Minuteman Monthly Newsletter Issue 50 September 2005 Do you have a firearm in your home with the specific intent to use it in self defense? Would you fire a gun at another human being in order to stop a violent attack on yourself or on a member of your family? Have you considered taking a self defense or personal protection course? If you would use one of your firearms to defend yourself if you had to, do you know your state laws on the use of deadly force? A person close to me is in a situation where they may need to defend themselves with a firearm in the near future. I couldn't let them get away from me, without giving them a crash course in defensive combat marksmanship. Now you're not going to get away from me either. This month's Minuteman Monthly Newsletter might be titled Marc's Crash Course in Defensive Combat. I'm not an expert, but I have some good tips and some great suggestions for your reading pleasure at the end of this month's newsletter. Nothing in this month's newsletter is intended to be legal advice on the use of self defense. Each state's laws concerning self defense are at least a little different than another state. Learn your own state's laws on the judicious use of deadly force before you are forced to learn them the hard way. <<>> Please see my "Disclaimer" page at: http://www.savetheguns.com/disclaimer.htm The contents of this issue are focused on self defense with a gun. They are general tips and may not apply to every situation. The contents of this month's issue is NOT to be considered legal advice. www.SaveTheGuns.com nor myself can be held liable for any reason and you must agree to my "Disclaimer" statement linked above. If you want the best DVD on the subject of concealed carry, please go to the following page and click on the "Way Advanced Concealed Carry DVD". If you're carrying a concealed firearm on a regular basis, you should get this DVD. http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_6.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SAVETHEGUNS.COM QUOTES OF THE MONTH "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein "The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms has justly been considered the palladium of the liberties of the republic, since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers, and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them." United States Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story (1833) "No presidential candidate has yet come out for the most effective proposal to check the terror of gunfire: a ban on the general sale, manufacture and ownership of handguns as well as assault-style weapons." The Washington Post editorial entitled "Guns Along the Campaign Trail", Monday, July 19, 1999, Page A18. "The League, therefore, supports a ban on the further manufacture, sale, transportation and importation for private ownership of handguns and their parts." League of Women Voters of Illinois Gun Control Position-in-Brief. (women voters in Illinois should contact them and tell them that they don't represent their beliefs.) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SAVETHEGUNS.COM GUN SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH This month, about fifteen (15) children ages 0 to 19, will have to be buried by their parents and grandparents because of the mishandling of a loaded firearm. Think about it. Fifteen families will have to bury a child this month because they have not read and obeyed the gun safety information I have published. About one (1) boy, 5 to 14 years old each and every week dies as a result of a mishandled and loaded firearm. You can help save the life of the one child who is due to die this week by forwarding this newsletter to others. The most common method of a child being killed through the mishandling of a loaded gun is by pulling on the barrel while it's being held by another child. The natural tendency to place a finger on the trigger is overwhelming without proper training. When another child pulls on the barrel, the gun will discharge because of the misplaced finger on the trigger of a loaded gun. My tip of the month is to NEVER try to disarm ANYONE by pulling the barrel toward you. A child should NEVER try to disarm another child. You can save a life this very month by telling everyone you know about www.SaveTheGuns.com and this important safety rule for kids. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GIVE AN NRA JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP TO A CHILD THIS MONTH Giving an NRA Junior Membership as a gift is easy to do. All you'll need is a credit card and your current NRA Membership I.D. The young man or young lady that gets the NRA Junior Membership will receive a monthly magazine called INSIGHTS. I gave my son a Junior NRA Membership and INSIGHTS magazine impressed me a lot. He or she, will also get an NRA iron-on patch, NRA Junior Membership stickers, a Membership Benefits & Service Guide, an NRA Membership card to put in their wallet or purse and a book of valuable coupons from companies like Sturm-Ruger, Crosman, Birchwood Casey, Bagmaster, Remington, Brownells, Winchester, Pyramyd Air/Webly, Beretta/AcuSport and more. Our children are being inundated with anti-gun messages in school, on television, in music, in the movies and on the evening news. Giving the gift of an NRA Junior Membership to child 18 years old or younger is one great way to fight back. If we don't start our children off on the right foot fighting for freedom, liberty, justice, the Second Amendment and the right to self defense, the battle will be all uphill for their future. Start them early and start them right. Your nephew's, niece's, cousin's kids and your friend's children may also be interested. Forward this newsletter to them and have them use this link below. USE THIS LINK TODAY AND YOUR FAVORITE CHILD WILL RECEIVE THEIR PACKAGE WITHIN ABOUT 4 TO 6 WEEKS. MY SON'S PACKAGE CAME IN SOONER THAN THAT!!! http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp?campaignid=XR017807 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MINUTEMAN MONTHLY AIMING POINT FOR SEPTEMBER MARC'S CRASH COURSE IN COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP First, allow me to apologize for the length of this newsletter. Next, let me say that this newsletter is not intended to be legal advice of any sort. You are hereby advised to seek a lawyer for more information on the laws of self defense in your own home state. This issue of the Minuteman Monthly is solely on the issue of armed combat and assumes that all other issues have already been addressed. I will very briefly touch on the eight (8) major areas that I feel are important. Then I will have a recap of the major points and then I will have a suggested reading section. Again, this is an involved and lengthy newsletter this month and I hope you make time to read it. