deletes it, deletes him, or deletes me, for the purpose of saving the information. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS FOR A FIREARMS TRAINER 1) ENSURE SAFETY The first duty of a trainer is to create, provide and always guarantee, everywhere and in any case, solid and essential safety standards in any technical point, drill or action. Firearms training is carried out in facilities built for the safe use of firearms, but still requires the application of safety standards and rules by anyone handling a firearm. There are no exceptions or compromises, safety is an absolute guarantee that a trainer must impose, manage and enforce. Especially in civil courses, the technical level of the participants is always very heterogeneous, but we must remember that the safety and strength of a chain depends on its weakest ring and not on the strongest one. This must lead us not to push the ...

Recently came across one of those "post your unpopular opinion" threads on social media. Some of these quotes will have been edited for clarity.  These opinions mirror mine: "Extremely overweight people are on the same level of drugs addict." "Not everyone should be allowed to vote." "Women should not be allowed to vote." "Banks and governments should be held accountable for intentional market manipulation and systematic institutional poverty and depression." "Donald Trump was far better than Joe Biden is as President." "Patriarchy is the only way humanity will survive." "Thanos wasn't wrong." "When a woman sleeps around too much she struggles to pair bond later on in life. It messes with her psyche." "Black people are more racist than white people." "If your vaccine works, why do I need one? If your vaccine doesn’t work, why do I need one?" "There is nothing virtuous ...

Some time back, when speaking with an acquaintance, it was mentioned that this author had a strange way of looking at something.  The specific in question here was regarding human interaction. This author stated that it is inadvisable to enter into any sort of interaction where the best possible outcome is a "break-even." To be certain, the acquaintance was 100% accurate on a technicality - not many people look at interactions this way; therefore, the point of view is "strange" by every sense of the word. Definition of strange: 1. unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling or hard to understand. 2. not previously visited, seen, or encountered; unfamiliar or alien To expand further on this point of view, one must understand the underlying premise. It has been said that all things can be classified as either assets or liabilities. And while many would argue that reality is more nuanced than that, and that circumstances will dictate the standing of something as ...

The inspiration for this post came from this YouTube video. At about the 11:00 minute mark, Navy SEAL Jason Pike discusses the Hollywood moment of the Michael Murphy character announcing their next move to the possible enemy sympathizers. Of course, discretion would dictate that you would never do anything like this.  A lack of discretion used to be a character flaw in our society. These days, it is far more common to lack discretion than it used to be. As an example, this blog post , written here at this blog two years ago, about an event from 2005 in which an employee who was over the age of 40 at the time demonstrated a complete lack of discretion.  Some things are better left unsaid. Whether I am carrying a firearm. The constitution and consistency of one's last defecation. What another person does well and not so well in bed. The list goes on. 

Paige Brown shares that she was willing to take the jab for three reasons: 1. She did not wish to pass the virus to others.  2. She did not wish to be a burden on the healthcare system. 3. She did not wish to be the person who took needed hospital care from someone who needed it. However, this statement demonstrates why we need a functioning media in this world. A simple Bing search (can't use Google, as they censor things that run contrary to The Narrative) would show that: 1. Those who have received the jab are more likely to be " super spreaders ." 2. Those who have had the jab face the prospect of getting COVID from the jab itself, increased risk of myocarditis, "breakthrough" cases of COVID after the jab, only 40% effective rate, and those who do get hospitalized with a breakthrough case of COVID seem to be passing at higher numbers. This sounds like a much greater burden on the healthcare system to me.  3. Mayor Paige Brown, from a quick social media sear...

This interesting low-IQ individual posted this on social media.  Since this author personally knows Pastor Greg Locke, the decision was made to see how deep the #FakeNews runs on this story. Quarantine Camps / Facilities From   the article  in question: MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) — The pastor of a Mt. Juliet church claims Governor Bill Lee has allowed for the creation of “quarantine camps” for Tennesseans who refuse to get vaccinated. From   Executive Order 83 - part 18 on page 8: Temporary quarantine and isolation facilities may be constructed. The only question is whether the word "facility" can be a synonym of "camp." Most knowledgeable speakers of the English language would understand the synonym relationship here. Hospital Occupancy Also from the #FakeNews article: While the Tennessee Department of Health reports 11% of hospital floor beds and 8% of ICU beds are available in the state, Pastor Locke expressed his disagreement. Clearly, ...

Let's talk about mask science - real and imaginary. For reference, this author has a degree in Chemistry and minor in Biology. Way more qualified than the average internet "expert," and way less qualified than a virologist.  When this author was in college, the study of science included plenty of research papers. Several professors harped on getting the right kind of studies and data. Studies and data had to be pertinent, and the source had to be correct. When you see the phrase "a study suggests..." or similar, look at how the study was performed. Some studies are akin to polls - people are asked questions. Some studies are trials - scientific experiments are performed with controls in place. Each kind of study has its place.  Up to now, the author has relied on a series of short rebuttals to the mask sheep, designed to offer a rhetorical argument than a dialectic argument. For the sake of brevity - a rhetorical argument is designed to argue emotionally, and a ...

Lost in the Afghanistan news, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced on Tuesday, August 17 that vehicle emissions testing in five Tennessee counties will end on Jan. 14, 2022.   Link to post . This is 100% welcome news.  It does adversely affect my family, as my brother-in-law is a high ranking manager with the company contracted to perform the testing and he is scheduled to lose his job on January 14. Nevertheless, more freedom is worth the sacrifices that will have to be made.  This is good news for over 1 million Tennesseans.