Triangle Tactical

Law of Self Defense We talk about Andrew Branca's book "Law of Self Defense". Mr Branca was nice enough to send Ben and I a copy of his book to review, and both of us were pretty impressed with it. He does a good job going through the process of things that are put in place after a self defense shooting, from the arrest, to the pre-trial stuff, to the trial, and beyond, and I'll be honest I was expecting a pretty dry, boring read. I was very surprised to find that it was a light read, but packed with TONS of good information. It's a hefty book, and I think I got through it in only 3 sittings. What I found really helpful about the Law of Self Defense book was at the end of each chapter, Branca adds in state specific information which points you to the relevant statutes, and case law in your area. He's also writing some state specific supplements to the book (I hope NC is coming soon... hint hint...) which go into more detail about the specific laws for each state. By clicking this link to buy the book, you can get $5 off, free shipping, and help us out in the process (Affiliate link) It's definitely worth the money, and something that you will use as a reference guide, and you will want to read it more than once. (I'm getting it back from Ben asap to read a second time...) Listener Feedback: Listener Zack writes in, and asks us about dry fire practice, and how to train when he can't get a lot of range time. We dive into some things that he should check out in order to practice effectively: Dryfiretimer.com (for iOS) IPSC Shot Timer (for Android) Ben Stoeger's Dry-Fire Video Steve Anderson's "Refinement and Repetition" Ben Stoeger's "Champion Shooting" Chris also wrote in, and asked about certifications for doing more at a competitive shooting match than just volunteering. Generally you don't need a certification to run a timer, but it's a good thing to have. Most people who step up to become a range officer, or safety officer are experienced shooters, and each of the big games has their own certification system for their game. Usually once a year or so there is a USPSA and an IDPA certification class. Feedback! We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer Email us at podcast@triangletactical.net

Ben spent this weekend shooting and volunteering at the NC USPSA Section Match at Sir Walter Gun Club in Creedmoor, NC. He shared some thoughts about the benefits of volunteering at your local matches, as well as majors. It's a great way to learn more about the shooting sports, get a different perspective on the matches, and it can give you a chance to rub elbows with the big dogs. Here's the link to Ben's post about the match in Roanoke, VA with the YouTube video of him shooting it. The News: There's been an update on the Springfield XDs recall. Basically, they are still testing possible fixes, and hopefully they will begin repairing pistols soon. Tip of the Week: 1911 and 2011 Shooters! If you are experiencing "hammer follow" with your pistol, stop shooting it. Don't attempt thumbing the hammer, because you can induce a negligent discharge, and chances are if this issue is happening, something is broken in the pistol. Listener Mail: Mike asks us about getting what gun to buy when looking to get back into the shooting sports after a long absence. He's considering the S&W M&P CORE pistol, and wants to know if it's SSP or Production legal even if he doesn't mount an optic. Feedback: We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer Email us at podcast@triangletactical.net

We're finishing up National Preparedness Month with an awesome Interview with Charles from HumbleMechanic.com. I asked Charles to come on the podcast to talk about vehicle preparedness, and some of the basic things that we can do to make sure we don't get stranded on the side of the road, and what we can do if that does happen. Charles is a master certified VW technician, concealed carrier, and all around good dude. We talked about some of the really basic things that we all know we should do, like checking our wipers, inspecting tires, and whatnot. Then we moved onto some of the other things like making sure that you know how your jack works (Charles did a YouTube video about how to use a specific VW jack that's really confusing), fuse locations, and how to plug a tire. We finished up talking about some of the things that you should keep in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Feedback: We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer Email us at podcast@triangletactical.net  

During the memorial for the Navy Yard victims, President Obama said something that I agree with (I'm parapharsing here) "It's not normal for people to be gunned down while they are at work." He's right. It isn't normal, in fact it's extremely rare. We also talked about the terrorist attack at the mall in Nairobi, Kenya. A good guy with a gun saved over 100 people from the mall. There was also a responder who showed up wearing an IDPA vest, which was interesting as well. We also talked about the Starbucks situation, and at the end of the day, nothing has changed. Starbucks clarified that they don't want guns in their stores, but they aren't going to post their stores... Listener Feedback: Listener Andy writes in, and asks about getting started shooting a rifle competition in Florida. Contact us! We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer Email us at podcast@triangletactical.net

