From the Instructors

  As a firearms instructor with more than 28 years of experience, I have committed myself to something bigger than simply teaching people how to shoot. I teach safety, responsibility, and defense. That commitment includes teaching adults, families, and youth what to do when they encounter situations involving firearms. One of the areas I believe deserves far more attention is youth firearm safety . We can tell children, “Never touch a firearm.” We should tell them that. But we also need to be realistic. Children are curious. Children experience peer pressure. Children sometimes make decisions they know they shouldn't make. And as adults, we cannot assume that every child will listen to us 100% of the time. So what happens if a child encounters a firearm unexpectedly? Maybe it's at a friend's house. Maybe someone says, “Come look at my dad's collection.” Maybe another child finds a firearm and says, “It's not loaded.” Maybe a firearm has been left somewhere it should...

Let's talk about something that can create a lot of disagreement among gun owners: The manual safety. There are excellent firearms that incorporate manual safeties. There are also excellent firearms that don't. My concern isn't that a manual safety exists. My concern is whether the person carrying that firearm is willing to train with it consistently. Because once you introduce a manual safety into a defensive firearm, you've introduced another action that the shooter must understand and perform correctly. And that creates another responsibility. A Manual Safety Requires Training A manual safety is a mechanical device. It doesn't know who is holding the firearm. It doesn't know whether you've trained once or one hundred times. It doesn't know whether you practiced last week or six years ago. It simply does what the firearm was designed to do. The responsibility belongs to the person carrying it. If you carry a firearm with a manual safety,...

There is a conversation that comes up frequently when people talk about concealed carry: “I don't carry with a round in the chamber because I want to be safer.” I understand the thought process. For someone who is new to firearms, having a loaded firearm with a round already chambered can be uncomfortable. Leaving the chamber empty can seem like an extra layer of protection against an accidental discharge. But if you're carrying a firearm for defensive purposes, we need to ask a different question: Are you actually making yourself safer, or are you adding another step that may have to be completed during the worst possible moment? Defensive Carry Means Being Prepared A defensive firearm isn't carried simply because we own one. We carry it because we've made the decision that, if absolutely necessary, it may be used to protect ourselves or another person from a serious threat. That decision comes with responsibility. If your firearm requires additional manipulation befor...

  The recent mass shooting at an In-N-Out Burger in, Idaho, where three people were killed and several others were injured, is a reminder that violent incidents can occur in everyday places. The attack happened quickly in one of the busy hours of the day, lunch.     Two individuals, an off-duty officer and an armed civilian’s actions helped limit further loss of life.   This, and other similar events underscores the importance of preparedness. Situational Awareness: Staying Safe in Public Places It is very important that we practice situational awareness: How to stay safe in public places.   It is sad that we have to say this, however, recent events remind us that emergencies as well as violent incidents can happen anywhere- even in places we visit every day.     While these incidents are rare, having a plan and maintaining awareness can significantly improve your chances of staying safe. 1. Always Be Aware of Your Surroundings Avoid distract...