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People in Southern Illinois Have Firearms Rights Revoked

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It was announced today by Illinois State Police that they have forced nearly 300 people in southern Illinois to give up ownership of their firearms after they had their firearms rights revoked. Over 300 people in Southern Illinois have firearms rights revoked as part of a “firearms enforcement blitz” from June 16 to July 31 in 41 southern Illinois counties, including St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Clinton and Randolph counties, state police officers performed 710 “compliance checks,” which resulted in 295 people being “placed into compliance” with the state’s Firearms Owners Identification Card, or FOID card, law. Illinois State Police said those placed in compliance had to do the following:

  • Surrender their FOID card.
  • Transfer all firearms out of their possession.
  • Complete a firearms disposition record to detail the guns involved.
Firearms Instruction

“The enforcement details are designed to ensure those who have had their firearm rights revoked are in compliance with the Firearms Owners Identification Card (FOID) Act,” the agency said in a news release. The enforcement details were conducted in all of the state’s 102 counties, ISP said in the release. Statewide, 1,027 people were placed into compliance with the FOID law.

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“Compliance checks are not about confiscating guns, but about ensuring individuals who have lost their firearms rights to transfer their firearms to law enforcement or someone who is legally able to possess them,” Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said during a news conference at the state police’s metro-east headquarters in Collinsville. “Illinois and the nation continue to confront how we as a society can prevent gun violence and there is no one answer or one action that any singular entity can take that will end this violence.” But he noted it takes “many” groups working together to make a difference while respecting a person’s rights under the Second Amendment.

More Reading: Why You (Yes, You) Need Basic Gun Training

“Ensuring those who pose a significant threat to themselves or others do not have access to firearms is not something law enforcement can do on its own,” Kelly said. He said medical professionals, school administrators and family members can contact law enforcement if they are concerned about someone they believe should not have access to guns. “It is often the people who interact with a person on a daily basis that notice threatening behavior,” Kelly said. “If you see something, say something.”

The FOID law actually requires law enforcement officials and school administrators to report to the Illinois State Police when “a student or other person is determined to pose a clear and present danger to themselves or others,” according to ISP. Kelly said there are about 2.4 million people with FOID cards in Illinois and that the state revoked about 20,000 cards in 2021. East St. Louis Police Chief Kendall Perry joined Kelly in the news conference and he praised the crackdown on FOID card violators.

Are new rules and laws really needed?

The Illinois State Police has received temporary permission from state officials for an emergency rule change to broaden the use of “clear and present danger reports” that can bar Illinois citizens from getting a FOID card or cause a revocation of a FOID card, according to a news release by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. This decision was announced after the July 4th mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, where seven people were killed. The suspect in this case had received a FOID card after a clear and present danger report previously had been filed on him. “The former administrative rule required a clear and present danger to be ‘impending,’ ‘imminent,’ ‘substantial’ or ‘significant,’ according to the governor’s news release. “Clear and present danger under state law however is more broadly defined requiring ‘physical or verbal behavior, such as violent, suicidal, or assaultive threats, actions, or other behavior…’” Pritzker said the state will seek to make this rule change permanent. Kelly said Wednesday if state lawmakers consider new gun control laws, his agency would give the legislators information requested, which could be the type of weapons are used in crimes or the firing capacity of guns “It’s the role of the Illinois State Police to provide facts, to provide our subject matter expertise,” he said. “We are not a political entity.” “It will be up to them, obviously, to reach whatever consensus is appropriate for the state,” Kelly said.

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Arch Angel Companies LLC is dedicated to providing you with the very best firearms, firearms accessories, practice & training facilities and personal instruction in Arizona.

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Americans Are Arming Up With AR-15’s

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The AR-15 is one of the most controversial weapons in America. Lightweight and easily customizable AR-15 style weapons have always been popular among gun owners. But this interest has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, taking center stage at gun ranges and shooting competitions across the country. Advocates say the weapons are a symbol of freedom, and important for personal safety. Americans Are Arming Up With AR-15’s faster than ever.