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.) POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE THREAT Every year, many people are accidentally killed by an armed homeowner because the armed homeowner did not positively identify the threat first before letting a bullet fly. If you are interested in the proper techniques of using a flashlight to positively identify a threat, there is a DVD available in my "Online Store" called NIGHTMASTER: LOW LIGHT SHOOTING AND FLASHLIGHT TECHNIQUES By Jim Wilson and Ken Hackathorn. It can be found on the following page: http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_6.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.) BE AWARE AND ALERT Pay close attention to your surroundings when armed. It's a good idea to do it when unarmed also. You should always be aware of who is around you, where you are and the time of day. Take notice of all the movement around you. You may seem a bit paranoid if you're constantly looking around you and taking everything in, but awareness is absolutely essential. For more information on this check out Jeff Cooper's book called The Principles of Personal Defense. It can be found on the following page: http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_2.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.) KNOW YOUR OWN BODY The stress on a human body during a mortal attack can be massive. The heart rate can exceed 220 beats per minute. Adrenaline and a hormone called ACTH are dumped into your bloodstream making you basically superhuman. This is why we hear stories of grandmothers lifting a vehicle off their grandson in the driveway, when the car slips off the jackstands. Blood is diverted to your arms and legs in preparation for the fight of your life. That's why someone turns white when they're scared. You will begin to lose fine motor coordination at about 110 heartbeats per minute and at about 145 beats per minute, most fine motor coordination will be gone. You may evacuate your bowels and/or urinate. Shooting techniques that use muscular coordination such as the weaver stance may not work under this level of stress. You'll probably experience two physical phenomenons known as "tunnel vision" and "auditory exclusion". These two phenomenons will force your body to focus solely on the threat. You may not see or hear anything to the sides or rear. Some people report not even hearing their .357 magnum fire inside their house!!! You may not hear a family member calling out to you in the middle of an attack. You may not see other attackers to your sides, even though they should be in your normal field of view. In short, you should know what you're body is capable of and what you might experience in an attack. For more information on this topic, please see the Recommended Reading Section at the bottom of this newsletter and my "Books and Videos" page. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4.) TACTICS OF COVER AND CONCEALMENT Tactics is more important than marksmanship during an attack. It does no good whatsoever to be the best combat marksman in the world, if you're the first one to be shot and disabled. Cover is anything that a bullet will not penetrate. Examples of cover might be a sturdy and stocked refrigerator, a vehicle's engine block or a stonewall. Concealment is anything that hides you. Examples of concealment could be a door, the corner of a hallway, a bed or a sofa. Other examples of tactics would be to back up, crouch, lay down or change your position after identifying the threat with the quick on/off flash of a flashlight. You must generally make yourself a smaller target and one that's harder to shoot at. Don't just stand tall in an open area and raise a defensive firearm. Get behind cover or at least concealment and make yourself small, while keeping the threat in your sight. Minimize yourself as a target. Moving while defending yourself can also be very important. We firearm enthusiasts are more than likely much better marksman than a violent criminal. Moving and minimizing yourself as a target might give you enough advantage to stay alive. It's also a good idea to consistently shout commands at the threat to desist. They just might get the hint and you might not have to kill them. Hollering commands at them such as, "DROP THAT KNIFE!", "DROP THAT WEAPON!" or "GET DOWN!", is a good idea. Even if the assailant chooses not to obey, it will look good for you in a trial if testimony indicated that you shouted commands to halt. Remember that about 93% of the time, the threat will stop their attack when confronted by an armed and determined victim, but don't let this statistic give you false hope. If the street hardened thug senses that you're unwilling to take his life, he may well continue the attack. There is so much more to learn about tactics and that's again where my Recommended Reading Section can help you out. After all, helping people out is what I'm all about here at www.SaveTheGuns.com. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 5.) FIREARM AVAILABILITY It does you no good at all to be attacked in your garage if your gun is locked in a safe in your bedroom. Did you purchase a gun for concealed carry, but you leave it at home because it's uncomfortable to wear all the time? It's not doing you any good locked up in your gun safe if you're attacked in the parking lot at the mall... When attacked, things can happen very, very quickly. If you're unexpectedly attacked, you probably won't have enough time to unlock a safe and load a gun before you need it. The gun owner must carefully balance gun safety in the home and the availability of a defensive firearm. This is a very controversial topic and experts commonly disagree with each other on the best solutions. Obviously a S.W.A.T. police officer living by himself in an apartment and an armed citizen with small children have different things to consider, but you must arrive at a decision on firearm availability and be able to live with that decision as well. