Riclin Firearms Training, LLC

While you are training with your handgun, don’t neglect continuing your academic education in concealed carry as well.

The field of self defense is changing and evolving and you need to keep current with new techniques, changes in the law and new ways to deal with a variety of situations.

Books, magazines and Internet web sites and forums are just four of the many ways to increase your academic knowledge. A note of caution… always check the accuracy and validity of any information before you act on it.

Shoot one handed often, with your weak hand only, as well as with your strong hand only! I know I have probably said this before, but in reading the March 2012 issue of Guns magazine I found an article by Massad Ayoob who states

“I’ve talked to guys who survived shooting weak-hand who would have been killed otherwise because their strong hand was out of commission, and I can’t help but notice that in some 40 years of NYPD gunfights, 38 percent or more have been 1-handed shooting events.”

This article reinforced to me that fact that you need to be ambidextrous in your shooting.

Always have an “out”… your own personal escape plan per say. Be aware of everyone around you at all times not just in big crowds. Especially in the places you feel the safest… your home, your business, even your place of worship. Share your plan with your loved ones, making sure they know what to do and when to do it.

Tactical Response Newsletter
February 2012

You need to practice shooting in all sorts of awkward positions. It is very unlikely you will have the opportunity to assume a perfect Weaver or Isosceles stance to engage the bad guy. The position you use will be the one you happen to be in when the bad guy attacks. You need to be able to shoot from any position…sitting, standing, walking, lying down…you never know.

The holiday season is upon us and many of you will be traveling. If you are going to be traveling with your handgun be sure to go to www.handgunlaw.us for current information on the various states’ concealed carry laws. As of 11/23/2011, according to that web site, the following states will accept your New Mexico concealed carry license…AK, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NV, OK, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY. Please note that this list has been recently updated by the NM Department of Public Safety. And remember, while traveling, you must comply with the concealed carry laws of the state that you happen to be in.

Practice your reloads…both the ‘speed’ reload (when the magazine is empty and the slide locks back) and the ‘tactical’ reload (where the magazine is partly empty and you simply replace the magazine). Practice both types until you can do them smoothly. Then close your eyes and practice…you need to be able to do them in the dark as well.

If you are planning on flying with your handgun, check out this web site Glock Talk and in particular the forum thread that link takes you to. Mac’s Guide to Flying with a Firearm is a very good article on flying with your firearm and well worth reading if you will be flying with your handgun.

Mac says…

My Colorado CWP gives me a lot of places I can carry. And seeing as I travel a lot, I’ve started flying with my CCW quite a bit too. At first it can be a little confusing, nervous, etc. But after doing this for a few years, and a lot of trips, I’ve been able to boil my system down to something that I believe is secure and works for me.

A. Packing and security
B. Checking your bag at the airline
C. Things I’ve had go wrong (there are very few, and none were major issues).

You can get even more information reading through a number of additional and informative posts in his thread.

Tip of the Month… When you travel, make use of www.handgunlaw.us to learn what the laws, rules and regulation are for the states you will be traveling in. I recently traveled to Montana (which meant driving through Colorado and Wyoming as well) and was able to figure out where I could and couldn’t carry in those three states. Steve and Gary are doing us all a great service by developing and maintaining this very useful site.