Lady with AR

“I am smaller and less capable to handle violence, and a firearm is the great equalizer,” said Dianna Muller founder of the DC Project, which advocates for firearm education. “I go to bed comfortably and do not worry about it at all because I have an AR-15 beside my bed.”

Back in 2018, there were an estimated 393 million civilian-owned firearms in the U.S., according to the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey, a government-backed global organization. Back in 2020, there were about 20 million AR-15-style weapons in the country, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association.

More Reading: North Carolina sheriff stocking schools with AR-15 rifles

Americans Are Arming Up With AR-15’s

Firearm manufacturers have seen revenue surge, taking in about $1 billion from the sale of AR-15 style weapons in the past decade.

The weapons have been involved in a number of “mass” shootings, including at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, earlier this year that killed 19 children and 2 teachers. Critics argue the weapons are aggressively marketed by gun companies targeting at-risk young males.

In an effort to stem the flow of mass shootings, the U.S. House of Representatives last month passed legislation that would ban what they term “assault weapons“. That measure is likely to face defeat in the Senate.

So what’s behind the popularity of the AR-15? There are a lot of reasons people love their AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, and it doesn’t much matter to them what the haters say. For some, the gun is a tool, a finely tuned machine that can cut down an animal or intruder, or pierce a distant target, with a single precise shot. For others, it is a toy, a sleek beast of black plastic and metal that delivers a gratifying blast of adrenaline.

And for many, it is a symbol, the embodiment of core American values — freedom, might, self-reliance.

“There are very few things that serve such a great form and function, and look cool,” said Daniel Chandler, 26, an AR-15 owner here in suburban Maryland. When he takes his AR out of its case at a shooting range, he smiles like he just unwrapped a gift. “There are few things you’ll find that are wonderfully appealing to look at, wonderful exercises in mechanical engineering, and that could save your life.”

This is the side of the AR-15 that many don’t see, or ever consider.

Americans Are Arming Up With AR-15’s

Because an AR-15, or a variant, was reportedly used in several mass shootings — including Aurora, Colorado; Newtown, Connecticut; San Bernardino,California; Sutherland Springs, Texas; Las Vegas and Parkland, Florida, in which a total of 154 people were killed — this civilian sibling of a military assault rifle is an exceptionally polarizing product of modern American industry. The AR-15 and its semiautomatic cousins — they shoot one round for each pull of the trigger ─ incite repulsion among those who see them as excessive, grotesque and having no place on the civilian market.

It is the focus of multiple attempts at prohibition, which in turn has prompted people to run out and buy more. Such “panic buying” drove sales of AR-15s to record levels during the presidency of Barack Obama and the 2016 presidential campaign. Gun merchants say some buyers are also driven by a fascination with a weapon used in notoriously heinous crimes.

Devotees say the AR-15 has been wrongly demonized (me included), arguing that the vast majority of owners never use it in a crime, and that despite the rifle’s use in mass shootings, it is responsible for a very small proportion of the country’s gun violence.

Thanks to that ardent following, and shrewd marketing, the AR-15 remains a jewel of the gun industry, the country’s most popular rifle, irreversibly lodged into American culture.

If YOU want an AR-15, or any other type of firearm. Reach out to Rob at Arch Angel Company LLC. He’ll hook you up with any assortment of armament you need. From stock hand guns to custom made AR-15’s and more!!!

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Arch Angel Companies LLC is dedicated to providing you with the very best firearms, firearms accessories, practice & training facilities and personal instruction in Arizona.

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North Carolina sheriff stocking schools with AR-15 rifles in wake of Uvalde shooting

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Spurred by the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead in May, North Carolina sheriff stocking schools with AR-15 rifles in wake of Uvalde shooting.

Teachers receiving rifle safety education.

