Paintball Guns as a Training and Self Defense Tactic

Let me just say up front:  Colorado law gives me criminal and civil immunity from prosecution should I decide to use deadly force in the event of a home invasion.  In a home invasion scenario, I will take full advantage of the legal protections afforded to me by law.  The main objective of any self-defense method is to stop the attack, and my philosophy is to stop the attack and protect my family by the most effective means available to me at the time.  For me, that method of self-defense includes having ready firearms, being trained to use them, and then employ them where needed. 

But not all people are comfortable having firearms in their homes, and not everyone is comfortable shooting firearms.  That is fine.  The methods that are right for me are not necessarily the methods that are right for others, and I respect that.  I wrote an article a while back on "Principles versus Tactics" to explain that you have to decide what you are willing to do in a particular situation, then for you to decide how you will accomplish that.

It is also important that I maintain my training and proficiency in my primary self-defense tool as well as a variety of other self-defense methods that I may need to employ to stop an attack.  It is not always time or cost effective to schedule trips to the range to expend live ammunition.  There are a variety of training methods out there that I use, including dry firing with the LASR App System, and using non-lethal projectile shooting tools such as paintball to help build the muscle memory involved in firearms operation, and that allows you to actually practice tactics with moving targets in a safe environment.

There are many other self-defense and training tools out there, but in my testing, I have found one in particular that I am writing about today offers both a good training tool and a good home defense tool, especially for folks who just aren't comfortable with having firearms in their homes.

Paintball as a Training Tool:

When it comes to training for tactics, having the ability to shoot at moving targets, and in return being shot at by moving targets offers more realism into actual scenarios that you may encounter.  This is a type of training often referred to as "force on force" training and is more effective at helping you to learn tactics and gun handling skills under pressure than simply shooting at static targets.  The type of training tools to achieve the desired proficiency outcomes is an important aspect to consider, however.  Whereas airsoft tends to use guns that emulate actual weapons functionality, such as forcing you to perform magazine changes, they offer little, in comparison to paintball, in the "pain" incentive to force you to be more tactfully minded to prevent from being shot.  While I have found airsoft to be a great training tool for indoor close quarters training, paintball offers a more fast-paced alternative to outdoor and longer range scenarios.  Since the incentive "not to get shot" is higher with paintball, the "stress inoculation" component obtained provides a more realistic force on force training as well.

Paintball as a Group Bonding Tool:

Putting on my prepper hat for a moment: Being able to train with your family, members of a team that you are prepping with, or even just the people you work with has its benefits also.  Paintball fields seem to be popping up all over the place.  Here in Colorado, "woodsball" is a very popular activity, as we have our beautiful mountains and forests in which to play games, and those areas offer a wide variety of terrains and scenarios.  Grab your bio-degradable paintball ammo and head for the hills!  Paintball has become very popular for families and groups to include as part of a camping trip, as well as for groups of co-workers to plan team-building events. 

Paintball as a Home Defense Tool:

In my recent testing, I have been quite impressed with the types of non-lethal self-defense paintball ammunition on the market today.  In addition to regular paintballs, you can also purchase pepper balls that contain pepper spray, hard rubber balls, PVC nylon balls, and even glass balls containing iron dust for use in paintball guns as a self-defense tool.  In my testing with various materials used as targets, I have seen the PVC Riot Balls, for example, cause enough damage on multiple thicknesses of heavy cardboard and drywall to be very plausible as a self-defense method.  I am awaiting a shipment from Bulls Breaker Balls in South Africa so that I can test their latest product, but my research so far indicates that that product has promise as a self-defense ammunition as well.

Paintball Gun Recommendations:

Hands down, the Tippmann A5 is my personal recommendation.  The Tippmann A5 is sort of the "Ruger 10/22" of the paintball gun world in that accessories, modifications, air supply variations, upgrades, and spare parts are so plentiful and widely marketed, that this gun can be personalized very easily.  This gun is extremely easy to work on and maintain, and there are a plethora of YouTube videos out there to give you advice and instruction.  I also prefer the Tippmann A5 simply because of the "Cyclone" feed system that has shown to be extremely reliable, and saves the expense of having to buy an add-on electric hopper, or some other feeding system, ta make the gun run consistently and reliably.  The Tippmann A5 also uses the larger 20+ oz CO2 and 3,000psi High-Pressure Air (HPA) supplies, which allows for larger capacities and more shots.  Reusable CO2 canisters are relatively inexpensive to purchase and fill, and fairly easy to find refill stations.  HPA refill equipment is becoming more readily available and inexpensive, and HPA is said to actually be better on paintball gun internals and more consistently shooting in a variety of environmental conditions (temperatures) than CO2.

