Weekend Reading -- A New Weekend Knowledge Dump

Greg Ellifritz has posted a new Weekend Knowledge Dump at his Active Response Training blog. Before I discuss some of his links, I want to say "thank you" to him for including a link to my recent post on the myth of poisoned and booby-trapped Halloween candy. 

    If you don't know, each week Greg collects a number of links to articles and videos on the topics of self-defense and prepping that is well worth going through. Some of the ones that caught my attention this week:

• The new Range Master news letter. What caught my attention from this most recent newsletter is a piece on people who explain why they don't need to learn anything by invoking the phrase: "Hell, I grew up around guns." Unfortunately, exposure to something does not translate to skill and good habits. I can honestly say that I grew up around sewing machines (and still live around sewing machines as my wife both embroiders and quilts) and I don't even know how to thread one. 
• An article from Mike Boyle with suggestions and techniques for defending yourself with a handgun at extreme close quarters (the infamous "bad breath" distance where you are in contact or almost in contact with an aggressor). As he notes, "When danger is but a step or two away, we all recognize that snapping into that preferred two-hand shooting stance is not going to work."
  
• A gun digest article on the importance of carrying your self-defense pistol with a loaded chamber. There are still a lot of people that argue in favor of the "Israeli carry" who rarely have a cogent argument for such a method other than "the Israelis do it so it must be good." The technique is not actually Israeli and is derived from out-dated military practices developed for minimally trained troops who couldn't be trusted to empty the chamber before cleaning or turning in a weapon. As Greg mentions, if you feel uncomfortable with carrying a semi-auto pistol with a loaded chamber, you should probably get more training or consider using a revolver. As another article in Greg's list, from Revolver Guy, notes: "For very low-skilled users, [revolvers] are probably one of – if not THE – safest option."
  
• For my Idaho readers, now that the BLM fire protection order has expired for this year and shooters can once again use steel targets on BLM land, you might find the article on "Rotating Steel Targets: Benefits and Options" to be useful.
• Greg has linked to an article that goes over 6 cases where open-carry led to less than desirable outcomes. 

And there is more. Be sure to check it out.