Jamie Jackson

I will refer to my previous post quoted above. Thanks for the link Ugly.

May God Bless you and his Mom Randall. I am so sorry to read this. Words carry little weight at a time like this, but we'll pray for you and your family and Trust in Him.

Jeez. I've never heard of this ammo before, and at that price I would expect it to be friggin' clean and shiny... Does any of it wipe off? or is it firmly adhered to the cases? Have you contacted them about this yet?

Very nice looking cut of venison. I love the stuff. I've never been able to smoke any that was truly tender, adding moisture, like a can of water with sliced apples helps...but only so much. At least in my experience. Now slow roasting venison in a cast iron dutch oven? Damn right! Save us a slice will ya?

Thanks again K. I received the e-mail notification that Kunstler's book arrive at my local branch library and just went and picked it up. I'm impressed as that was pretty darn quick! Thanks also for the Witch of Hebron recommendation. Save me some bucks!

I venture a guess the officer was Brandon Sharp. If so he is a dialed in individual and all around good guy. We were fortunate indeed and we're trying to arrange for an expanded version for next year as this is supposed to be an annual event for us. Our director(one of our shooting buds) as well as our manager are very supportive for this type of training...we're an ER...our doors stay open to the public... You have a good point regarding the sound of gunfire. As a part of existing normalcy bias most folks would try and "fit" the sound(s) into familiar memories and recollections. And very few people outside of our gun culture have ever experienced the sound of gunfire...especially indoors. Thanks again.

Just how reliable can this data be? Have you seen their "partners" list? https://safetennesseeproject.org/partners/ Possibly just a little biased...

JAB, Thanks for the excellent detailed write-up! Our hospital hosted an Active Shooter Class last May for the Emergency Room staff. The instructors were members of the Oak Ridge PD...which is Great considering these guys would be our actual Response Team/members in such an event. Even better is that we know them and interact with them on a daily basis. Our class was excellent, very similar to the class you received. Even going so far as to utilize blanks in an AR platform so that students (mostly non-gunny folks) could hear the sound of a gun being fired in an adjacent room and even experience the cordite smell from a fired gun indoors. We had several practice runs in "Team vs Team" competition (timed) at running and actively blocking/securing rooms and improvised weapon consideration. Of course the Number one thing they also taught was to immediately evacuate the area, and as you were taught...then call from a safe distance. We also practiced strikes, punches and elbow strikes, and low kicks on pads. There are several guys that work in our department, but I will tell you right now I wouldn't want to back several of the ladies I work with into a corner! They obviously had some pent up aggression just waiting to be unleashed! I was impressed! It was a far cry from the older "Run-Hide-Fight" training of the past. Thank God!

I've got the book "World made by hand " coming via inter-library loan as you suggested "K"! Thank you for the suggestion bud.

I definitely second the Jocko Podcast. I like the hell out of his "Good" vid. It's a positive kick in the butt when I need it! Heck of a fella! David. I have listened to "This week in Guns" as well. Good stuff there! link to Jocko's "Good" vid:

LOL. I almost started a thread asking the same questions yesterday. LOL "Great minds think alike" or something like that. If you can tolerate the self promoting nature of Jack Spirko, his "The Survival Podcast", at least from episode 1000 and back to the beginning, has some excellent information on Prepping and Self Reliance. I haven't listened in the past few years fwiw, but there truly is some useful info there if you dig around. http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/ A gun oriented "Podcast Radio" I download is from "Ballistic Radio" by John Johnson. This is recorded from an actual live radio broadcast on Sunday evenings out of Ohio. The first couple of years of the podcast were, much more serious and mature, and the host has some outstanding interviews with several of the top tier trainers in the training industry...people like Craig Douglas (aka SouthNarc), Dr. William Aprill, Dr. Sherman House, Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts, Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training, Tom Givens of Rangemaster, Claude Werner "The Tactical Professor", and John Hearne among many others. The only issue I have is that the "Radio program" has some pretty darn infantile banter ala AM radio BS style as John is apparently growing his own Training Business. Beware the ego...it can consume a person... But it is well worth putting up with a bit of annoyance to glean some genuine pearls from these top tier professional guests...well worth the annoyance imho. http://ballisticradio.com/podcasts/ iHeart link to the radio channel: http://www.iheart.com/live/55krc-1709/?autoplay=true&pname=1196&campid=play_bar&cid=index.html The Arms Room: Independence Training Group out of Arizona This podcast is hosted by very pro-military veterans and I find the information and interviews very entertaining and useful. These guys are dyed in wool true blue training junkies! They have many of the same guests imparting similar, yet somewhat different information, as found on Ballistic Radio...top tier professionals in the training industry. These are weekly podcasts and are available for download every Monday afternoon. The hosts, especially Glen Stilson, is very knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. btw..he does head up his own training company "Independence Training" in Peoria, AZ. http://thearmsroomvom.podbean.com/ Also there is Mike Seeklander's "American Warrior" podcast. Mr. Seeklander was once a local LEO (Knoxville), ran the Federal Air Marshall training program and is a Top National Competitor in USPSA and IDPA. He is a multi-disciplinary combatives student himself, not focusing solely on the gun portion of gunfight, but realistically on the fight portion of the term. This is probably my attraction to his podcast. He too hosts some excellent guest interviews...Max Michel Jr., Ernest Langdon, Craig Douglas (SouthNarc), Dr. William Aprill, Julie Golob, Steve Tarani, Ken Hackathorn, Mike Janich, and Tom Givens among others...I think there may be a trend with these podcasts http://americanwarriorshow.libsyn.com/ The above are my regular downloads. I've sampled many others, but these best serve my particular interests. I look forward to see/hear what other members are listening to.