My home-defense Tippmann A5 is modified with a buttstock, red dot sight, Vortex magazine conversion kit, and Flatline Barrel.  The magazine conversion is inexpensive and was very simple to install.  Instead of a hopper that is now in the way, I have the ability to load 20-round magazines with a variety of ammunition types.  I have the red dot sight set up for very close engagements, zeroed for 21 feet, a typical distance of encounter within my home.  I have the velocity set at around 300fps, which is enough velocity to be effective, but yet low enough to help prolong the life of the gun internal valves and o-rings.  The CO2 supply is a 24oz external cylinder that is screwed in, but not fully, so as to prevent leakages, but still be on the gun so that it can be quickly screwed in the remaining turn or two to fully charge the gun when needed.  The ready condition of this gun also includes a fully loaded magazine in the gun and four spare fully loaded magazines nearby. 

For those of you who prefer more of a "handgun" type of platform, there are two front-runners out there.  The Tippmann TiPX, and the Tiberius T8.1.  In fact, the Tippmann TiPX is used as the manufacturing model for the SALT Supply Pepper Gun, as those models are actually manufactured by Tippmann, and then sold as a self-defense weapon.  Both the Tippmann and Tiberius are .68 caliber paintball guns, an important factor when choosing a caliber for your paintball ammunition.  68 caliber is the most readily available when choosing actual self-defense rounds, and it has more capability as a self-defense caliber (in my humble opinion) than the smaller paintball calibers.  Both also use the smaller 12-gram CO2 cartridge for the air supply.  These cartridges are very inexpensive to buy in large quantities but have very limited capacity when shooting.  I recommend the handgun platform as a backup, but not as a primary defense tool.

My personal preference (for the handgun platform) is the Tiberius T8.1.  The main reason I chose the Tiberius model is because the CO2 cartridge and the paintball rounds are both contained within the magazine.  That means that will very magazine reload, you are getting a fresh CO2 canister as well as more ammunition.  These paintball pistols only fire 10 or so rounds per paintballs CO2 cartridge, so being able to quickly reload both ammunition and CO2 quickly is extremely important in a self-defense scenario.  I also chose the Tiberius model because it comes ready to go out of the box with the ability to load and shoot the new "First Strike" shaped paintball rounds, which come in both paint and solid self-defense rounds.

A Word on Airguns/Airsoft for Self Defense:

Airsoft guns are NOT self-defense tools.  Period.  They may offer a half-second distraction so that you can flee and go find another weapon, but they will not stop an attack.  There is a chance that brandishing that airsoft gun will give the bad guys pause, but they will soon see that orange tip and know that you do not have the ability to do them any harm at that particular moment. Other air guns, such as pellet guns, may have the ability to cause minor injury or a momentary distraction, but again (in my humble opinion), pellet guns just are not made to be self-defense tools.  There are varying opinions about that out there, certainly, the video below explains some ideas on the subject.

Wrapping It All UP!

I believe in firearms as the most effective defensive measure in the event of a home invasion. Period!  Violent criminals only understand one thing: Force.  Speed, surprise, violence of action, and a determination to win will help you prevail against evil.  I always have a firearm at the ready at various places in my home and am ready to employ the firearms as a defensive measure all the time, but I also have non-lethal tools such as pepper spray and paintball guns that I see as viable options in home defense scenarios.  

Not everyone is comfortable with having firearms in their homes and would like a non-lethal measure to stop or at least slow down an attack.  Paintball guns offer a viable self-defense alternative, in my opinion.  There are a variety of inexpensive and reliable paintball guns out there, including the Tippmann A5 and Tiberius T8.1 guns, that can easily be adapted and customized for home defense use.  But whatever tool or tactic you choose, you must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of that tool, be familiar with its capabilities, and above all practice using them in order to be effective.

URGENT: Join The NRA Today!

Shameless commercial plug - I am an NRA Recruiter and get a commission for signing up new NRA members.  But here's the deal:  Our 2nd Amendment Rights Count On It...

We need your help!  There is no doubt that the 2018 legislative session in the state of Colorado and the nation is going to be tough on gun rights.  There is still yet a lot of work to do to save our rights and our future as gun owners.  The new gun-friendly administration has been elected, but they are under fire and being attacked by those not friendly to our rights as citizens to defend ourselves.  In fact, those wishing to take back power have even promised groups such as the "Brady Bunch" that they are will work on new gun control measures behind the scenes now and enact them once they are in power.  And unfortunately, their newly emboldened base consists of some of the most anti-gun, anti-self-defense people in history. 

But we have a strong ally:  The hard work and dedication of the professionals at the National Rifle Association will ensure that we can take the fight against draconian and excessive gun control measures to those who don't want us to defend ourselves.  Watch this SHORT VIDEO about the NRA to learn more...  Then JOIN, as we move forward in 2018 to ensure that all of us enjoy our RIGHTS for responsible gun ownership, self-defense.

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The Second Amendment is second in importance only to the First!!!  Indeed, it's the Second Amendment that allows the general population to defend all the rest of them from any attempt at tyranny.

"While the people have property, arms in their hands, and only a spark of noble spirit, the most corrupt Congress must be mad to form any project of tyranny."

Rev. Nicholas Collin, Fayetteville Gazette (N.C.), October 12, 1789

JOIN THE NRA TODAY

The following is a quote from James Madison sixteen (16) months before he introduced the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789.