When schools in one North Carolina county reopen later this month, new security measures will include stocking AR-15 rifles for school resource officers to use in the event of an active shooter.

More Reading: 9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns

Spurred by the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead in May, school officials and Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood have placed one of the semiautomatic rifles in each of the county’s six schools. Each of the guns will be locked inside a safe, Harwood said.

The North Carolina school district and sheriff’s office are collaborating to enhance security after the Uvalde shooting revealed systemic failures and “egregiously poor decision-making,” resulting in more than an hour of chaos before the gunman was finally confronted and killed by law enforcement, according to a report written by an investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives.

“Those officers were in that building for so long, and that suspect was able to infiltrate that building and injure and kill so many kids,” Harwood told the Asheville Citizen Times. “I just want to make sure my deputies are prepared in the event that happens.”

The idea of having AR-15s in schools does not sit well with Dorothy Espelage, a UNC Chapel Hill professor in the School of Education who has conducted decades of study and research on school safety and student well-being.

“What’s going to happen is we’re going to have accidents with these guns,” Espelage told WLOS-TV. Just the presence of an SRO increases violence in the schools. There’s more arrests of kids. Why is it that they have to have these AR-15s? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Madison County Schools Superintendent Will Hoffman said school administrators have been meeting regularly with local law enforcement officials, including Harwood, to discuss the updated safety measures.

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Arch Angel Companies LLC is dedicated to providing you with the very best firearms, firearms accessories, practice & training facilities and personal instruction in Arizona.

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Why You (Yes, You) Need Basic Gun Training

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(This article originally appeared on nrafamily.org) – Has anyone ever explained why you need basic gun training? An acquaintance of mine posted a target of his on social media from a recent range trip, and there was no rhyme or reason to the shots on the target. There were no groups, no patterns, nothing that we would associate with marksmanship. When I asked him was going on with his target, he insisted that he was “a good shot” and that “he could shoot.”

His target, however, told me something else.

Inspired by this, I interviewed three prominent firearms trainers and asked them what they would say if they saw someone who insisted they were a good shot when their targets were saying something else. The firearms trainers I interviewed were revolver guru and author Grant Cunningham, Melody Lauer of Citizens Defense Research and Claude Werner, the Tactical Professor. Each of them has a different philosophy of training, and their answers reflected a wide range of opinions and insight.

Related Reading: 9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns

Question #1: Who should get firearms training?

Melody

I recently read an article in the Washington Post that quoted a survey from 2014 which said that there were 116 guns in the United States for every 100 people. With that amount of guns out there, the chances of you having to interact with a gun at some point in your life are quite high, no matter if you actually own a gun or not. Therefore, taking a firearms training course of some kind seems like a good idea to me.

Claude

The broadest answer is, of course, that everyone should get training. The reality is, however  given the current amount of gun owners and available firearms trainers, it would take years and years to train all the gun owners out there. The NRA is in a good position to get this done because their pre-course evaluations and Marksmanship Qualifications are a great way to help people effectively defend their lives with a firearm.

Grant

Anyone who has a firearm for the purposes of self-defense (shotgun, rifle, whatever). There’s a lot that goes into using it, like knowing when you legally can and should use it. Doesn’t matter if you’re old or young, female or male (men are bad at this). There are three parts to gun safety awareness: How to make the gun go bang; when you can make it go bang; and when you should make it go bang.

Question #2: What do you say to people who say “I already know how to shoot”?

Melody

It’s tough to train people who say “My friend was a cop, and he taught me how to shoot,” or “I know how to shoot, I was in the military,” but how does that experience translate to how we live our lives? I’ve found that a good way to get people thinking about this is to ask them questions about what training they received in the military or at the police academy, and then ask them how they feel that integrates into society. All of this, though, should be done in a way that is respectful of the tremendous sacrifices made by our military and police forces.