I don't intend to drift the thread (he types as he does it), but that a nice looking working Glock and I approve! My Glocks are tools as well. I don't abuse them, but they get robust handling and it shows.

Thank you K. I appreciate that. My wife actually just renewed her library card last Thursday. I'll log on and see if we can't get Kunstler in the works. Good suggestion!

Please don't be discouraged by the replies in any way. What you want to accomplish is certainly within the realm of possibilities, if you are willing to put in the work. And put up with the intermittent frustrations. It all depends on what you are willing to do. Good luck with your decisions.

Welcome to TGO and soon to TN. By "SquidBilly" I assume you're current or former Navy. At least "Squid" was always the term of endearment I received from my Marine brethren I had the honor of serving with. As David cautioned, please embrace and assimilate, respect and hold close our God Given Constitutionally Protected Rights and you'll do well. I have a good friend that just relocated to San Diego and he's, shall we say, struggling...May God Bless and help him... I hope you relocation is uneventful and you guys prosper.

OK friends. I need some book recommendations! I'm recovering from surgery and will be homebound for several weeks... I just finished books 1-3 of the "New Homefront" series by Steven Bird. They were decent and set locally here in East TN. +1 to that. https://www.amazon.com/Last-Layover-New-Homefront/dp/1507808577/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=39X2YXC6RWNV1A9VPBK5 I also read book 1 of the "Day by Day Armageddon" Series by J.L.Bourne. I particularly enjoyed the style and content of this book and will probably pick up book 2. The format is written as a journal entry and is remarkably well executed. But, unfortunately the Amazon reviews pretty much all state the series finishes poorly... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439176671/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Currently I am re-reading a book I pulled off my shelf that I haven't read in probably 15 years. While not a SHTF book I highly recommend it to my gunny brothers & sisters here. It's "Tactical Reality: An Uncommon Look at Common Sense Firearms Training and Tactics" by the late great Louis Awerbuck. from 1999. I have subscribed to SWAT Magazine for a few decades now, and I have always read Louis Awerbuck's section first. I regret I never took the opportunity to train with him. My loss! https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Reality-Uncommon-Common-Sense-Firearms/dp/1581600518/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473679670&sr=1-4&keywords=louis+awerbuck So help a brother out and recommend some quality reading material for me! Please...

I can appreciate conceptually what walthermitty is proposing. I think Dave nailed the primary obstacle, and that is fear of litigation & liability. Another obstacle is commitment of the group members. Although, from prior experiences, a person making a financial commitment is more likely to follow though than one not making the financial commitment. My experience has shown people value more what they pay for than what they "get for free". It's human nature I guess. I am not disparaging gleaning knowledge from friends and associates that want to share their talents. By all means please take advantage of that and appreciate the gift that it is. I was very fortunate some years back to be a member of a truly dedicated core training group that Gomez ran back in Baton Rouge. We met every Monday evening to train for a couple of years. (It was a 220 mile round trip for me and worth every minute of the time). But it wasn't until Paul started charging, a very nominal fee of $10.00, that we saw folks start taking ownership of their commitment and consistently show up for the classes...$10.00! Like I said, human nature is strange...we value what we value... And speaking of value...Professional training, while the cost may seem like a lot of money for a set time frame, quality professional training is truly an invaluable commodity imho. That quality professional training imparts correct methodology and concepts for you to work and improve on your on. It merely opens the door for "learning". You still have to do the work. But can more readily, and correctly, insure you are doing the acts correctly. Our perceptions of what we do vs what we actually do aren't always in alignment... Video yourself working drills or dry fire and watch honestly. It can be humbling. Coordinating members schedules can and will be a challenge. But it's worth the effort. We have some very knowledgeable members here at TGO that have a lot to offer from their various backgrounds and experiences. If I was in the area I would make every effort I could to hook up with Dave and take advantage of his kind offer. That pretty darn awesome Dave! Videos, CD, DVD's or whatever they call it nowadays can be very beneficial...but caveat emptor...some are quality, some are just marketing hype...View them together as a group with a critical and questing eye. Ask: What are my goals? Does this material apply to me and the realistic scenarios that apply to my life and situations? Is the material reproducible under stress and under pressure? Be critical...beware... Just one more thought on professional training. Once you've experienced quality professional training I think you'll realize just what a true value it is. Ammo is expense. Training time is valuable. Quality professional training will truly gain you the most bang for your buck. I am not a trainer, but I am eternally a student. I humbly appreciate those that have shared their knowledge with me and will always try and pay that forward.