Tips For Buying A Used Handgun: On the exterior of the pistol, there are a couple things to look for: The first is holster wear, and this really isn't a big deal. Holster wear would be things like a shiny spot on the polymer frame, or some light finish wear on the slide. Holster wear shouldn't be mistaken for deep gouges in the metal or other things like that. The second thing to check out on the exterior of the pistol is the sights, specifically if it has night sights. Ben and I talk about Law Enforcement trade-in pistols, and if the night sights are dim, just remember they aren't cheap to replace. On the inside of the pistol, there are a couple things that we look for as well: Look at the slide rails: Are they excessively worn? Some finish wear is perfectly normal and happens when a pistol is fired, but excessive wear could mean that the pistol was abused in the past. Check how much play there is between the slide and the slide rails. Some play is normal. Does the barrel lock up tight in the slide? If the pistol is excessively worn, the barrel may have a little wiggle room when the slide is forward and locked. This is no bueno. Is the pistol sporting the factory trigger components? If not, you should find out what parts have been altered or installed, and who did the work. Ask the seller some questions: Make small talk while you are checking out the pistol. Sometimes if someone is lying to you, or they have something to hide they may let it slip if you get them talking. If they mention the words "feed ramp" and "dremel" in the same sentence, RUN! Do you have any things that you look for in a used handgun that we didn't cover? Let us know in the comments! The News! Local: Remember the Wilson County, NC school that was raffling off the muzzle loader we talked about in Episode 45? Well they raised over $7000 for the school, and didn't bow down to pressure from the anti-gun idiots zealots. There was another "isolated incident" on the American Tobacco Trail in Durham. It's definitely re-assuring to know that citizens are banned from legally carrying concealed on this trail, or we would have a real problem on our hands. /sarcasm National: As I've mentioned on the blog earlier, both Colorado Senators up for recall election were recalled last week! This is really exciting news, and it looks like Gov. Hickenlooper is beginning to see the writing on the walls, and may be changing his tune about guns just a little. Angela Giron, one of the recalled Senators doesn't think her gun control votes lead to her recall, but rather the fact that people actually had to go to the polling place to vote. She was smacked down pretty epically in this CNN video. Plug of the Week: Safety Solutions Academy Podcast - Episode 0337 - “Safer, Faster Knife Defense with Alessandro Padovani” I listened to this episode of the Safety Solutions Academy podcast today, and I really liked the suggestions that the guest brought up about considerations for a knife that may be pressed into service as a defensive tool. If you carry a knife, give it a listen. Feedback! We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer Email us at podcast@triangletactical.net  

Ben recently built his first AR-15 after shopping for a complete one for several months. We talk about the pro's and con's of building vs. buying an AR-15 The News! I had a picture pop up on my personal Facebook newsfeed tonight about a public shooting range being constructed by Cleveland County, NC. Unfortunately both Bens, and my own google-fu is weak tonight, and I can't find any recent information on this anywhere. The most recent thing I could find was a county commissioners meeting from 2011 where they talked about the possibility of building a range. If you have any information on this, please let us know! There was a recent Gun "Buyback" in Wilmington, NC. They paid $100 for rifles, pistols, and shotguns, and $200 for "Assault Weapons". They noted that one "assault weapon" was purchased, and after looking at the pictures (which are mostly rusty broken shotguns, and .25ACP crappy pistols) the "assault weapon" must have been the stripped out SKS without a bayonet or magazine... The recall election for anti-gun politicians in CO is underway! Early voting started last week, and the official voting day is Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Let's hope that these jokers are out of a job come Wednesday morning. If so, this will send a great message to the other gun-grabbers that they will lose their job if they pass any more of this type of legislation. Plug Of The Week: PracticalTacticalPodcast.com is a new podcast. Casey has two episodes out as of right now, and I like they way he thinks. He made a great point about how competitive shooting is just about shooting skill, and tactical training is about tactics. They aren't the same, and both have their place. Rock on Casey! Support: We need your help! In order to keep bringing you awesome interviews, we need to buy some new podcast equipment. I'm not going to ask for donations or anything, but please consider when making your online ammo purchases using our LuckyGunner.com Affiliate Link. It still costs the same for you, but then LuckyGunner takes a piece of the sale, and gives it back to us, so we can buy some new equipment. Feedback: We love to hear from our listeners! Feel free to contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter Leave a voicemail from your phone at (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer

