Modern Self Protection Podcast

Five Minute Friday (FMF) is a quick tip you can use today to make your self defense better. 

This week we talk about your EDC (Every Day Carry).  My everyday carry is modular.  I use the base that is on me any time I go anywhere or put on my pants.  Then I can ad other things as I go.

What about you.  What's your EDC?  Do you have different things you carry for different situations?

You can watch the video here on Vimeo.

Today: Two mental games you can play with yourself to improve your self defense anywhere at any time.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

How tired are you?  How does that effect your self defense?  Do you look more like food to the wolves when you are tired?

You don't have to.  My simple method when this is happening to me is to take a breath.  When I'm tired, before I go into a different space, I stop and take a deep breath.  This just gives me a second to get out of my head or phone and into the real world.

Watch the Five Minute Friday (FMF) video here.

Watch the Speed Sights Review Video on Vimeo here!

I got rid of my speed sights because they weren't working for me. Check out the video to see why.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
  • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
  • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!
    • $75 Annual Membership
    • $8 Monthly Membership

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  The little things you can do to improve your self defense without a lot of work.  Easy stuff we know we all should be doing.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Outline:

Whatever you do to be better in life works for self defense

• Read a book
• Do some practice
• Take a class
• Join a group
• Spend some time, money, and effort

At Home

• Always be improving your position
• What could you do this week, month, year to improve your home defense
  • Alarm
  • Doorbell camera
  • Lights
  • Bushes
  • Procedures
• Mine put up motion lights in back yard
• What’s the one thing that would be easy and have a big impact
  • What’s the first step
  • When can you do that one little thing
  • Write it down in your todo list

Traveling

• Work on Hardening Yourself
  • Get off the phone / use it strategically
  • Lock your car doors… always
  • Stand tall, walk proud, and with a purpose
• Play the what-if game
• Find the exits
• Do a map study before you leave

Relationships

• Talk to those closely about plans
• Make plans to defend yourself and your family and friends
• Make alliances with others

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  A good friend of mine asked me about a unique situation he had for his self defense gun.  We talked a little and I suggested a revolver.  We started talking about his needs more and I thought this would make a great podcast.  So we got on Skype and recorded it for you to listen in on.

Chin is required to unload and lock up his gun every day for work.  And for his special circumstance he actually obeys that rule.  He needs a gun that he can load and unload everyday without having to worry about his ammo.

We talk about why ammo could be the problem and things he could do about it, including getting a revolver and which one.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Outline:

Things We Mentioned:

The Warrior Poet Society

Ankle IFAKs

• Warrior Poet Ankle Med Kit
• Amazon AFAK
• Wilderness Tactical Ankle Cargo Cuff

Lucky Gunner Ammunition

Palmetto State Armory

Firearms

• Ruger
  • LCR .38
  • LCR in 9mm
• Smith & Wesson 642

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  The stuff you may have missed and the stuff I can’t live without from SHOT Show 20202. 

I love the stuff that comes out every year at this time.  And I love new stuff.  I’m a gear head and have always been into the newest gear.  This year there are some new and innovative stuff that I think I “need.”

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Outline:

Red Dots:

• Sig Romeo 2 (Video here)
• Holosun 509 (Sage Dynamics review here)

Scopes

• Primary Arms 1-8 SLx
• Night Force NX8 1-8X24 F1 (available on Amazon)

Guns

• Ruger
  • 57
  • LCP II in .22LR
• CMMG Banshee in 5.7
• Diamond Back DBX 5.7 Pistol
• Laugo Arms Alien 9mm
• Colt Python
• Springfield Saint Edge Evac Pistol
• Mossberg MC2 Compact
• Smith M2.0
• PSA
  • Jakl
  • Glockish Gun PS9 Dagger
  • ARV 9mm
  • PSA5

Magpul

• 9mm Drug Mags (Glock and Scorpion)
• Blade Braces
• Ruger PC Stock

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  Is it worth giving up some of your safety to go extra places?  Is there a time it’s okay and a time it is not?  How can you figure out the difference?

In this podcast I’ll tell you how to do a risk assessment on your upcoming activity and let you make an informed decision on if you should or should not go.

My point:  Make an actual decision about the risk you will except and the ones you won’t.  Don’t let someone else make the decision for you!

