Tactical Skills for a Life Well Lived
Let’s talk about twist rates.
Specifically, I want to dig into the purpose of rifling and how to determine the right twist rate for your rifle and cartridge. There’s a bit of math here, but I promise to give you an “easy button” by the end.
So let’s get to it. [Read Full Article »]
Looking for a last minute stocking stuffer? I didn’t want to put out just another “Christmas Gifts for Gun Guys” list. Instead, I want to show you some things that you might not have heard of or thought about.
I own or have used everything I’m recommending here. [Read Full Article »]
I competed in a lot of local outlaw matches for years before finally going to a “real” one.
Excellence in Competition matches, or EIC, happen periodically at military bases all over the country. They follow CMP rules, with a few twists.
I shot this match with an off-the-rack M16A2 from my base’s CATM facility. I ended up winning a medal, but I learned a lot along the way. [Read Full Article »]
With my upcoming GoRuck Tough in April 2019, I wanted to turn the clock back and look at what happened at my last GoRuck event.
Set the way back machine to August 2016. I wasn’t far from leaving the Air Force, and looking for a challenge. The day taught me a lot about grinning through the pain and discomfort.
It also taught me the value of a team. [Read Full Article »]
The Precision Armament AFAB is a killer muzzle device for making any AR-15 shoot smooth and flat. I’ve used it in competition and training courses, and it’s been flawless.
Of course, it comes at a cost. It’s much more expensive than a standard A2 flash hider.
As fun as these kinds of muzzle devices are, you shouldn’t be thinking about one in order to fix your own poor shooting fundamentals. In that regard, I’m not sure I would recommend something like this for a first rifle or a new shooter. In those circumstances, I’d save the money and spend it on practice ammo. [Read Full Article »]
Cardio training is one of those things that everyone knows they’re supposed to be doing. Yet science is showing that most of are doing it wrong. As it turns out, our bodies are best at either training at low intensity for aerobic conditioning, or at high intensity for anaerobic value.
There isn’t really a middle ground.
In this post, I want to talk about the Maffetone Method, which is a science-driven way to improve your cardiovascular aerobic base. And the best part, it’s actually pretty simple. [Read Full Article »]
Sandbag training is a fantastic way to add some realism to your strength and conditioning routine. The simple truth is that not all the movements you need to do in the real world involve perfectly balanced weights that you hold right on the center of gravity.
In the real world, we have to hold onto and carry boxes, sacks, and other things that aren’t always easy to carry. Adding sandbags to your program help with those items as well as offer a lot of other benefits.
This article dives into the numerous reasons you should consider training with sandbags as well as some of my favorite exercises and fitness routines utilizing them. [Read Full Article »]
The Thrym Pyrovault is a nifty little gizmo for protecting a classic Zippo insert and helping slow the evaporation of the lighter fluid.
I recently received one as a birthday gift from family, and thought I’d look at it from the perspective of someone who EDC’s a lighter every day for those “just in case” moments.
The findings are a mixed bag. [Read Full Article »]
Buckle up, because I’m about to talk nerdy. This post is all about the two most common marksmanship measurement systems, how to use them, and which one you should use.
Be warned, I will be dropping some math on you. I’ll be gentle, though.
Minutes of Angle are an easy way to teach someone the basics if you’re sticking to the imperial system, but it does end up being more difficult to work with later on. A minute of angle is a more precise unit of measurement when you’re trying to squeeze maximum accuracy.
Milliradians are super convenient to use with the 10-based metric system. It also works with inches and yards with a little bit of math. The real benefit to MRAD is that it’s faster to communicate and make adjustments. The 10-based math makes calculations significantly quicker. [Read Full Article »]
Shooting enthusiasts, especially new ones, tend to try and shortcut the mastery process. They want to reach the next level with a minimum of effort.
The truth is that a standard rifle is more than capable of all the precision a new shooter can muster. Standard Colt AR-15’s turn in 1 MOA groups on a regular basis with good ammo. Factory bolt action rifles commonly do even better.
Research shows that increasing the accuracy of a rifle from 1 MOA to .5 MOA only increases hit probability 3.8%. When it comes to matches, there is only a 10-15% increase in scores for good shooters moving from basic rifles with no support equipment to match rifles, shooting coats, and slings.
Stop wasting money chasing tighter groups. [Read Full Article »]