Grant

Knowing how to make it go bang is the easiest part, but do you know how to do it when your body is affected by the desire to stay alive? No one is born with the legal knowledge of when to pull the trigger and the proper judgement of when to use a gun: Society and culture teaches us those things, and society at large makes a lot of incorrect judgments about that…such as shooting to defend property, “warning shots,” etc.

Claude

Can the potential student put five shots into a 4-inch circle, four times in a row, at 10 feet? That’s the standard for the NRA Basic Pistol class, and it’s a good way to help people understand that they probably need to improve their marksmanship skills.

Question #3: What should students expect in a beginning defensive pistol class?

Melody

We’re not doing a good job of defining what “beginning” is: Most “beginners” classes are, in reality, nothing but extended firearms safety classes, and don’t prepare students for the reality of concealed carry. There’s a big need for “beginners” classes that include tips that are tailored to the student’s lifestyle: Not everyone is going to carry a Glock 19 outside the waistband, and instructors need to realize that fact and adjust their training accordingly.

Grant

I structure a beginning class so that if a student had to leave a class right in the middle of teaching, they should have a level of defensive skill that they didn’t have before they walked into class. Learning should start from the very first hour and build upon that. Start with a decent grip on the pistol, how to extend the gun out with two hands towards the target, and how to put multiple hits into the center chest in short amount of time. Then we expand those basics out in all directions to cover a variety of different situations, such as drawing and shooting, and moving and shooting.

Claude

Students should expect that the instructor with be able to personally demonstrate what the students are expected to learn in the class, and receive answers to their questions about the principles behind the safe handling of guns and how to improve their marksmanship. They should also have an understanding of where they stand in their marksmanship skills, and leave the class with some exercises what will help reinforce what was in class and help them get even better.

One thing that Melody, Grant and Claude have in common is that while all three are some of the most prominent firearms trainers in the country, all of them take time to learn how to be better shots and improve their teaching abilities. These three trainers, who all “know how to shoot” make it priority to learn how to get better at shooting. If some of the top trainers in the world see a need to get better at shooting, what’s holding you back from taking a lesson?

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9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns

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Shotguns are an ideal home-defense tool for many reasons: For starters, they provide plenty of stopping power for close-range engagements, and yet most buckshot and birdshot loads won’t penetrate through barriers like walls the way pistols and rifles can. Most shotguns are robust and easy to operate, and they function reliably under the worst conditions. They’re also affordable. With so many new accessories available and a multitude of defensive loads available, there’s never been a better time to buy a home-defense shotgun. If you’ve got $500 to spend, you can count on these scatterguns, which we have listed in no particular order, to serve you well.


1. Benelli Nova Tactical 
The Nova is a no-nonsense pump gun that comes equipped with your choice of rifle sights ($419) or a ghost ring rear sight ($449), both of which are ideally suited for home defense. The steel frame of this gun is covered with a high-tech, durable polymer that protects the Nova against damage and abuse. There’s a shell-stop button on the forearm if you want to open the chamber without dropping another shell from the magazine, and dual action bars provide for smooth, reliable cycling. The Nova’s 18.5-inch barrel has a fixed cylinder choke and the gun weighs just over 7 pounds, which is well-suited to handling heavy defensive loads. Capacity is 4+1. www.benelliusa.com

Related Reading: 3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars


2. Winchester SXP Defender
The Defender may look pretty basic, but it comes with a number of great features that make it a real bargain at $349.99. The rotating bolt has four large lugs for years of reliable service and the 18-inch cylinder bore barrel is chrome lined. Winchester utilizes a black chrome finish that is more durable than traditional bluing, and the tactical forearm provides a secure grip on the gun even with wet hands. The Inflex recoil pad helps significantly reduce recoil impact and Defender is available in both 12 and 20 gauge with a 5+1 capacity. www.winchesterguns.com


