Keanu Reeves Training For John Wick Vs BuzzFeed

Some time back there was a video of Keanu Reeves training 3 Gun for John Wick 2 which went viral. It wasn’t this one, but this one demonstrates his abilities.

Recently BuzzFeed went to Taran Tactical to train like Keanu. While they did not quite beat his time, with more training they probably could have matched it.

NC Campus Carry?

House Bill 251 was introduced Thursday in the NC General Assembly and would allow legal concealed carry on college campuses in NC which are not private. So any community college or state university would be required to allow concealed carry on campus. I don’t see this being a problem at all, but I wonder if it will pass. Currently you can keep the firearm in the vehicle, now you would actually be able to exit the vehicle and walk around. I hope it passes, my only concern is a firearm owner who believes they know the law and has carried on a state-owned campus might go to a private university and find themselves in a pickle. Of course that is a minor concern, but one that lurks in the back of my head.

Be Careful Instructors, Students Are Depending On You

I was disappointed recently by a fellow instructor who discouraged a former student of theirs from pursuing a firearm which has not yet been released. It was obvious the student was drawn to the firearm which IMO is one of the first steps in deciding if you want the firearm or not. Sure if you are going to conceal the firearm you need to think about many, many other topics, but to discourage someone from considering a firearm you have not held, touched, read range reports on, and fully investigated is the equivalent of poor parenting. As an instructor you should assist the student to the best possible firearm for their budget and needs. Had this particular firearm been out on the market with substandard reviews then my opinion of the situation would be much different, but because the only tangible reports were tactile from Shot Show 2017 and the gun is not on the market, to tell a student to overlook it is bad form. I’ve actually had my eye on this particular firearm and believe it may turn out to be a winner. I’ve been wrong many times in the past, but this one looks to me to be on the right track to be a great firearm for IWB carry. Anyway, if you are an instructor and have a favorite manufacturer do not allow that bias to carry over into the decision making process for a student. Just because I am a Ruger fanboy does not mean I would tell someone to avoid an S&W, Bersa, or Taurus, I would fully research the firearm they are considering and would probably head to a large firearm store to put my hands on it and decide for myself before offering an opinion. There is no way I would tell a student anything about a firearm which is not yet on the market other than to read the articles out now and I will be glad to assist them with an evaluation once the firearm has been released.

Join The NRA Or Renew Your Membership!

Since the beginning of the blog we have had an NRA tab where you could join. The NRA brings much more to the party than what you frequently hear on the news. Training courses from the NRA are essentially to proper firearm handling and situational awareness. Often this training is overlooked by the media and the fact that almost every state has NRA training somewhere in their statutes whether it be for concealed carry, police officer training, or some other purpose such as range development. The best thing a firearm owner can do is join the NRA if for nothing else the firearm insurance. You can become an associate member for as little as $10 or can join as a regular member for $30.

Join or renew today at this link!

Celebrating Five Years

Today is the fifth anniversary for the blog. When it started 1,827 posts ago the direction was unclear and with this post once again the direction is a bit of a mystery. Trying to post daily has proven difficult when a fresh topic idea isn’t forthcoming, for that reason the plan is to only post when there is something relevant or fun to say. That might be a reminder of a particular day to celebrate a drink or beverage of a discourse on how ignorant a politician is on the topic of alcohol or firearms. The goal will be for topics to concentrate on firearms and fermentation only occasionally coloring outside the lines. Thank you to everyone who receive the blog via email and to those who visit regularly to read what we have to say.

Cheers to you all!

House Bill 69 – Constitutional Carry

On February 8 House Bill 69 was introduced in the NC General Assembly. This bill, if it passes, would allow concealed carry without a permit something commonly called Constitutional Carry. While I like the idea, the current permit process does one really good thing and it may not be what you think. Most would think it is the firearms safety training and qualification at the range and while those are good, they don’t guarantee anything. Someone could have the training and do well during the class and still have an accident or miss their target. What is ultimately beneficial from the course is the time spent covering the use of deadly force and the laws in NC. I am sure we have people come to NC under the reciprocity umbrella who do not have an understanding our our laws and the use of deadly force, but it is invaluable IMO. The current training mandates at least two hours be spent on the topic and when I instruct it is closer to three. I get more questions during this portion of the course than any other time and I am sure the class understands what is and is not allowed. What I cannot predict is how long they will retain the information. I see potential for problems with school situations. Our current law allows you to be in your vehicle with your firearm or to have it in a closed container while parked on school property. I can see someone who has not taken the class to believe they could carry it anywhere on school grounds. Another nuance is you cannot concealed carry in public if you have ANY amount of alcohol in your system. So if you have a single beer you must not concealed carry. Without the class someone would have to mine those nuggets out of the statutes and most residents have probably never read the statutes in the first place. It’s now an awful idea, and some states have it already, but I’m not on board at this time. In some states the permit process still exists so residents can get reciprocity to carry in other states. While that is good, it still doesn’t instruct on the laws of deadly force for those who have not gone through the permit process.

One final note. While I am a certified instructor with the NCDOJ, my teaching activities the last few years have barely covered expenses so I can honestly say my hesitation with this bill is not out of concern for reduced revenue from classes. It is out of concern for those who will inevitably and inadvertently break the law in NC and cast a shadow on all the law-abiding citizens.

Upcoming Fifth Anniversary

On February 12 the blog will turn five. We generate about 1,000 new views per month and 135 people following our mindless banter. Every comment is considered and we appreciate you taking the time to read about whatever happens to come to mind that day. We may decide to post less frequent and with more focus after the 12th because some days it is difficult to find an interesting topic while other days it is difficult to stop typing. So if you start to see less posts do not become alarmed, we’ll post when we have something to say as opposed to saying something daily.

NRA Facebook Change

I received a notification of change for the National Rifle Association Facebook page. It is now the NRA Institute for Legislative Action and I must say I despise the change. I hated it when I would get all sorts of political notifications from the NRA before I opted out and in the American Rifleman magazine I skip all the political articles to read about firearms, ammo, etc. I’m not sure why the NRA has decided to make their Facebook presence all or nothing, but if I’m someone looking for Refuse To Be A Victim I would be turned off when I get directed to a Legislative Action page instead. Bad move NRA, don’t make everything political when so much good comes from training and programs.

Concealed Renewal Waiting Period

I found the renewal process for my concealed permit to be fairly simple and easy. In Wake county you go to the Sheriff’s Office and use their computer to fill out the paperwork. You can do it at home, but it was unclear to me if that incurred additional fees so I opted to do it at their office. The two computers downstairs were taken with a line so I was pointed to the second floor where two additional computers were located. The questions were simple, but of course required some information from your current permit. Afterwards I went downstairs, provided the required documents, and paid via check. My permit is still valid for awhile so I am not worried, but almost 45 days later nothing has arrived. Since I have already been fingerprinted I’m surprised the process isn’t a virtual rubber stamp process. As someone who is authorized by the NCDOJ as an instructor I would think it should be an even faster process for the background check. I know no one wants to make a mistake and allow a criminal to obtain a concealed permit, but once you have it and have subjected yourself to the classroom time and paperwork the renewal should be as instantaneous as purchasing a long gun. I’ll post when it arrives with an update, but we should rethink our renewal process when it takes longer to complete than the original permitting process.

Purses Are For Lipstick

This was sent to me from a female student. I must agree with the instructor in this video, Anna Taylor. As you watch it, try to guess where she is hiding a firearm.