"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of."

James Madison, The Federalist No. 48, February 1, 1788

My Philosophy

I believe that our Second Amendment rights afford us as law-abiding citizens the ability to own firearms, and we should be able to use the tools that we see fit to protect ourselves, our families, and our property.  The immortal and often debated meaning of the words of the Second Amendment "A well-regulated militia..." was intended to mean that all citizens have the right and responsibility to bear arms in protection of self, family, and country.  "Well regulated" at the time, meant well trained and disciplined.  We believe that the meaning and spirit of those words are just as relevant today.  Our citizens should be well trained, but "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." 

"The Gonz" is a Fort Collins-based political and gun rights activist, NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, and Law Enforcement AR-15/M-16/M-4A1 Armorer, and NRA Recruiter specializing in fostering gun rights and firearms safety.  We emphasize firearms safety and are strong advocates of a law-abiding citizen's right to own firearms for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes.  If you live in the Northern Colorado area, please ask how I can help you with all your firearms training needs.  By joining the NRA today, you are helping me to muster the vital resources needed to ensure that these rights are here for our children and future generations to come.

Say “Gun Lobby” One More Time…

I DARE you!  I DOUBLE DARE you!  Seems I always hear the same old worn out talking points from the usual gun-control suspects about how our lawmakers are in bed with the so-called “Gun Lobby.”  Every time someone opposes the new gun control legislation, the gun control crowd is all up in arms (pun intended) about how the “Gun Lobby” is controlling everything.  When the NRA or one of the other gun rights groups gives money to support a pro-Second Amendment candidate’s campaign, it is always the corrupt “Gun Lobby” that is the root of all this evil.  The people spewing this nonsense somehow think that the “Gun Lobby” ONLY supports and is beholding to big business and manufacturers.  Or maybe they think the “Gun Lobby” is in the pocket of some cabal with no regard for the fact that actual people just want to protect and enjoy their rights.  Basically, when the people in gun grabber land don’t get their way, it’s resistance to the evil “Gun Lobby” that becomes their battle cry. 

 “OMG!  The ‘Gun Lobby’ just gave $500 thousand dollars to Senator Smith’s campaign.”

“This is outrageous!  The ‘Gun Lobby’ gave $200 thousand dollars to help defeat our latest gun control measure.”

“Congressman Carson is in bed with the ‘Gun Lobby.’  That is so corrupt that he would take money from a special interest!”

“The ‘Gun Lobby’ is raising millions of dollars to oppose ‘common sense’ gun regulations.”

“This is sad!  The ‘Gun Lobby’ is responsible for the mass shooting that just occurred…”

Evidently, these people don’t realize that the Second Amendment is an enumerated individual right in the U.S. Constitution.  Nor do they realize that these gun rights groups are huge and active because of their large citizen memberships.

I apologize that I can’t write this post in crayon so that those who don’t get it can understand.  But this so-called “Gun Lobby” of which the gun control crowd speaks, The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, National Association for Gun Rights, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, and a whole host of others, is made up of over five million American Citizens!  That’s right!  We The People are members and make up the body of this so-called “Gun Lobby.”  We are members of these organizations because we are up against very rich and powerful people who oppose gun rights, and we know that the only way that we can win is to join together in a unified voice, and leverage the political and legal clout of these gun rights organizations to help preserve our RIGHTS. 

We pay dues and give donations to these organizations with the full expectation that they will use their muscle on our behalf to help elect pro-Second Amendment candidates, and strongly oppose draconian gun control measures.  So if you are going to claim that the so-called “Gun Lobby” is giving money to these efforts, then my response is: “You’re darn right they are!”  They are doing exactly what We The People, We The Members, and We The CITIZENS are paying them to do.  They are doing their JOB!

Oh, and by the way, the “Gun Lobby” does not cause any of these mass shootings for which the “Gun Lobby” seems to get the blame.  Those are done by sick and broken INDIVIDUALS.  And it’s funny: practically none of these mass murderers are ever NRA members.  Imagine that!

Not that any in the gun control culture will acknowledge these truths, or admit to their own hypocrisy.