I interviewed Bill Edwards of North Raleigh Guns, and soon to be Triangle Shooting Academy. For those who don't know, Triangle Shooting Academy will be opening in North Raleigh behind the Brier Creek Walmart. Bill and I talked about the range, and what some of the plans are for it. I think you will like what Bill has to say... Head over to the North Raleigh Guns website, and get on Bills mailing list to receive updates about the range construction. You should also complete his survey. The News: Only one more month until HB937 takes effect in NC! Mark your calendars, we're planning something... An NC Sheriffs Deputy discharged his pistol into the sidewalk outside of an elementary school last week. The article doesn't go into any detail about how it happened, and puts all of the blame for it on the pistol, not the person... In Wilson, NC a group called Delta Waterfowl has donated a muzzle loading rifle to be raffled off in order to raise money for a local elementary school. The anti-gun crowd is losing their minds about it, even though the gun IS A MUZZLE LOADER, and will never go onto school grounds (because that would be illegal). I need to look into buying a ticket for this, I think it would look nice framed in the Triangle Tactical studio. Ben did some research about Obama's "Executive Actions" from this past week. It appears that I mis-spoke earlier this week when I called them "Executive Orders", and it turns out that its a whole lot of huff and puff, for not a lot of action. Either way, we think he's just doing it to give the middle finger to gun owners. Feedback: We love to hear from our listeners! You can contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer

This week I interviewed Paul Smith from the Frontline Defense Firearms Training Center and Range in Warrenton, NC. Paul mentioned after we were finished recording that he is looking for a junk car to use as a prop for competitions on the range. If you have one, contact him at info@frontlinedefenseusa.com. I heard that Paul was hosting some cool competitive shooting events at his range, so I asked him to come on the podcast and talk about  it. Cool things happening at Frontline Defense: Monthly USPSA matches Monthly ZSA matches Top Shot Gabby Franco teaching a womens clinic in October "Ambush action 3-Gun" will be starting in October "Final Countdown" 5-4-3-2-1 match Sept. 21-22. This match has some great prizes available... The News: Certainly you have heard about this by now, but in case you haven't, S&W is issuing a recall for certain M&P Shield pistols due to a malfunctioning trigger safety. If your is effected, stop using it immediately. If the trigger safety isn't working, the pistol could discharge if dropped. Check out the S&W website here to see how to check if your Shield is effected.   Woman shoots herself in the hand in Wake Forest, NC Staples store. I heard reported on the news that her 2yr old child reached into her purse, the woman reached in after the child, and the woman was then shot in the hand. Thankfully it was only in the hand, and thankfully nobody else was shot. I mentioned on the episode that I want to hear from female CCW holders about this. Is purse carry the best option for carrying around children? Call the voicemail line (919) 295-6128, or leave a voicemail from your computer by clicking here. Feedback: We love to hear from our listeners! You can contact us in the following ways: Facebook Twitter (919) 295-6128 Leave a voicemail from your computer

The Crimson Trace Midnight 3-Gun match took place this past week in Oregon. This is a 3-Gun competition that is shot completely in the dark. This is something that competitive shooters generally don't have to deal with, so it adds an interesting element to the match. A couple time a year, there are some local matches here in the Triangle that will run low-light or no-light matches. Check the shooting sports calendar for more info. If you aren't currently into competitive shooting, but these matches sound like fun, I'd recommend getting your feet wet now, so that you are ready when they come up, they aren't really the best place to cut your teeth as a new shooter. Ben and I discuss low-light/no-light matches, the gear we use, and we cover some of the safety concerns that come along with running a shooting event in the dark. The News! The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is having some issues with their S&W M&P .357sig handguns. According to this news article it is an issue with the "extractor port", but were not exactly sure what the real problem is. It's now officially official that Ruger is setting up shop here in NC. Their new plant is set to start cranking out firearms around the beginning of 2014, and this plant will begin making products that haven't been announced yet, which is exciting. Listener Voicemail: The Backwoods Engineer left us a voicemail this week asking about the G-Code INCOG holster, and what out thoughts were on either a full or half sweat guard. Plug of the Week: This week we plugged the Triangle Open Carry meetup group. I'm planning on heading out to lunch with them this weekend to get my open carry on. Tip of the Week: Consider putting together a range box that you keep all of you gear for competition in. I’m putting together a box that has holsters, mag pouches, belts, and everything else all in one place so I don't ever end up at a match with one pistol, and the support gear for a different one. Triangle Tactical Android App! Android listeners! Don't forget to download the Triangle Tactical Android App from the Amazon App store. The app makes it super easy to take the podcast with you on the go! Feedback! We love hearing from listeners! You can contact us in the following ways: Phone Voicemail: (919) 295-6128 Computer Voicemail Email: podcast@triangletactical.net Facebook Twitter

