Right now, there are a lot of American citizens concerned for the safety of their family and themselves. Many of them – the smart ones – are looking for training that can help them be better prepared, particularly with a firearm. The world is full of trainers and firearms training schools. I’m a multiple graduate of Gunsite Academy, and several other schools, and I’ve also been exposed to a wide range of instructors. I got to spend a week on the range with Benghazi hero David “Boon” Benton, and I can tell you without hesitation that Boon is as good of a firearms trainer as you will come across. Not only does he teach you how to shoot, he teaches you how to fight. In this episode you get to hear some insight into Boon’s philosophy on mindset and how to win a fight. It’s a distinct honor to have him on the Empty Cases’ Podcast.

It would be impossible for freelance writers like me to do our jobs effectively without the help of media relations representatives who work at the companies who make the guns, ammunition, and related gear we write about. In this episode we talk to one of those media relation guys who works for Federal, and we learn about their latest new products like Terminal Ascent, HammerDown, Punch, and the revolutionary 12 gauge Force X2 load. Just as interesting is how this guy actually got his start in the outdoor/gun industry, it was by writing for a turkey hunting magazine. JJ Reich is an ammo savvy, passionate hunting, fun to be around guy, and it’s a pleasure to have him on the Empty Cases Podcast.

In this Episode Richard Mann talks with his personal gunsmith, a man who has had a long career building custom guns. He started out building his own guns to use in USPSA competition – high-end 1911 race guns – and then transitioned to building guns for some of the top competitors in that sport. Jerry Dove of Dove Custom Guns is considered one of the top gunsmiths/gun builders in the two Virginias. He has devised a unique take-down alternation for Marlin lever action rifles, built both of Richard Mann's 2Fity-Hillbilly rifles, and has the ability to craft a scout scope base for just about any rifle.

This special Independence Day edition of the Empty Cases podcast features a true American hero. He is a man who grew up hunting and shooting, and then joined the Marine Corps right out of high school. He went on to become a Marine sniper as well as a Marine Sniper instructor. He’s a combat veteran, and after serving our country he began teaching the discipline of long-range shooting. I’ve taken several courses from him and not only have I found him to be extremely knowledgeable when it comes to hitting at distance, he has the gift of instruction. He is also the founder of Modern Day Sniper, which offers a wide array educational services for riflemen. Listen to Caylen Wojcik talk about Modern Day Sniper, and about his best and worst shots.

In the second episode of the second season of the Empty Cases Podcast, Richard Mann talks with a lady who is a hunter, a pilot, and who is also the President of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA)  On his way back from an aoudad hunt along the Mexica border, Richard stopped by the Circle WC ranch near Cuthand, Texas to visit with Bill Wilson and his wife Joyce Wilson, who like Richard, is a native West Virginian. Listen and you will get to hear about how Joyce met Bill, about the IDPA, and about Joyce’s best and worst shots. You’ll also hear how a good shot helped her get her shot.

After 9/11 a group of Green Berets went into Afghanistan. They were America’s first response to the terrorism act that shook this country to its core. These brave men inspired a book - Horse Soldiers - and a major motion picture - 12 Strong. Now, some of these soldiers have joined together to form another team, a team dedicated to making some of the finest bourbon whiskey made anywhere in the world. In this, the first episode of Season Two, you can hear their story as told by the co-founder of Horse Soldier Bourbon, Scott Neil.

In this last episode of Season One, Empty Cases Podcast host Richard Mann talks with his friend Bill Wilson about Wilson Combat’s new P320 projects with Sig Sauer, about hunting cartridges and bullets, the importance of shot placement, about the Bill’s favorite defensive handguns, and about the 30-30 and the 300 HAMR for hunting and tactical applications. You’ll also learn how you can become eligible to win a Timey Trigger and some cool swag from Wilson Combat.

The Empty Cases theme is, it’s all about the shot. In each episode guests are asked three questions: 

1. What was your best shot?

2. What was your worst shot? 

3. How did you get your shot, or who gave you the shot, that made your outdoor/gun career? 

In this Special Edition episode, you get to hear all of the best shot stories from Season 1.

In the continued Corona Virus quarantine, Richard and Chris—the trigger guy—Ellis visit with gun writing legend, Jim Zumbo. Jim talks about his best, and worst shots, and about fishing and hunting with another legend and one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time, West Virginian, General Chuck Yeager. Jim also tells how a mail clerk in an Outdoor Life subscription office probably gave him his big break at outdoor writing. 

In this episode Richard, his son, Bat, and guest host Chris Ellis talk with the fantastically talented outdoor photographer, Sam Soholt. Not only is Sam a great photographer, he built a rolling hunting camp out of a school bus to promote public land hunting. He also has his own T-shirt company to do the same. Sam, who is also a hunter, talks about photography, gear, and what has become a theme on the Empty Cases Podcast—missing turkeys with shotguns.