"Evil" Rifle Features - Hand Grips

Why am I showing a video of rifles being modified to comply with California gun laws? Because with all the new talk about gun control, California is being looked at as the model for gun laws for the rest of the country. The sheer nonsense and poorly thought-out reasoning of all this is likely coming to a state/city near you, so I wanted to use their example to give you a preview of things to come. California is the home of some of the most Draconian and worthless gun laws in the nation, but it's not surprising that other states, in their haste to "do something," would quickly adapt their model.
There are various accounts in gun control lore about California Senator Diane Feinstein deciding what types of guns to try to ban simply by picking up a gun magazine and circling all the pictures of guns that had "scary" or "evil' features. Adjustable/foldable stocks, pistol grips, flash hiders, forward grips, detachable magazines, and even the infamous "barrel shroud" are all "features" of what she calls an "assault weapon" and all seem to make the gun more "shootier" to her. So she wants to ban these features. Actually, she wants to ban ALL guns. But that pesky U.S. Constitution keeps getting in the way.
“If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States, for an outright ban, picking up every one of them (every gun) Mr. and Mrs. America, turn ‘em all in. I would have done it.” - Diane Feinstein 
First off, these laws concerning firearms configuration are "engineered" by people who know nothing about firearms or firearms safety and are simply reacting to the fact that firearms are "scary" looking.  This is simply more of the "we gotta do SOMETHING" mentality, even if that something is meaningless or even dangerous.
The fact of the matter is that some of these modifications are just downright dangerous to the operator and those around him/her.  Things like certain handgrip modifications that make it easier to drop a rifle or fixed magazine modifications that make it more dangerous to clear certain types of firearms malfunctions all lend themselves to situations where people can get seriously hurt.  I'm not sure who the "experts" are that these people obtained when dreaming up these things, but I assure you that they just didn't think them through.  But I will discuss some of these modifications in more depth in separate posts.
So in this particular video, which mainly discusses "featureless rifles" and in particular different hand grips.  The issue with the handgrip, according to people like Diane Feinstein, is that it allows you to shoot the rifle "from the hip."  Really, Diane?  Is that your concern here? And I always thought that properly holding the rifle in a secure and safe manner would be a primary concern.  I want you to notice in this video how some of these grips just don't allow the operator to securely hold the rifle.  Dropping rifles is not what I call a safe practice.
If you don't have time to watch the whole video right now, at the very least, go to 12:55 in this video to listen to what Chris has to say about some of these ridiculous laws, and how they only penalize the law abiding.  Criminals and those with evil in their heart who want to shoot up Christmas parties, concerts, churches, or schools will not be following these laws.
Stay tuned for more information and more in-depth articles.  And stay involved!  Here in Colorado, we have a new legislative session coming up, not to mention the 2018 elections.  Now is not the time to go back to sleep.

Armor Concepts

Israeli Gun Handling Techniques

A few videos definitely worth watching.  The Israelis offer some different gun handling and tactical styles than what many of us in the U.S. are used to.  But I have a hard time discounting it when it's coming from an Israeli Special Forces instructor who has spent some time protecting his small country fighting the evilest people on the planet.

I'm going to practice these techniques and see how they work at my next pistol match.  A lot of what this guy shows seems to shave some valuable time off of the whole mechanical process for dealing with malfunctions, reloads, etc.

Another one worth watching.  In fact, I've watched this one a few times just to get some of the intricacies of the stances that he teaches.  These guys seem to have a very fast and efficient shooting style.

Israeli combat shooting with Masada Tactical - the audio is a little crappy at times due to the wind noise, but the techniques are interesting and worth a look.

Designed to Kill Large Numbers of People Quickly?!

This NRA-ILA article speaks to the rabid and incredible misunderstanding (and fear) possessed by the left of firearms. It also speaks to their complete lack of knowledge about firearms and their refusal to understand firearms usage facts, which leads to their inability make sound decisions when it comes to the legislation of firearms.

In the article, the lawmakers of Wisconsin say they want to ban so-called "assault weapons" and most other types of firearms because they deemed them dangerous because they are “designed to kill large numbers of people quickly.”

 In fact, it appears they are taking a shotgun approach (pun intended) to just ban any and all firearms they can think of. I am not sure they even know enough about firearms to know what kinds of guns can perform what actions, to be honest.

Hmmm.... well what d'ya know? I looked through all of the owner's manuals for all of my firearms, and in NOT ONE of these documents does it say that the firearm was designed for the explicit purpose of killing large numbers of people quickly.

A firearm has one, and only ONE purpose: To allow an operator to pull a trigger that actuates a firing pin that activates an ammunition cartridge and sends a projectile out of the barrel towards an intended target. THAT'S IT! That intended target may be a piece of paper, game being hunted, a home invader, or an invading enemy.

Killing large numbers of people is the intent of the heart of the operator of the firearm. The state of the heart may be that of a deranged and criminal mind who wants to kill as many innocent people as possible. Or the state of the heart may be a law abiding and decent citizen who wants nothing more than to protect loved ones and other innocents from a home invader or active shooter. Perhaps it's the heart of a hunter who wants to put food on the table. Or even just the heart of a sportsman who is competing in a shooting match.

The firearm itself does not have the ability to make these decisions, nor was it designed explicitly for any of these purposes.

Now I will tell you also what the 2nd Amendment was designed to do: It was designed to protect the individual RIGHT to own firearms for the purpose of protecting them from tyrannical governments and invading armies. And if it ever came to this, a firearm of the same type and action of those possessed by the invading entities was the idea of the framers when they wrote this amendment. In other words - possessing military style weapons was the intent of the framers, and is the RIGHT of individuals.

I'm not sure we're dealing with people of stellar intellect in these attempts to ban guns based solely on their perception (not knowledge) of the firearm's appearance, use, or purpose. The only thing I see in play here are people who act based on "feelings" (not knowledge) and the need to show others that they "are doing something."