It was a very indecisive week in firearms news. Dick's Sporting Goods will be opening a chain of "Field & Stream" stores. Interestingly, these stores will be selling the evil black Troy AR-15 rifles that Dick's pulled off the shelves back in December after the Newtown massacre. Troy says they have nothing to do with it. Starbucks was going to allow an open carry rally at their Newtown store, then changed their mind. Raleigh DGU: Man shoots and kills armed intruder in his apartment. Legal Update: NJ Gov. Christie signs several gun bills into law. The worst of which makes it illegal for people on the terror watch list to purchase a firearm. What's scary about this, is that nobody knows the criteria for getting placed on the watch list, nobody knows who is on the list, and there isn't a process to appeal. This law is essentially denying the people of NJ their rights without due process. Scary stuff. For more on this, check out the Gun For Hire Radio podcast at Gunforhireradio.com. All About Holsters: We spent a god amount of time talking about some of the different holsters that we like to use for concealed carry. Here's the links: Crossbreed Holsters Safariland ALS AKJ Concealco Desantis Daranich Holsters (NC Made) G-Code (NC Made) Wild Bills Concealment (NC Made) You should also check out their FB page, lots of good stuff there. Tip Of The Week: Ben: Buying good gear is about removing excuses and letting you see where you fail. Using the INCOG has made me realize my crappy draw from appendix is because my appendix draw sucks, not because the holster is bad. Housekeeping: The triangletactical.net website has moved to a new server! Finally the website should no longer have 20 second load times! The Triangle Tactical android app is available now in the Amazon Play Store! You can find the app by using this link: triangletactical.net/android Feedback: We love hearing from listeners! You can contact us in the following ways: Phone Voicemail: (919) 295-6128 Computer Voicemail Email: podcast@triangletactical.net Facebook Twitter

There's a lot of exciting things happening in the world of North Carolina shooting sports: Our friends over at the Zombie Shooters Association recently became an official USPSA club which will allow them to host USPSA matches, which is awesome. They also held a ZSA Mini Gauntlet match at Range 37PSR and they raised over $1,100 for the Green Beret Foundation. Caswell Ranch in Prospect Hill, NC recently began holding USPSA matches again after a long hiatus, and they recently announced on CSC that they will be expanding from one USPSA match per month to two weekends a month. I've been wanting more USPSA in the are for a long time, so this is great news. The Wake County Firearms Education and Training Center will be closed for much of the month of August. Ben was there recently, and there were notices posted that they will be closed until August 25th 2013. The Uhwarrie National Forest Flintlock Shooting Range is set to undergo $250,000 in upgrades, and will re-open in the near future. The range has been closed for several years, so this is great news! The News! There was a recent gun "buyback" in New York City which had a little different pricing plan than we've seen in a while. They were offering $200 bank cards for working pistols and "assault weapons", but only $20 for regular shotguns and rifles. The real shame about this is that there's a Colt Python revolver on the table of guns that were turned in. I really hope it didn't get destroyed! Hurricane Preparedness: It's August here in North Carolina, and it's the time of year that the tropics like to start spinning cyclones in our direction. There's a few basic preps that everyone should have this time of year, and we spent a few minutes going through them on this episode. Water. You should store some water, and have some ways to purify water. After Hurricane Fran, many people in Raleigh were without electricity or running water for 7 days. Water is easy to store, and if you just buy an extra case of bottles every time you go to the grocery store, it's pretty easy to work your way up to 7 days worth of water storage. Some ways to purify water that are easy and cheap: Iodine Tablets (Can make the water taste funny) Water Purifier Pumps (Good for small quantities) Fire (Boiling water is an accepted way to purify it) Food. Some people like to store MRE's, but I think they suck to eat, and they are expensive. I tend to mostly store canned food. There's a huge variety, and it's ready to eat in the can. You can heat it if you want, but it isn't required. Start buying a few extra cans of food every time you get groceries, and you won't notice it in your budget, and before long you will have 7 days worth of food for you and your family. Fire. Purifying water, heating/cooking food, and morale. There's something about having a fire that makes everything seem like it's going to be alright. A couple things about fire: Matches suck. If they get damp, or even if the weather gets too humid they can get unreliable. Get some firesteels. There's a bunch of brands, like Light My Fire from your local sporting goods store, or you can get a nice big one from Firesteel.com. They all work fine. Have some lighters too. If they get wet you can always fall back on the firesteel, but lighters are quick and work well most of the time. Grab a couple the next time you are at the gas station. Fire requires practice. If you don't have any experience with fire, check these resources: Spark Tinder How to use a firesteel Plug of the Week: This week we wanted to plug the other NC Based Gun Podcasts. Don't spend all of your time with us, check them out too: Gun Nation Gunfightercast When The Balloon Goes Up! Podcast Feedback! We love hearing from our listeners! If you have feedback, suggestions, comments, or whatever, don't hesitate to contact us in the following ways: Phone Voicemail: (919) 295-6128