3. Remington 870 TAC-14
Don’t let the TAC-14’s compact size fool you—this gun is a serious self-defense tool. Classified as a “non-NFA firearm,” the TAC-14 doesn’t require a stamp or extra paperwork from the ATF to own (although local laws may limit purchase). And while it may initially seem like a novelty firearm, the TAC-14 is easy to store in the home and offers 4+1 capacity in either 12 or 20 gauge. The Raptor glass-filled polymer pistol grip and Magpul forearm offer a stable platform for holding this gun when firing, and with a weight of 5.6 pounds it’s manageable to shoot with most defensive rounds. At its heart this gun is a true Model 870, with dual action arms and a steel receiver with a black oxide finish. Prices start at $443.05. www.remington.com


4. Stoeger Double Defense
Available in either side-by-side or over/under configurations, the Double Defense is a modern take on the coach guns of the late nineteenth century. Both models offer a rapid one-two punch and their short (20-inch) barrels and compact size make these guns easy to store and maneuver for home-defense applications. Available in both 12 and 20 gauge, the Double Defense features a black-finished walnut stock and rails on the top and bottom of the guns for mounting optics, lights and lasers. Overall weights range from 6.4 to 7.1 pounds, which helps mitigate recoil with defensive loads, and the side-by-side version comes with ported barrels. All Double Defense shotguns come with high-visibility fiber optic front sights. MSRPs range from $449 to $489. www.stoegerindustries.com 


5. Mossberg 500 Tactical HS410 Home Security
Consider the .410 shotgun: They combine light weight and minimal recoil with ample stopping power at home defense ranges. Mossberg’s HS410 comes with a 18.5-inch barrel with a Spreader choke and a bead front sight. The forearm is equipped with a vertical pistol grip for rapid cycling and maximum stability and the tubular magazine holds 6 shells. Based on the time-tested Model 500 action, the HS410 has a three-inch chamber and a convenient tang-mounted safety. MSRP is $478. www.mossberg.com


6. Stoeger P3000 Defense
The Stoeger P3000 is a basic but functional pump shotgun that is a real bargain with an MSRP as low as $289. Each of these guns comes with a blade front sight, crossbolt safety, black synthetic stock (there’s a pistol grip model available for $339) and a fixed cylinder choke. These guns come with absolutely no frills, but they function reliably and at just under 6.5 pounds, they’re heavy enough to manage kick yet maneuverable. Standard capacity for the P3000 Defense is 4+1, but there’s also a Freedom version that debuted this year with an increased capacity of 7+1. If you’re looking for an affordable repeating shotgun for home defense the P3000 is a great option. www.stoegerindustries.com 


7. Mossberg Shockwave
The ultra-compact Shockwave is built on Mossberg’s trusted 500 action, which features dual extractors and twin action bars for reliable cycling. Like the Remington TAC-14, this shotgun comes with a Raptor pistol grip and a short (14-14.375-inch) barrel. The “corn cob” forearm is equipped with a strap to keep the gun firmly planted, and the Shockwave is available in 12 and 20 gauge and .410 bore. All Shockwave models have a magazine capacity of 6 rounds, and they are available without special ATF paperwork in most jurisdictions. Compact, portable and extremely reliable, these guns make effective defensive guns in close quarters. MSRP is $455. www.mossberg.com


8. Remington 870 Hardwood Home Defense
When you purchase a home-defense shotgun you want to know that the gun is reliable, and Remington’s 870 pump shotgun has a reputation for being fool-proof. More than 11 million of these guns have been sold, and they’re a favorite of law enforcement professionals and civilians alike. The 870 Hardwood Home Defense is a personal-protection firearm with the look and feel of a classic walnut stock. Available in 12-gauge with a magazine capacity of either 4 or 6 rounds, the 870 comes equipped with am 18.5-inch barrel with a cylinder bore and a matte blue finish. At $420 it’s very affordably priced as well. www.remington.com