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 6.) YOUR WILLINGNESS TO FIRE There is a tendency for normally adjusted men and women to have difficulty with the decision to take a human life to protect themselves and their families from harm. Many people each year think they're prepared for self defense, but cannot bring themselves to shoot a gun at another human being in order to preserve their lives, the lives of their family or their livelihood in a business. In my opinion, this is one of the first decisions you should make when considering a firearm purchase for self defense. Today's hardened and street savvy thugs might detect your unwillingness to take their lives and they may continue their attack as a result. Determine your willingness to fire in self defense long before you must make that decision. It might help you to dehumanize a threat to your life. See him or her as a threat to your very existence and not as a person with parents, kids or a wife. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 7.) TO AIM OR NOT TO AIM? As I mentioned above, you'll lose at least some fine motor coordination and ability to aim properly during an attack. If you think that because you're a good paper puncher at the range, you'll also be okay during a battle, you might be right, but you may be wrong as well. The things that will happen to your body such as "tunnel vision" might make aiming impossible. Many combat instructors disagree on how to aim or whether or not you should actually aim at all. I'll try to sort it out for you. Some say that lining up the threat with both the front sight and rear sight is essential. Other experts say that just placing the front sight on the threat's chest area is enough and you should ignore the rear sight altogether. This is my own recipe, taken from my experience, talking with experts and doing a whole bunch of reading... In my opinion, whether to aim or not or how to aim is determined by the distance to the assailant. At arm's length, you should hold the handgun close to your armpit. Hold it high and tight. You don't want to fully extend your arms if the assailant is within arm's reach. Placing your handgun into his space and allowing him to grab at it is NOT a good idea. At arm's length, you won't have to aim at all. If the distance to the assailant is just three or four feet, you'd have to be terrible with a firearm to miss. At say six to twelve feet, you should fully extend your arms, bring the gun to eye level and place the front sight on the assailant's middle chest area. From twelve feet to twenty one feet, do the same thing, but try to take another moment and line up the front and rear sights better. Remember that you don't need to hit a particular button on the assailant's shirt. Basically, as the distance to the assailant increases, your attention to marksmanship should also increase. Under the stress of mortal combat, many fully trained law enforcement officers have missed up to 80% of their shots. I believe this is mainly because of their inattention to the sights. I specifically remember an armed murderer being shot at by four police officers. Forty two (42) rounds were fired and the cop killer was only hit three (3) times. You must also practice often with your defensive firearm. I advise not to practice defensive combat at distances beyond twenty feet. Defensive combat usually occurs at about seven feet. More than 85% occur inside of twelve feet. You should do the majority of your practice at these very short ranges. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 8.) DON'T BE FOOLED OR TRICKED There is nothing fair about armed combat for survival. There's no second place ribbon awarded for someone on the losing end of a gun battle. You should use every advantage you can. Lie, cheat, misdirect, deceive, bluff or otherwise try to gain any advantage you can. At the same time, be fully aware that the assailant is thinking the same thing. He may fake surrender, only to reattack you when the opportunity arises. Again, the Recommended Reading Section below has books that you should consider buying for a much more comprehensive look at these subjects. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RECAP OF MAJOR POINTS Let's quickly recap my Crash Course In Defensive Combat. A.) Positively identify the threat. B.) Pay attention to everything at all times. Be aware and observant. C.) Know your body and what may happen to you during combat. D.) Use cover and concealment and minimize yourself as a target. E.) Keep a defensive firearm readily available. F.) Know your willingness to take a life to preserve yours. G.) Aim according to the distance of the assailant as described. H.) Don't be fooled or tricked and NEVER allow yourself to be disarmed. I.) Carefully obey the commands of law enforcement after they arrive. Be aware that they won't know who the good guys are in the situation. Be patient with them until they sort everything out. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RECOMMENDED READING SECTION In this section I'll list many of the classic books on self defense. If you think you might someday be willing to fire a gun in self defense, but you don't own any of these books, I strongly suggest you get out your credit card and click on the following pages: <> All the books are in alphabetical order by author's last name as they are in the book store in the mall. http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos.htm http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_2.htm http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_3.htm http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_4.htm http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_5.htm http://www.savetheguns.com/books_and_videos_page_6.htm Kill or Get Killed by Rex Applegate Bullseyes Don't Shoot Back by Rex Applegate The Truth About Self Protection by Massad Ayoob In the Gravest Extreme by Massad Ayoob Stressfire Volumes 1 and 2 by Massad Ayoob The Concealed Handgun Manual by Chris Bird The Practical Pistol Manual by Bill Clede To Ride Shoot Straight and Speak The Truth by Jeff Cooper Principles of Personal Defense by Jeff Cooper Shooting To Live by Fairbairn and Sykes Tactical Defense Training For Real Life Encounters by Ralph Mroz Sharpening The Warrior's Edge by Bruce K. Siddle Street Smarts, Firearms and Personal Security by Steele and Grover Strong On Defense by Sanford Strong Tactical Pistol Marksmanship by Gabriel Suarez (Page 6 has a host of VHS tapes and DVDs on the subject.) <> If some of the links don't work right away, simply refresh the page and they should be fine. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Feel free to copy, post, forward or print this newsletter as long as you say that you got it from www.SaveTheGuns.com Thank you for registering as a Minuteman Monthly Newsletter Recipient. If you don't want this newsletter or the legislative alerts anymore, just send me an e-mail with "Unsubscribe MMM" in the subject line to: info@savetheguns.com