Legal Update: HB 937 has passed both houses of the NC General Assembly! Being that this bill has been changed so many times, and the local media isn't exactly doing a bang up job of explaining it, we decided to do an entire episode answering questions about this bill, based on our opinions after reading the legislation. Keep in mind, we aren't lawyers. I'm a college dropout, and Ben is a nerd. We do our best, but don't take this as legal advise... You can find the full text of the bill here. Do I still need a PPP? Yes. There was a big push to eliminate the PPP, but it was opposed by the NCSA and the Governor. It was removed from the bill, so the PPP will remain. Can I carry concealed on college campuses now? No. I've seen a lot of people referring to this bill as "campus carry" but that is false. The bill allows you to have a pistol in a locked vehicle/locked compartment in your vehicle while on educational property. If you are a student in college, or a parent that does carpool, IMO this will be beneficial for you. Can I carry in bars? Not yet. HB937 still needs to be signed by the Governor (who has stated that he will sign it) or he can let it sit for 30 days, and it will become law without his signature. Can I carry while drinking? Negative. Contrary to what the local mainstream media would have you believe, consuming alcohol while carrying a gun will still be a crime. What's the difference between a bar and an eating establishment? Practically, for the purpose of this law, nothing. The bill isn't worded anything about "restaurant" carry, it's worded that you can carry in places where alcohol is sold and consumed. If a restaurant is posted no guns, does this still carry the weight of the law? Yes, not only are you violating the wishes of the property owner, you are committing a crime in NC. Can I now keep a handgun in my car, even if my employer forbids it? No. Parking Lot Carry was something that was pushed back in 2011, and it was not included in HB937. The News! Colorado has set the date for the recall election of anti-gun politicians for September 10th! I've got to give credit to Paul Markel from the Student of the Gun Podcast for this, as I hadn't heard about it until I listened to the most recent episode of his show. Basically, as Paul explained it, these politicians can go to the recall election, and face an almost certain loss, or they can resign their post now, and the Governor will be able to appoint their replacements. Interesting how this will put the what they feel is best for themselves against what they think is best for the party. This one will be worth keeping an eye on. Tip Of The Week: Two is one, one is none. Ben was in the garage playing mechanic on his motorcycle last night, and after he dropped a bolt, he pulled out his flashlight to find it, and it was dead. Thankfully, he had another one ready to go. Evaluate your daily routine, is there anything that you should have an extra of? Listener Feedback: Listener Jeff writes in, with a response to Episode 36 where we talked about carrying a gun while cycling. Jeff says the following: While pedaling my bicycle, I carry my Kahr PM9 in a Desantis Superfly in one of the low back pockets on my cycling jersey. The flap attached to the holster does an excellent job of covering the gun so others don't see it and it is readily accessible. The holster flap, being attached by velcro, allows it to be set up for left or right hand carry. Housekeeping: We're back in iTunes! Unfortunately we lost all of our ratings and reviews in this process, so if you have left us a review in the past (or even if you haven't) we would love for you to leave us another review! We've also started development of a Triangle Tactical Android App for listening to the Podcast. Stay tuned for details. Plug of the Week: Jack Spirko at The Survival Podcast. Jack is the guy that got me podcasting,

Mike in NC sends in today's question asking us why more people don't shoot IDPA with their actual CCW guns? We've got a couple ideas: Most people don't actually carry much. The people who do carry, carry little teeny guns that they don't shoot well. People like to be competitive, so they buy a competition gun, even if they say they're there for CCW practice. If you'd like to send us a question, go here.