The best way “we” can protect “our” children is not to give them to the government. Or, put another way, avoid crowds; schools are crowds. But for those who can’t or won’t, this information may be valuable.

What does it mean to protect our children at school? For the past decade, I’ve been following a program that protects school children from celebrity-seeking mass-murderers. This program teaches school staff to be first responders who provide both armed defense and medical first aid. We’ve learned a lot over the past decade, but there are still unanswered questions.

Protecting our children at school actually covers a lot of ground. Being “at school” is really a shorthand way of saying we want to protect the children when they are out of their parents care. That includes when they are off campus and on the school bus before school starts. It includes the school events after the last class period ends. We want to protect our children from the ball field to the classroom and into the parking lot.

Once you see the scope of the problem, you realize why a single uniformed School Resource Officer is only the beginning of a safety plan. One defender, no matter how well-trained or effective, can’t be everywhere all the time.

First responders must be near the children because we don’t want to give a murderer time to kill. That means an armed defender has to be within a few hundred feet of every child. The number of defenders that we want depends on the size of the campus and the layout of the buildings. A one-room school house takes fewer defenders than a sprawling K-12 campus.

More at the link.

One in .44 Magnum please.  As soon as possible please.  I’ll buy one. Ruger, are you listening?

Source:

In a recent article, one of our writers addressed the use of the eyes in regards to shooting with both eyes open and he advised we all should. An interested reader then inquired as to whether or not he should shoot off the weak shoulder with his strong eye or weak eyed or crossover. Having dealt with this on a regular basis, I thought to give some insight into what we find works and the why’s, as in why we care, why we should train to the task and why it might make a difference.

Although it sounds a bit edgy, have you ever been in a bar or the like and seen somebody sucker punched? As in our about-to-be-thumped dude was looking in one place and someone from another direction zaps him? The use of both eyes open helps eliminate the proverbial tactical sucker punch. Simply close one eye and see what part of the room or your environment you lose visual contact with.

The simple equation is two eyes open allows for more information to be gathered by the eyes — and remember this isn’t always for direct movement. The peripheral visual is one of the few places where true instincts are at play with guns, shooting and fighting as the peripheral vision picks up movement to which the shooter can shift his eyes directly to confirm potential threats and apply sighted fire according to need. Contrary to some beliefs, we can’t shoot instinctively, but we can in fact use instincts in the form of this “hunter’s eye” which catches or gathers movement if you will. You can then address it as needed.

[…]

This is actually not a big deal, as many people are right handed and have a left master eye or vice versa. Probably the biggest eye problem could evolve around a new shooter who might be cross dominant and often sees two or more images. This is most common in handguns. In the use of a handgun, the new shooter may need to feather or shut down an eye until he acquires more skill or simply more exposure to shooting in general with the idea in mind he ultimately will shoot with both eyes open.

More at the link discussing both handguns and rifles.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be attacked by a bear in the ocean, but apparently, it’s a possibility.

I have questions.

June 12 (UPI) — Visitors to a Florida beach were in for a surprise when a black bear was spotted swimming side-by-side with their fellow beachgoers.

Multiple visitors to the crowded beach in Destin captured video when the bear emerged from the ocean and swam next to human beachgoers before making its way to shore.

“The bear was out pretty far,” Chris Barron, who recorded footage of the bear, told WTVT-TV. “A lot of people started swimming in. I was worried it was a shark. I walked over and thought it was a dog.”

Barron said the bear was swimming right by his brother and 12-year-old son.

“At this point I realized it was a bear and started videoing. It kept swimming in. He got to shore, shook off, and ran into the brush in the sand dunes,” Barron said. “I think most people were shocked instead of being scared. No one expected to see a bear in the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” – Romans 2:4

Often spoken of is the condition of man in sin against His holy Creator God, but an understanding of the glories of heaven to be had through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour may also come through a concrete hope in God’s patience.