The Aurora Massacre: The Case For Armed Citizens

(And Why Gun Free Zones Don't Work)

This past week has certainly been one of tragedy.  My heartfelt prayers and thoughts certainly go out to the victims, the families and the people of my home town of Aurora, CO.  I was in high school when the Aurora Mall, where the theater is, was brand new. And the apartment of the alleged gunman is just down the street from where I went to junior high school.  The apartment evacuees were relocated to my old high school.  But what really is disappointing to me (not surprising, but disappointing), is that the gun control wonks are coming out of the woodwork to use the blood of these innocent victims as a means for forwarding their agenda.  So, since everyone else is “Monday morning quarterbacking” this massacre, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon as well. 

That theater was a “gun free zone.”  More massacres have been successfully carried out in gun free zones than at places where good people were allowed to carry their gun.  Virginia Tech, the 2008 Chicago Mall shooting, and Fort Hood, just to name a few, are stark examples of this point.  On the flip-side, just take a look at the New Life Church incident in Colorado Springs a few years ago.  The gunman was armed similarly to the Aurora shooter.  But an armed woman was present and took him down before he could cause more than only a few casualties.  I carry all the time for that very reason.

Without an armed person present, those people had ZERO chance.  With an armed person present, their chances sure as heck would have been greater than zero!

On a Facebook discussion thread there was a comment made that one armed person in that theater could not have stopped the gunman. That's a perfectly valid point.  While it may be true (that one armed person may not have stopped the gunman), one armed person would have distracted the gunman long enough to allow more people to escape, or for others to take action.   It doesn't take much to distract a gunman who is as narrowly focused as this guy was. He was focused on killing as many people as he could. What I am talking about here is the concept that I wrote about in a previous article of getting off of your "X" and putting the bad guy on his "X." The other concept alluded to here is what we in armed self-defense circles call “gaining the half-second advantage.”  If you can distract the bad guy for even half a second, you can at least do something to take swift action and change the outcome - hopefully to a good outcome.

Yes, he had body armor. But, as the media likes to spin things, they called it a "bullet proof vest."  There is no such thing.  Different levels of body armor can protect against certain levels of ballistic performance, but no body armor is completely bullet proof. And depending on what he had, it is quite possible that he only had a low level of ballistic protection.  This guy didn't seem to know a whole lot about guns, to be honest.  So it isn't a far leap to say that he probably knew even less about ballistic protection.  An armed person would have tried to at least penetrate the body armor, and if that didn’t work try for a more vulnerable area.  At that distance (within that theater - a movie theater is way less than 25 yards), a head shot with a handgun is not out of the question. A proficient person with a handgun could have stayed concealed just long enough to un-holster and get a well-aimed shot off, then move to become a huge distraction to the shooter and attempt to take him down.  Either way, if the gunman had someone shooting back at him, he wouldn’t have been trying to shoot the people who were trying to escape.  

This why I am an armed citizen

The bottom line here is that the gun control crowd has got to finally realize that gun-free zones DON’T work, and allowing citizens to practice their right of self-protection DOES work.  This has been proven time and again.  Most sheepdogs I know are well trained to keep moving, and find shots that have a low perceived penalty for a miss. The shooter's main threat at that point would be the moving sheepdog with the gun that is shooting at him, so he wouldn't dare turn his attention to anyone else. Many more people would then be able to escape.Top of Form

Bottom of Form

So what can you do to be more prepared?  Take some form of “Active Shooter Response” training.  Even if you don’t carry a gun, this type of training will give you a good foundation of things to think about to increase your chances of survival.  I took some of my training through the FEMA Independent Study Institute, and I refresh the training annually.  For those of you who do carry a concealed handgun, I also encourage you to keep up on your live-fire training and keep those skills sharp.  See my previous article about the need for continuous training to learn more ways to stay polished.

This was a horrible event.  But let’s not continue to enable future similar events with more criminal enabling “gun free zones” and this insane insistence on taking away people’s rights to self-defense.  If guns were banned, he would have found another way to cause harm.  As Charlton Heston once said:  

"Here's my credo. There are no good guns, There are no bad guns.  A gun in the hands of a bad man is a bad thing.  Any gun in the hands of a good man is no threat to anyone, except bad people."

 

Self Defense in Washington D.C.

In this article I would like to discuss an aspect of gun ownership that many folks in other parts of the country take for granted, and probably don’t even have to think about too much: Defensive gun ownership rights – specifically, the concept of being able to own or even carry a concealed handgun for self defense.  In most other states, people have the ability to apply for,  and obtain concealed carry permits for the purpose of carrying a handgun for self defense.  And to this day, despite 2nd Amendment victories won by  the cases of D.C. versus Heller, and Chicago versus MacDonald, the people of Washington D.C. still find themselves facing difficult hurdles in order to even own a firearm, much less carry one.  The city council, and especially the Washington D.C. Police Chief are still of the opinion that if these folks aren't allowed to have guns, that all the crime will  magically disappear.  Well, it hasn't yet (D.C. is one of the highest crime cities in the U.S.), and the Washington D.C. police do not have the resources to protect every single individual.

