Benefits of Applying for a California CCW Permit

California is a state with strict gun control laws, but there are still many people who believe that they should be able to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense. If you are one of these people, then you may be wondering if it is worth it to apply for a California CCW permit. There are many benefits to having a California CCW permit. First, it gives you the legal right to carry a concealed weapon. This means that you can protect yourself from harm in any situation, whether you are at home, at work, or out in public. Second, a California CCW permit can give you peace of mind. Knowing that you have the ability to defend yourself can be a huge relief, especially if you live in an area with high crime rates. Third, a California CCW pe...  Read More

For the times they are a-changin

For the times they are a-changin You’re all thinking Bob Dylan and that’s okay.  Maybe some of his song will align with this long, overdue blog.  It’s been awhile and I apologize.  Also, if you don’t care about protecting yourself, your family, and the others you care about, just stop reading this now.  Put your gun in the safe, lock it up, and one day maybe you’ll get your money back when you sell it. I’ve devoted a fair amount of my life to firearms training, starting with my dad at age 6 who thought it was more important to throw a .22 in my hand first, followed with a 44 Magnum, instead of learning to say “Daddy” first.  Thank you Dad!!  My firearms world progressed from changing old habits, to learning from some of the finest indi...  Read More

Coronavirus Update

In light of the many calls we are receiving regarding Coronavirus concerns, and building on our PRIVATE training & purchasing mindset, we are offering the following additional purchasing & training options effective immediately: PRIVATE FIREARM / AMMO SALES Customers wishing to purchase firearms, ammunition, or accessories, may reserve PRIVATE appointments. These appointment reservations are closed to the public.  In addition, we can order anything you need and have it available for pickup in 2-3 days.  Visit our website, email us at info@308tac.com, or give us a call 720-325-1393. PRIVATE TRAINING All of our training courses can be reserved for any day (by appointment only) for PRIVATE parties (2 or more).  These reserved cou...  Read More

21 Feet

After a long week of advanced pistol training and certification with many of our brothers from Colorado Law Enforcement (hats off to Douglas County Sheriffs Dept for hosting this event), I was reminded, amongst other things, the relationship between time and distance.  We need to focus on fundamentals at longer distances, and when the distance is short, we have a very small amount of time to solve our problem.  Like less than a couple seconds. To illustrate the later, we ran a daytime drill allowing an officer to start running away up range (officers are back to back moving opposite directions), allowing another shooting officer to draw and fire on a paper target downrange when he moved away from his back.  The purpose was to see how fa...  Read More

Full Moon

In my usual banter at advanced classes, I’ll usually reference the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs to make some point in my training.  A good discussion I thought I would share and maybe get some of you to think about which group you belong to, in spirit, training, and preparation, and the opportunity to change if that’s part of your bucket list. The sheepdog has committed to protecting the flock.  In spirit, there is a higher percentage here in the US than probably anywhere on the planet.  The true sheepdog requirement is being armed, trained, and prepared.  The sheepdog lives to protect.  He will sacrifice for his beliefs, not just those he loves.  They have a “when”, not “if” mindset.  They intimidate those who intimidate others.  The ...  Read More

TRAINING VIDEO: Negligent Discharge

Training Video:  Negligent Discharge (ND) The video below is a reminder of the importance of obtaining proper training with respect to reluctantly holstering, proper holster selection, continual training, checking for loose attire, and weapon modifications. Turn your volume down! You'll notice the video title is labeled "Accidental Discharge" when I've labeled it "Negligent Discharge.  Let's define the two concepts before we dig into the specifics. Accidental Discharge or AD, is a discharge happening by chance, either unintentionally or unexpected.  Negligent Discharge or ND, is a discharge involving failing to take proper care in doing something. The number of possibilities of this ND incident is many, and all of them point ...  Read More

What's the Mission?