You're thinking RefferMac! You are far ahead of the pack brother! Reholstering any handgun should always be a deliberate and purposeful act. There is no such critter as "speed reholstering". I've carried daily for at least 26 years and I am always cautious when reinserting the gun back into the holster..external safety of not. I predominately carry a G 19 appendix IWB. There is nothing wrong with "looking the gun" into the holster, with the "tilt" of the base of the holster out as you mentioned. It will become more intuitive over time..but one should never become complacent with any aspect of gun handling. IMHO the majority of self inflicted gunshot wounds come from complacency and inattention. Dolo of course is right. Dry Fire practice is essential for improvement. Practice with dummy rounds or simply an empty gun will gain you a lot in the long run. I'm not familiar with the holster you cited, but as long as it's secure and doesn't shift I'm sure it'll serve you well. I second shotgunshooter's recommendation for professional training, especially with Randy (Cruel Hand Luke). But he's a friend, so I am biased. Ingraining skills under a watchful professional eye such as with Randy can help prevent training scars which take a good bit of effort to "unlearn".

Yep they still make 'em Dolo. While I was never a fan of trigger shoes, a few guys I used to shoot with back in Kansas City were fans of them. That was in the '80's though and revolvers were the rule of the day. I've bicycle inner tubes for more than a few things. Very useful piece of gear to have around.

You wouldn't think that firing into a safe backstop would require having a genius on hand... We (gunowners) can be our own worse enemies at times.

I've worn a Tyler grip adapter along with a set of Barami Hip Grips on my S&W 640 since the early '90's. My father carried a 3" J frame in the same setup. The slip on rubber grip sleeve is for a PPK and adds no bulk as far as concealment goes, but makes a big difference in regards to control-ability imho. With the above setup I have the option for belt carry or pocket carry...options are Good! http://www.baramihipgrip.com/

Congrats Mark and Thanks for sharing this. My friend, while you may have reduced some physical items you have so much more... Knowledge, skill, and determination. And now land. I applaud you Sir. You are Blessed.

I could only address this from the civilian hospital worker side my friend. But we had an excellent (albeit no gun class) put on by Oak Ridge PD back in May. Brandon Sharp is the DT instructor for the Department and a dialed in gentleman. iirc Brandon said their program stemmed from one put in place by Knox County. I don't have direct contact info, but if you reach out to ORPD they should be able to help. Jeremy (Sgt. but I can't recall his last name at the moment) or Brandon...both good guys. Hopefully Randy will have some additional info or suggestions for you. Good on you for doing this Craftypoppa!

Excellent and informative post by btq96r! I have an EoTech 512 and an Aimpoint PRO and each serve their place very well. I've had the EoTech since 2003 and therefore have more triggertime behind it. I also have a Primary Arms Microdot and have no complaints whatsoever about it. While it wouldn't be my first choice on a serious use rifle in a battlefield scenario (not likely at my age LOL), I've run it through a class and several range sessions on an AK without any problems. I currently have it mounted on my 10/22 and it's quite happy there. I need another one...

I too agree that the video was insightful and well thought out. I do think the use of the robot with an explosive charge is a very slippery slope to venture down. Did the killer need to be stopped? Of course. But once the precedence is set it's not a far stretch to see the use of armed drones considered in domestic scenarios. I have no doubt that it was a tough call to make and I am thankful no more officers lost their lives. I am thankful for, and appreciate, the risks they take each and every time they put on the uniform. My thoughts and prayers are with the slain officers friends and families and obviously for the downed officers. From conversations with a few LEO's I know, I'm not so sure the Baton Rouge case is as much a "black/white" issue as it is, as you mentioned a "thug culture" issue. I've heard and read several officers say or post that the amount of resistance to uniformed officers by all races (Black, White, Asian, Hispanic) embracing the "thug culture" gains them "street cred" among their peers. I know the overwhelming majority of thugs I must deal with working in my ER are white. While it may simply reflect the demographic in the area of the sate where I work, this is what I personally see. It was obviously more diverse racially the 2 decades I worked in New Orleans...again, demographics. Always back to the old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times"...well, these are certainly "interesting times". Thank you the vid.