Those who despise God reject the riches of goodness He sheds upon all men. The basest of creatures receives his sustenance, and the wicked rulers have wealth beyond imagination. The forbearance of God in longsuffering toward man is a measure of His grace, but it’s not eternal.

Required for eternity is repentance by the realization that though you have broken every command, flaunted His holy law, rejected His innumerable mercies of goodness and patience, He remains the God of peace in the loving hope of you forsaking your own understanding and seeking that which is higher than the mere daily sustainment that He provides.

The Almighty provides all good things, and you repay Him how? It’s not that you ever could repay, for all things are His, but you ought to acknowledge and repent of falsely accepting as permanent those things which can be taken in a moment. Hard times make hard men, but they also make soft hearts toward Holy God.

Difficulties will come, but they needn’t make a man bitter; seeing the goodness of God requires a proper perspective. You will know He is God, look at all He gives, and pray ye to accept Him in life and not meet Him in the horror of eternal death when the damned of all the world shall be judged, for every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. In the simplicity of acknowledging the favor He has shown, please don’t harden your heart, considering yourself worthy of your own ends.

“5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds” – Romans 2:5-6

It’s the callousness of the heart, the pride of life, unrepentant of sin, the assurance of reliance upon only that which may be seen or touched that brings upon a man the wrath of God, who in His mercy, day after day, has fed you and given blessings generations past could only dream. Knowing the goodness of God, you store up barns full of provision, all the while accumulating wrath against the day of judgment that hunts down all men, for one day the stores will empty, even if the Almighty in His patience forbears until the day of your death; the wrath of God abides on all who reject the mercy of God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Riches will not save you. So few accept the revelation of the righteous judgment of God before it’s too late, and the day comes upon them when they are left without excuse, naked and helpless before God who knows your deeds. But to all men is God evident, whether having been reckoned by faith being made dead unto sin but alive in Christ; or you who have not obeyed the truth of God what will become of you? So devilish is the lie, ‘be your own man,’ no man is his own or ever has been. Two permanent events level the field for every living soul: death and the truth of the cross where Christ was nailed, crucified for your sin.

Without Christ, death mocks you and will take all that you are; hell’s calling is so subtle that you pretend it doesn’t hold sway.

There is no question mark in verse 6 above. It’s the Mighty God, who is the Lord most high, that will render to every man according to his deeds: to the man who surrenders to Christ our King everlasting life and to the disobedient man, having rejected the truth you will arrive at the indignation of the wrath of God heaping an eternity of tribulation and anguish upon your head. The Lord God knows if you are in rebellion or in transgression; which will it be, heaven or hell?

Therefore by faith in Jesus Christ, who died to pay the horrible debt you owe, your ledger can be wiped clean of the wrath of hell, having your name changed from among the damned to be numbered with those who reside in the hope of eternal life that abides in Christ. Because He rose again from the grave the third day, the covenant in the blood of God’s only begotten Son is now offered, seeing that the resurrection is the validation of His life-giving power; He will put the seal of God on your soul that the time of death would no longer grip you.

“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” – Romans 2:7

So having been added to the body of Christ, if you will, rightly fit for service, just like our God in patient continuance, always going about in well doing, for what would a son of God do but try to be just like his heavenly Father? But not of your own power but altogether, having the Holy Spirit of God and backed by the throne of God who goes before His servants making their way straight, you can see the Kingdom of God, by the grace of God, brought to bear at the workings of your own hand.

Every man wants glory and honor now but also to keep the gift of eternal life in Christ to come. But the glory of treasure we seek is for our King to have, and the only possible honor to bestow must be upon the judge of all the earth, the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. In salvation comes the service of God, who seeks a different treasure, as His pinnacle creation, the mind-heart-soul of man; your mind, your contrite heart, offer your soul back to the One who created it.

Just several days ago we were discussing how to get the most distance out of your tactical shotgun, and the corollary issue of how to get the best pattern.

Little did I know this was going to come out on that very issue.  These results are very impressive.