I’m continually amazed every month as I start a new defensive rifle course at the varying array of rifle types, styles, and accessories a new student will bring.  As we sit in the classroom and discuss why they selected their rifle and accessories, most just scratch their head and come back with something like “I want everything I can have for any situation” or “I did my homework for the best, most accurate match rifle possible” or something to that effect.  I see match rifles, lasers, high-magnification optics, etc.  Nothing is wrong here, but there’s a much more important thing to understand. At some point as we near the end of our roundtable discussion, some will realize before I say it – “Your mission matches your gun.”  Your defens...  Read More

Style vs. Style

Numerous opinions, concepts, and theories encompass the concealed carry topic.  I probably could talk for a month on everything I’ve absorbed over my lifetime about concealed carry.  Quite often, I will engage a new or renewal concealed carry student who currently or plans to conceal occasionally because they believe there are times it’s not needed, or they don’t want to change the style of their dress to accommodate concealment.  The later will either bury their pistol in a backpack or somewhere in their car. If there’s one thing I know, and know for certain, if you ever encounter a threat situation where you need to defend your life, or someone around you, it will be quick and close.  The primary reason for concealed carry is time.  T...  Read More

Pistols & RMR's

In short, an RMR is a 1x (non-magnified) small red dot sight made by Trijicon.  As of this posting, I only reference the RMR due to its rugged engineering and field use by the military.  There are other red dot options, but I have not found any rugged enough for my uses.  These can be mounted on almost anything, but for this discussion, it will be a pistol mount. I was very leery when I first heard of colleagues mounting RMR’s on their primary defensive pistols.  But, after considering the possible benefits they may add, I jumped on board and here’s what I found. Consistent presentation and proper body index is key to taking advantage of the RMR.  Yes, it is an advantage and one I recommend if you want to take the time to integrate int...  Read More

The 6th Commandment

If you’re a self-defense gun owner, regardless of your faith, or lack thereof, at some point you are going to have to determine if you can take the life of another human being.   Yes, this is as serious as it gets for the defensive gun owner, but it’s never discussed.  There are legal implications, as well as moral ones.  Both of which could be discussed until the end of time, and both you will need to address as well. Let’s talk about the phycological implications.  Imagine the scene as follows -  My wife, child, and I are enjoying a very late night dinner.  We hear a window breaking in the far corner of the house.  I investigate and determine someone is trying to break into our house.  We both see each other.  We both are armed and we...  Read More

Muzzzle Discipline

For those of you lucky enough to witness my tirade when I see poor muzzle discipline, then congratulations. You know how important it is and this real-world example will prove why. This past weekend after a long weekend of training at the Navy Base, I had a student experience an Accidental Discharge (AD), not to be confused with Negligent Discharge (ND), which most stories sadly fall into. Due to his training and muzzle discipline, the bullet safely went downrange. I would be safe to say that it was a quality firearm (AR) I would have in my array (some may say differently) and the student followed the normal safety procedures (manual safety on, finger off the trigger, muzzle discipline) as he performed a reloading operation. As he struc...  Read More

Eyes Wide Open

It’s funny to read all the posts out there about why you should train with both your eyes open.  For the most part, they all have good points and they're all valid.  “You can see more with 2 eyes, better depth perception, you can move faster, and the list goes on. The main point that just about everyone misses is the moment we encounter our first threat situation our brain is GOING TO FORCE both our eyes to remain open during our fight (or flight for some) due to stress.  Your brain is telling your body “I’m in survival mode and I need to change things to ensure I survive.”  Unless you’re David Copperfield and you can control the chemical reactions that take place in your body during this stress encounter, it’s going to happen. Other th...  Read More

Are You a Liability?

I often reflect on a previous law enforcement training engagement I had which involved some remedial training for a group of LEO’s.  The end of day approached fast (as happens when you’re on the range all day) and the Senior Rangemaster for the department confronted me and asked “Is he an asset or liability?”  Clear, concise words I use to this day. With more and more companies popping up offering 4 hour classes for concealed carry, no mandate from states on sensible training standards, and allowing virtually anyone to train, leaves me wondering should I give up or do what I can to attract students to convince them training is a necessity.   In the fight or flight scenario, I guess I’ll continue to fight, since flight is not a word in m...  Read More