Thank you for coming by The Everyday Marksman. This site and its community are a labor of love. I hope you stick around for a while, and maybe even join us.
-Matt
Adventure is Just Bad Planning
One of the most important habits my family taught me growing up was the value of playing "what if." In this episode, I talk about the Special Forces PACE model for planning and how it applies to everyday situations.
A Marksman’s Guide to the Sitting Position
Jeff Cooper, in The Art of the Rifle, stated that the seated position is the most useful for hunters. Military shooters use it less because it's neither as low as prone nor fast like squatting or kneeling.
Talking about the M16A5 with Lothaen of TNR
In this episode, I sit down with Lothaen of The New Rifleman to discuss our mutual love for the M16A5 rifle. You know...the one that never really came to be for the US Military. It turns out that both of us have our own versions and experiences, and thought you might enjoy a little casual conversation about it.
Beginner’s Guide to the Best AR-15 Upgrades
With so many new gun owners out there, especially new AR-15 owners, I wanted to lay down some thoughts on the best upgrades for their shiny new rifles. Settle in, we cover a lot of ground.
The Everyday Knot Tying Challenge
This Marksman Challenge is all about the art of tying knots. I've long observed that experienced outdoorsmen learn to tie a few reliable knots extremely well, and use them for just about everything. Knowing knots also means you can carry less stuff. So let's get on to the challenge.
The Enemy of Good Enough: Advocating for the MCC
Today's episode is bringing it back to the Minimum Capable Carbine that I wrote about in my article about your first AR-15. With so many new shooters out there dealing with their first guns, I'm seeing a lot of questions about all the little minutiae that I remember obsessing over when I got started. So this episode is really about giving some advice. Here's the short version: Don't do it.
The Recce Rifle: Builder’s Guide to Modern Classic
The original SEAL Recce Rifle was an in-house modification to M4 carbines. The history goes back to the early 1990s. Since they were so individualized, there really wasn't a spec, but there is an accepted pattern to follow.
Make the Sacrifice Worth it: Olympic Shooting with Amanda Banta
Amanda Banta is a national rifle champion and Olympic competitor. She began shooting at 11 years old and competed in the 2012 Olympic games only 9 years later. In this conversation, we take a look at what it took to make that kind of progress, what it means to have a winning mindset, and of course learn some tips for better marksmanship practice.
On the Cheap: 22LR as an Awesome Long-Range Training Tool
Today I'm broaching on the biggest omission from my safe: a 22LR rifle. I know it's been a great training tool for generations, but I've never been interested. Until now, that is. And the reason I'm suddenly interested is how well the little rimfire works as a trainer for larger centerfire cartridges like the 308 at long ranges.
Make faster Hits and Improve Marksmanship with Your Point Blank Zero
Most field shooters, from big game hunters to military members, do not have the luxury of time to check distance, adjust sights, and take a precisely aimed shot. Knowing and using the point blank zero is a tool for helping with that.
Community Member Highlight: Graveyard Fields
This episode is another in our community member highlight series. Today we’re focusing on Justin “Graveyard” Fields, who is very active in the community and is himself a prolific blogger. Among other blogs he runs, he most recently set up Swift | Silent | Deadly, a blog focused on full-spectrum individual security. In this interview, we talk a bit about how Justin got interested in writing about this particular set of topics as well as his thoughts on the lessons we should all be taking away from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation for Everyday Living
It's March 2020, a time when people are well and truly panicked about a virulent flu strain. Government institutions across the globe are flailing about for consequence mitigation strategies with greater or lesser success and some risk of unintended consequences. People panic because they don’t trust established institutions to handle an emergency. Institutions lose trust because they’re corrupt, incompetent, unresponsive or some combination. So we must ask the question: What’s a working man to do?