 

I realize how much I take my own concealed carry permit for granted  every time  I find myself in Washington D.C. on business. When I have some down time, my mind wanders and I find myself comparing the culture in this part of the country to the culture we enjoy in Colorado. While there on one particular trip, I was often asked by friends and colleagues what I did for fun the afternoon or evening before. My response was usually along the lines of walking the National Mall (before sundown) and looking at the monuments – I love seeing our national monuments, and take the time to visit them every time I am there.

The response:
 

“You didn’t walk the National Mall at NIGHT, did you?!”

Well – no, but why would they ask such a thing?

“

"Because it just isn’t safe!”  was always the answer. Well – I knew that, thus my decision for not doing it.

Well – let’s talk about that for a moment. It’s not SAFE to walk the National Mall in Washington D.C.! And this sentiment in a city where the Police Chief, City Council, and Mayor have all made it clear that they do not like the idea of citizens being armed. But yet the Supreme Court has ruled (in the case of D.C. versus Warren and others) that the police do not have an obligation to protect individual citizens. My perception of how dangerous this city is can always be further perpetuated by the events of many late afternoons, when I am walking around the city, and there are police sirens whaling every so often, followed by something looking like a bomb disposal vehicle, followed by fire engines. “What the heck is going on here?” I have often thought. Why isn’t this place safe?  What causes a place like this to be widely considered dangerous to walk around at night, but yet those charged with protecting it would regard armed law abiding citizens as a bad thing?

In talking with a few of the locals, I most assuredly have my impressions confirmed that Washington D.C. is just widely regarded as having a high rate of violent crime. Now this is not something new – I know that many of you have heard this all before. But what occurs to me every time I come here is that there is a very simple explanation: Citizens are not allowed to have guns for self defense, either in the open, concealed, or just locked in the trunk of their cars. Until last year, handguns where completely outlawed. But even though the Supreme Court has ruled the bearing of arms to be a right that these citizens should enjoy, the city leadership has been throwing up roadblock after roadblock towards allowing these people to arm themselves and put the violent criminals on notice that they want to defend themselves.

Washington D.C. is not unique in this. Cities like Chicago, New York, and some other large metropolitan areas also have very restrictive gun laws, and citizens are deprived of the right to carry concealed weapons or in many cases even own them. What do they also have in common? Very high rates of violent crime! The economy is certainly having an effect on the increase in violent crimes every where¸ but when criminals know that their victims cannot fight back, they are further enabled and feel emboldened to commit these crimes. And in this city in particular, it is even illegal to carry knives and pepper spray. So basically, everyone except the criminals, is rendered completely defenseless.

What does this mean to us as United States Citizens?! We’re all voters! With some very important elections coming up in 2012, we need to start NOW in looking for state candidates who will help protect our rights to bear arms, to ensure that Colorado will continue to enjoy the rights we have now with no further erosion of these rights, and national candidates who will take this message to Washington D.C. The current administration is moving at a furious pace to change our country – I am wondering how long it will be before our “privileges” of concealed carry disappear, and our RIGHT to keep and bear arms is taken away for good. Get involved, get the word out, and wake your fellow Americans up.
 

Concealed Carry Bill Fails:

National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Fails—But What Is Behind The Scenes?

The John Thune (R—South Dakota) Senate bill to allow concealed carry (CCW) reciprocity nationwide failed to overcome a procedural hurdle and get out of committee. According to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action:

“By a 58 to 39 majority, the US Senate voted last week to let concealed handgun permit holders carry handguns across state lines. Yet, it was two votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster. The legislation sponsored by Senator John Thune (R, SD) would have allowed reciprocity in permitting, as anybody would still be required to obey the laws of the states that they travel in. This is the same way driver's licenses work.”

Perhaps there was more to this bill’s failure than is evident on the surface, and there are other reasons why the bill failed despite a majority being in favor. From Dudley Brown, Executive Director for National Association for Gun Rights:

“It wasn't a "lack of unity" in the Republican party that led to the Thune amendment's 58-39 demise: The Thune amendment was never supposed to pass.The entire process was calculated to fail … but only after dozens of anti-gunners on both sides of the aisle could exploit the chance to dissemble on the record as gun rights supporters.It's Washington politics at its finest -- voting "yes" on an ostensibly pro-gun bill orchestrated to die just short of the needed number of votes, but that could still be used to dupe constituents.”

That doesn't surprise me a bit! Colorado Senators Bennet and Udall, two of the most extreme liberal Senators in office, both voted "YES" on this bill. They were dissembling, of course. NO doubt a ruse to make us think they supported our gun rights. I'm sure Reid coached them on how to vote. D'ya think? 