Here’s the catch.  The choke is currently not available.  I’ve written Kick’s Industries to ascertain when it will become available.  I’ll let you know what they respond.

As internet firearms guides go, this one from the Alien Gear blog isn’t bad. The font is hard to view, though, and needs to be updated.

There are hundreds of very usable holsters and thousands of functional holster and holster retainment (i.e., belt) combinations. Find the combo and weapon body placement that’s best for you to carry a firearm every day. Some folks have different carry options and even different guns depending upon the environment, weather, location, and other limiting factors.

In the video below, the number one mistake is the worst type regardless of how you try to possess a weapon; never give up!

Accepting segregation as a general philosophy, I choose not to go where prohibition doesn’t allow guns. You don’t like my kind, and I don’t like your kind; that’s fair. As to the law, well, let’s not make stupid self-incriminating statements. But in either case, there are ways to safely and securely carry almost anywhere.

Also, see The Beginner’s Guide to Concealed Carry, and not exactly a definitive but informative guide.

I carried a .44 Magnum when hiking in the Tetons several weeks ago.  Color me still a bit skeptical on use of the 10mm for bear defense.  I guess the advantage is capacity, but only that.

I don’t have a .454 Casull or I would carry that.

Here is a news report of the attack.

This image won an award by The New Yorker.

Folks have recently been having a bit of fun with it.  “How you react to this photo says ALL you need to know about American politics.”

The reactions are interesting, ranging from noticing the family man, to the bumper stickers on the truck, to the rusted body of the truck, to the fact that the truck driver is leaving his shotgun unattended, to these.

“Paddle guy gives me immediate disgust. Typical yuppie type who probably couldn’t even lift a finger to defend his family if the need arose.”

“Maybe he’s former special ops and decided to settle down and have a family. He met his wife and kids there after work. The truck is his, the car is hers (it’s safer for her and the kids). He’s looking over his shoulder because he’s still on edge from his previous life.”

“Pick-up owners kids are safer than those pictured.”

The clothing doesn’t interest me, and the fact that it interests some folks is weird to me.  I’ve seen squared away Marines with “high-and-tight” haircuts wearing shorts, tucked in tee shirts, and white socks with shoes.  That could be a former Marine for all I know.  If I could be around him for 30 seconds I’d know.  I have no idea what he’s supposed to be thinking.

But the artist apparently wants you to think that ownership of shotguns is somehow connected with the cross, Gadsden flag, and MAGA.  I’m not a Trump or MAGA person, but if they want me to connect ownership of weapons with the cross and Gadsden flag, I’m okay with that.

One woman calls the shotgun a rifle, and a another guy says the shotgun is okay if it’s a Mossberg.  I’m not a Mossberg guy – I’m a Beretta guy.  But the gun is clearly not a Beretta, or it would look prettier.  But the gun is also clearly a turkey or upland gun.  See, this is the sort of thing I think about, not politics.

Honestly, among my first thoughts were that the image is stupid.  I see no point in it and I simply don’t see how it won any awards.  My immediate reaction was everything is fine.  Pistols and Rifles are designed drop-safe these days as every gun owner knows.  Shotguns are not designed drop safe and never have been, even while on safe.  That’s why we carry the way we do and have designated fields of fire when we bird hunt.

However, the gun is not being moved, so there is no danger of dropping it.  So, what’s the big deal?

I guess I can’t escape being an engineer.

But since others are having fun with it, you can too in the comments in you want.

Y’all know how much I love dogs.  This is an inspiring video of a dog learning to walk on four prosthetic limbs.

Waterbuck versus lion.  The moral of the story?  Never give up.  I’d suggest that lion was beaten up pretty badly by the end of the encounter.

Cowboys are still relevant.

In a previous post I mentioned that I witnessed first hand the heavy snow pack in the Northwest this year.  The Wyoming deer herd is in deep trouble because of the snow pack.

Finally, this is a feral animal in Times Square.  He’s lucky he didn’t do that around these parts.  He deserves to be put in chains on a road crew for a year.