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Outline:

March on Richmond VA

• Would have liked to go
• I thought there was going to be violence resulting in multiple injuries and one death (glad to be wrong)
• Sometimes a risk of death or serious bodily injury is worth it

Do a Risk Assessment on your Life’s Activities

• Doing anything as well as nothing can get you killed
• Risk associated with every activity (including taking a shower)
• Electricity in your house can kill you; When is the last time you thought about that?
• Working overseas as a security specialist doing base security commanders wanted zero injuries of their soldiers and wanted to make me responsible for anyone getting hurt
• Simple Risk vs Reward
• Army:
  • Identify Hazards
  • Assess the Hazards
  • Develop Controls and Make Risk Decisions
  • Implement Controls
  • Supervise
• Marine Corps adopted the same thing and it was impossible on paper
• Simpler Version
  • What’s the extra risks associated with this event/activity/action?
  • What’s the probability that it will happen to me or affect me?
  • Is it worth the risk?
  • How can I reasonably mitigate the risks?
• Examples:
  • Richmond March
  • Driving During Adverse Conditions
  • Going to new locations
  • My December California Trip

Thoughts on Richmond

• Glad nothing serious happened and no on got hurt. Glad it didn’t spark something bigger
• Can’t stop people from being afraid of pictures and the media
• Only control myself and my reactions

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  I took Firearms Training Associates General Shotgun class last month while I was on vacation.  I learned and re-learned a bunch of things.  This podcast is a review and lessons learned from the class.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 60 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Outline:

Ammo Count: 150 Round – 100 bird, 25 slugs, 25 buck

Started in the Classroom

• Bill Murphy Shines here
• Buck Shot and Sizes
• Pattern Sizes
• Magnum Buck
• Magnum Slugs
• Reduced Recoil Loads
• Weir Loads
  • Blammo Ammo
  • Less Lethal
• Shotgun is a thing man’s gun
  • Penetration
  • Pattern Size
  • Ranges of lethality
  • Slugs penetration and over penetration
  • Bird shot
• Loading for Defense
  • Closest threat first
  • Then next one next
• Most shotgun fights only go 1 hit
• Down Sides
  • Limited capacity
  • Distance
  • Penetration
• Pump vs Auto
• Mag Fed Shotguns
• Safety Rules
  • Handgun has a 20% mortality rate
  • Shotgun has a 20% survival rate
  • Sling Safety
  • Muzzle up vs muzzle down
  • Safety rules are always there… always
  • Get strong and good enough to hold your gun safely or get rid of the crap off of it
• Patter Talk 1yd = 1 inch
  • 0-7 A Zone – Little to no patterning regardless of load, like shooting a single projectile
  • 7-25 B Zone – Most effective for a shotgun. Nice pattern.  All shot on target
  • 25+ C Zone – Slugs – Multiple projectiles start to become a liability at this distance. Pattern maybe too big for acceptable stopping power
• Short Stroking the gun
• Shotgun Tactical Guidelines

1. Know your gun and ammo (Federal Flight Control is tightest pattern, Remington Ammo opens most)
2. Check Condition of Gun Readiness
3. Have extra ammo on the gun
4. Have a plan, don’t rush in
5. Use appropriate ready postions
   • Indoor Ready
   • Outdoor Ready
   • Depressed Ready w/ Level gun
6. Don’t lead with the muzzle
7. Shoot 1 – Load 1

• Golden BB Theory
  • Get enough out there and one will do the trick sooner or later
• Cylinder Choke is generally best with buck shot

Range Time

• Patterning at 3, 7, `15, and 25 Yards
• Fire and load drills
• Unloading the gun
• Position shooting with Slugs
  • Feet flat on the ground
  • No prone because of recoil
• Forward and Rear Movement
• Shoot off to see who cleans the range

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben

Today:  This is Five Minute Friday (FMF), just a little quick tip on how you can think differently about your self defense in today’s modern world.  Things are always changing, but we always have to remember the basics.  These tips are designed to keep the perspective of basic self defense while looking at our ever changing world.

Black Friday sales are here!  Are you going out and taking part?  If you are, remember to watch out.  Look around, get your head out of your phone and be extra careful in those transitional spaces.

Consider taking the gifts home and not leaving them in your car.

FMF 15 Watch out on Black Friday from Ben Branam on Vimeo.

Announcements

• Upcoming Courses
• • Click here for current course list.
• Got Ammo? Need it? Go to Lucky Gunner.  When I need ammo, it’s where I go.  Check it out.  Great prices and a really easy site to use.
• ShootersClubMembers.com
• • Get Better for only a couple bucks a month
  • Over 80 pieces of content to train you to be better.
  • Free Video on the front page
  • Discounts to courses and holsters
  • Newest Interview gives you all the information you need to know about Pelvic Shots: Do they work? Should you use them?
  • Sign Up Here!

• $75 Annual Membership
• $8 Monthly Membership

Thanks for listening, don’t forget to check out the Shooter’s Club, and if you need ammo check out Lucky Gunner.

Stay Safe,

Ben