There is no doubt that CCW privileges have come under fire from many in the gun control community. And in practically all of the cases of opposition, the fears and worries that would cause support for CCW to fail are unfounded. For example, some of the politicians had this to say about this bill:

“Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D, NJ) warned it is an "attempt by the gun lobby to put its radical agenda ahead of safety and security in our communities." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY) calls it a "harmful measure" that will put the public at risk. Senator Chuck Schumer (D, NY) said: "It could reverse the dramatic success we've had in reducing crime in most all parts of America."

As all of us who carry are well aware—the fears of the streets “running red with blood” that would surely have come about by CCW permitted citizens never came to pass. And the political wrangling that goes on to help politicians in danger of re-election in their districts, instead of addressing the real issues is something we should all be concerned with. The actions that took place behind the scenes on this bill should serve as a warning that we should be watchful of any future CCW related legislation, and ensure that our representatives are voting with reason instead of out of fear of losing voter support. 

Refuse to be a Victim: Defense-in-Depth for the Home

Staying safe in your own home should be a pretty straight forward process.  Go inside, lock the doors, and be safe.  You’re not overly worried about an invasion while you’re at home, right?  And if you leave lights on while you’re not at home, then that should deter most criminals, right?  Don’t bet on it!  Even in good neighborhoods these day, homes are being invaded and violent crimes committed in areas where we never thought we had to worry about such things.  The criminals are taking their show on the road and selecting neighborhoods where they know they can walk away with your valuables.

Download the home security self-assessment survey from Jeffco Sherriff's Dept.

Criminals have found more ways to break into homes, and more ways to bypass what we think are the normal protective measures, such as locked doors and windows.  They are also no longer limiting their invasions to times when they think the home is empty.  Invading a home while the occupants are there (see link at the end of this article) has afforded criminals several opportunities for committing even more serious crimes such as kidnapping, rape and robbery.  If they can abduct a person who can take them to an ATM to obtain cash, their reward from the crime becomes even greater.  Likewise, if someone is home, then they can possibly force them to open safes, unlock secured storage, or gain access to other valuables.  So as criminals get cleverer about their strategies, we also need to become craftier with our defenses.  And this doesn’t mean that we have to turn our homes into hardened fortresses where everyday life is uncomfortable.  We just need to find ways to be more aware and have multiple methods of protection.

This is where a term known as “defense-in-depth” comes in.  If you create multiple layers of protection around you and your family to defend against potential invaders, then the chances of a criminal successfully getting in and doing you harm is greatly reduced.  The idea here is that even if one or more layers of your defense are defeated, you will still be protected because there are other layers of protection in place to stop the attacker from getting in.  Multiple layers of protection will also allow you to be more flexible in your protections while allowing you to still live your life.  Remember – the idea isn’t to barricade yourself inside an impenetrable fortress and have not a life.  The goal is to have a safe place of residence and still be able to live comfortably.

Attitude & Awareness:  A secure attitude is the very first and most important building block of your home security strategy that you should develop.  Just being aware of what is around you, and what condition your other security measures are in is really all we’re talking about here.  Keeping the mind set of always locking doors (even during the day) and always being aware of your surroundings will go a long way towards ensuring your safety.  Obviously you can’t be in a heightened state of awareness all the time.  You like to sleep occasionally, right?  But that’s where having multiple layers of protection will come into play, as we will discuss further in this article.  And the importance of this attitude is to realize that you are not doing these things because you are afraid, you are doing them to protect yourself and your family.

Exterior Areas:  Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed – don’t give criminals a place to hide.  Find some attractive "thorny" bushes to put in front of your windows.  Don’t leave tools and ladders outside and accessible where someone can use them to break into your home.  Keep outside areas well lighted.  Consider installing motion detectors for turning on outside lights when someone enters the area leading up to your doors.  Make sure the garage door is closed.  If you have large dog doors, make sure they are secured when not in use.  When you come home, make sure you are aware of what's going on as you enter the house.  If anything seems out of place upon your arrival home, leave the area immediately, go to a neighbor's house, and call 911.

Large windows on the sides of entry doors allow potential intruders to see in and see what's there!

Exterior Facing Door Areas:  Install wide-angle peep-holes to allow you to see more area of the outside entry way.  Covering windows that allow people to look inside is an important step in foiling would-be home invaders also, especially if you have an alarm system with a control panel that is visible in the front or rear entry areas.  For example, some people have large windows on either side of the entry door that allows someone to view into the house.  Many alarm installers will put the control panel for the alarm system adjacent to an entry door.  If a potential intruder can peer in and see the alarm status lights, then they know whether or not your alarm system is even armed.  Consider putting curtains or opaque window film over these windows.  There are many attractive options that will still allow light to come in, but will make it very difficult for people to see details about the inside of your entry areas.

Alarm Systems:  Consider installing an electronic alarm system with battery backup, connected to a centrally monitored alarm company via telephone.  These types of alarm systems are very affordable, and can also detect smoke/fire and carbon monoxide, making them extremely effective in several different aspects of home security.  Panic buttons are a popular feature of these alarm systems.  A panic button can be hard mounted on a wall, but can also be a wireless device, and portable, resembling a key fob.  Not only can you use the wireless devices to alert the alarm company in a panic situation, but they can also be used to arm and disarm your alarm system from anywhere in the house.   These types of alarm systems can be very sophisticated, and allow you all sorts of options such as glass break detectors, motion detectors, and sensors to detect if windows are opened.  The options are many and varied for these systems.

