Had a busy week so didn’t have time to write anything properly. A couple of short thoughts for you.

“Teaching people a large number of sword techniques is turning the way into a business of selling goods, making beginners believe that there is something profound in their training by impressing them with a variety of techniques. This attitude toward strategy must be avoided, because thinking that there is a variety of ways of cutting a man down is evidence of a disturbed mind. In the world, different ways of cutting a man down do not exist.” -Musashi; This applies to gunfighting. Think about it.

The Dunning-Kruger effect, essentially, is the less someone knows about a topic the more competent and capable they think they are in regards to it. That person massively over estimates their abilities in that area. Often extreme confidence is a sign of extreme incompetence. Experts tend to underestimate their knowledge and abilities. Knowing about Dunning-Kruger though often leads someone to the contrary effect that is impostor syndrome. This is especially the case in the propaganda environment we find ourselves. Some expert employed with some agency or university knows better than you, that you possibly cannot know because you don’t hold the correct title, correct job, correct history - when in fact you can know and maybe do. It somewhat explains the situation we find ourselves in this very day. Otherwise very smart people and that know better are under the effect of this phenomenon. They, as true experts, are receiving information from on high and thinking their questioning of it just shows they don’t really know enough. In fact this questioning is correct but is being dismissed by the expert, because someone is more expert. They acquiesce to social pressure in order to not be discovered as an impostor. But they are not an impostor.

“Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.” – Sun Tzu

Today’s post is video heavy. These are generally aimed at law enforcement, works very well for capable citizen too.

Everyone should spend quite a bit of time on dry fire as it is one of the best things you can do to clean up trigger pull and grip. Something a lot of people fail to do is do a frequent gear check doing a full draw from concealment. Just like dry fire this can be done off the range. At the range people tend to set up perfect situations, move concealment garments out of the way prior to drawing, and/or run with a range rig and never practicing with their concealment rig. Keep in mind that drawing and re-holstering is generally the activity responsible for someone shooting themselves via sloppy trigger discipline.

Describing how to do a clean draw and presentation is difficult to do in writing. This is one of those places that a video is going to win.

“Those who win every battle are not really skillful—those who render others’ armies helpless without fighting are the best of all.” — Sun Tzu

In the tactical realm our firearms seem to become hammers and every possible problem a nail to strike. In many ways the use of your firearm is accepting the consequences of mutually assured destruction. You are willing to invite into your life the authorities, press, and a hostile stranger’s friends & family. As discussed in the use of force continuum there are many other uses of force available other than deadly force. There are ways to alter someone’s behavior to your favor without ever laying hands on them or inflicting damage. The most effective and complete victory is the battle you do not fight and still end in a favorable position.

A reminder, I’m not an attorney. None of this is legal advice. Simply passing along my framework, previous experience, and training.

Continuing from last week’s post on the use of force continuum.

In Montana our crimes are contained in Title 45 of the Montana Code Annotated. We have a great advantage in this State that we elect Citizen Legislators rather than professional ones. Our laws are generally readable and understandable to the lay person, because they generally are written by the average citizen for the average citizen. This is an odd time to be writing this as the Legislature is currently in session and a few of the laws referenced below are slated to change.

These laws are incredibly important to know and understand. To the point that I believe it is negligent if willing to use force and have the means to do so to not understand them and their implications. This overview is not all inclusive! There are laws I am leaving out. It’s on you to read the law in relation to the commentary below. Understand that “and” “or” “shall” “may” etc are extremely important when it comes to reading laws and must be taken strictly. Do note that “use of force” does not automatically mean deadly force. A common theme in these laws is specifically lining out when deadly force is justified. Part of my framework is that force is only justified in stopping a crime in progress. If there is no crime being committed there is no justified use of force. Of course as all things this can be taken too far we are not the police so it is not our role or place to stop all wrongs we see in our presence… as such note the distinct lack of traffic offenses below.