Defensive Carry | S.W.A.T. Magazine

GET THE LEAD OUT: Lead Faucet Tactical Pistol Course

“If at the end of the next three days of pistol training, you’ve learned one or two good take-aways, I will have done my job.” Dan Brokos began his Training Day 1 brief with this humble statement. He didn’t promise any magic and honestly shared with us the evolution of fighting with a firearm based…

TRAINING WITH THE BENGHAZI HEROES: Battleline Tactical Concealed Carry Class

Many heroes grace the pages of S.W.A.T. Magazine. Sometimes they teach classes. Other times they stand side-by-side with us in classes—often with us none the wiser. I was fortunate enough to attend a class taught by two heroes: Kris “Tanto” Paronto and Dave “Boone” Benton. Both men were part of the CIA Annex security team…

CROSSING THE RED LINE: Women Train To Fight Back

Stacey Adams is a pretty typical American woman, a 40-something self-described liberal, raised in Northern California and now living in Colorado. She shops at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s when she gets into the city. She has a soft spot for all animals, even rescuing an injured field mouse she found in a grain bin.…

Force Multiplier: Knife and Gun Integration

We’re all familiar with the old adage, “Never bring a knife to a gunfight.” And while we should always carry a gun as our primary weapon, having one doesn’t rule out also having the other. In fact, we should carry both. We need to prepare for all contingencies. It’s about options. In a close-quarters lethal-force…

Active Shooter: First Responder or Unwilling Participant?

Sometimes in life, things get a little spooky. I left the house early to attend a new class by Firearms Training Associates (FTA)—Active Shooter II, Counter Terrorism Response—and by the time I got home early that evening, every TV station was filled with news of a car and stabbing attack that had just occurred in…

Push, Hold, Act: Gunsite Active Shooter/Terrorist Response Course

You’re probably familiar with the phrase “Run, Hide, Fight,” that’s promoted—in that order—as the correct response to an active shooter. While that might be good advice for some and can be learned by watching videos on YouTube, unfortunately the end result is often Run, Hide, Die.

Going Armed: Concealed-Carry Scenario Training

When going through the process of acquiring a firearms carry permit, don’t forget that two of the requisites for the lifestyle are the proper mindset when going armed in public, and the personal resolution required to use the firearm if necessary and justified. It’s not enough just to have the firearm with you. You must…

Carrying a Handgun: Separate Facts From Fallacies

Carrying a handgun, concealed or otherwise, is permitted by law in many states. Several states have no restrictions on carry, and a number of others have “shall issue” laws. And of course a few states severely restrict not only the carrying of a weapon by honest citizens, but also prohibit the mere possession of a…

The .380 for Self-Defense: Modern Marvel or Passing Fad?

In the last few years, a lot of people have accepted that the police, no matter how good, are really historians. When they arrive, they ask, “What happened here?” in the past tense. When an attack is happening here, the police are usually way over there. That makes you your own first responder.

Back to Basics: An Instructor Goes to Gunsite

Why would a nationally recognized defensive firearms instructor spend a week taking a basic defensive pistol course? What would he gain by learning how to draw and shoot, malfunction clearance and speed and tactical reloading? The answers to these questions might surprise you.