Dogs and Signs:  Even if you don’t have an alarm system, a sign warning potential criminals can still be effective.  They don’t know that you don’t really have an alarm, but such a sign makes them think that you do, and therefore they perceive that they have a higher risk by breaking into your home.  This may be enough to make them bypass your house and look for an easier target (deterrence is another layer of defense).   Likewise, even if you don’t have a dog, there are companies such as DutchGuard that make motion detecting devices that will emit a very realistic dog bark.  Of course, actually having a big dog in the house will serve as a powerful deterrent.   And if a potential intruder peers into the house and sees a large set of food and water bowls laying by the entry, that may be enough to give them reason to look elsewhere for an easier target.  Even if you don’t have the big dog, put a set of food and water bowls meant for a large dog near interior areas visible to the outside.

Safe Room:  Have more than one safe room, if possible.  The safe room in many homes is a master bedroom because that is where many people keep their gun safes, and have other necessities such as a bathroom, water, and other comfort items in case they will be there for several hours.  If your safe room is something such as a master bedroom, consider changing out the small screws for the door hinges and latch plate with the longer three-inch screws to make the door harder to break down.  Install a solid core door if possible.  Install key-lockable entry locks on the safe room entry door.  Make sure your safe room has a phone (both landline and cell phone, if possible).  If you have firearms for home defense, make sure they are in the safe room area.  Have one of those remote alarm control device with a panic button, as mentioned above.  Make sure all of your family members know where the safe room is.  Have a code word that you use to tell everyone to get to the safe room quickly in an emergency.

If an intruder does break in, and you have all of your family members safely inside the safe room, STAY THERE!  Dial 911, activate your panic button, and keep emergency services on the line until help arrives.  Keeping them on the line is especially beneficial if you have a firearm as part of your home defense strategy.  They are able to hear you as you warn the invaders that you have a firearm and that you will shoot them if they enter your safe room.  This warning is recorded by the 911 operator, and may be helpful in the follow-up investigation, especially if you are forced to use your firearm for self defense.

Security Accessories:  Make sure and keep additional items that will help you in various areas throughout the house.  Flashlights with extra batteries can be kept in multiple places throughout the house.  Your cell phone should be with you.  Even keeping those old, un-used cell phones handy and charged up can be used.  Even if a cell phone isn’t activated with an account, you can still make 911 emergency calls from them.  A remote alarm system controller with a panic button is highly recommended if you have an alarm system installed.  Pepper sprays and other non-lethal self defense items can also be beneficial.  Also keep a first aid and 72-hour kits in your safe room.

Warning:  Any of the practice drills mentioned below should be done with an unloaded firearm.  Remove ALL live ammunition from the area before performing any practice drills. Use only unloaded firearms when practicing.  Check and double-chek your firearm to make sure it is unloaded before attempting any drills or practice in the home.

Drills and Practice:  Hopefully you already have fire drills in your home. But do you ever have a home invasion drill, possibly even in the middle of the night?  Try it some time, and ask yourself the following questions to identify potential areas where you need to develop a strategy: 

• Does everyone know where to go? 
• How long does it take them to get there? 
• Would anyone have to get to the safe room by first going through a part of the house that might be occupied by the potential intruder? 
• If you have a child in another part of the house, away from the safe room, how do you venture through the house to get to that child to ensure their safety.
• Do you have a defensive firearm?  Do you know how to gain access to it, even in the dark?

If you have a defensive firearm in a handgun safe, for example, drill yourself on how much time it takes to get into the safe, access your firearm and other essential tools such as a flashlight.  Do this both in the light, and in the dark.

Wrapping It All Up: Even if someone does break in and takes your property, property can be replaced.  That’s what insurance policies are for.  The purpose of having a home defense strategy is to keep you and your family members safe in case of a home invasion.  The purpose of a home defense firearm should always be that it is the last line of defense in an attack, and then used ONLY to stop the attack.  There are many layers that you can employ for your home defense strategy.

The home defense methods mentioned in this article are only some of the home defense techniques that can be used.  The NRA’s nationally recognized “Refuse To Be a Victim” seminar taught by Northern Colorado Firearms Safety Training will give you a well rounded self defense strategy.  We include information on keeping your home safe, staying safe while out and about, safety while traveling, and even safety while using your computer online.  See our scheduling for an upcoming class, or ask us about private instruction.

For More Information:  For a more complete self-assessment of your own home security, download this document.  It is published by the Jefferson County, Colorado Sheriff's office, and can be used to help you assess your own home security and find out which areas need attention.

Follow Up:  1/8/11 - Just as I was finishing writing this, I saw the following article in which men with shotguns burst into an occupied home at 9:30pm demanding money:

Article:  Home Invasion Suspects Arrested