9. Winchester SXP Shadow Marine Defender Kryptek Typhon
Squeaking just under the $500 limit (but no doubt available for less than the MSRP in some stores), is the Winchester SXP Shadow Marine Defender Kryptek, a pump shotgun with a long name and an equally long list of features that include a matte stainless finish on the barrel, a pistol grip stock with interchangeable comb inserts, a chrome-lined barrel and chamber and Kryptek Typhon camo on the stock and forearm. One additional upgrade you’ll get with this gun—besides its ample bling—is a removable choke tube that allows you to change constrictions if desired (cylinder choke included). Other add-ons include an Inflex recoil pad, a TRUGLO fiber optic front sight and black chrome bolt. It’s available in 12 gauge with a 18-inch barrel and has a capacity of 5 rounds in the tubular magazine. $499.99. www.winchesterguns.com  

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Vehicle Combatives: 3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars

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We spend probably half of our lives in and around vehicles, yet we don’t really have the opportunity to work on any kind of combatives, defensive tactics, or firearms training around cars. These 3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars are paramount to a well rounded defense strategy.

(The military has been doing this for a while, obviously.)

It’s required in times of war and has been seen in our military through what they have accomplished with vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, this type of training has just never been readily available to the average Joe.

People just don’t know how to apply their existing skill set in and around vehicles, which is what spawned creation of vehicle combatives programs such as that offered by expert close-quarters combat instructor Craig Douglas.

Related: 9 Best Budget Home-Defense Shotguns

“Car Combat”: 3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Vehicles

Most people can understand the need for it when they consider how much time we spend around cars.

Any time you start to apply any kind of skill set in or around cars, getting out of cars, getting into cars, firearms around vehicles, etc., there is a real disconnect in the training.

There are some things you need to consider before you find yourself fighting in a car, or around vehicles as obstacles.

The time to face these issues is now, not when you’re being shot at.

#1: Most People Don’t Know How To Apply Their Existing Skills In Vehicles

Think about the majority of force on force training that takes place.

How much of it is done in and around vehicles, or in and around obstacles that look like vehicles?

If you were taught, for example, to drop low into an Isosceles stance, draw your weapon so that it was indexed against your chest, and then bring your hands together to extend the weapon to the target… how will you do all that sitting in a vehicle?

Fighting in and around vehicles changes EVERYTHING and, if you haven’t conducted that kind of training, chances are good you’ll have no idea how to apply what you do know to that unique environment.

Most people have not even stopped to consider this fact, even though they spend so much time in cars or walking to and from them.

#2: The Usual “Draw Stroke” Does Not Apply

Let’s talk about that draw stroke specifically.

In the pre-fight component of Craig’s Extreme Close Quarters Combatives classes, there is a particular draw stroke that is taught.

Students must have that knowledge, and the instructor needs time to see them on a range before they get into shooting around cars.

There is an inherent risk of additional injury from ricochet in a live incident, but Craig’s vehicle combatives students don’t take any incoming fire.

When trying to conform to the vehicle as a piece of cover and shooting around it, there are a lot of incidental impacts, which is why two junk cars are required.

Even in simunitions training, it’s possible to put rounds into the feet of people watching.

In the real world, that would be an instant lawsuit.

#3: Multiple Complications Make Vehicle Combat And Training For It Much More Difficult

When you have the oppositional component and are able to train with a marking cartridge, you really start to see how accountable you are for every single round that leaves the muzzle.

Accountability and proficiency are important. This is an important addition to the 3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars

If you are shooting in and around vehicles, whether that vehicle is moving or not, one of the fundamental Jeff Cooper rules of firearm safety is to know your backstop and what’s beyond it.

3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars

Especially if you’re moving, your backstop is always changing.

More than ever, where you’re shooting and what you’re shooting into becomes extremely dangerous for everyone involved.

In the beginning, you can shoot live fire on a stationary target only. Using simunition on a moving target is the safe way to practice.

Training in this manner is still really hairy, because one of the things you have to practice is firing across passengers.

Should rounds be coming into the car causing a passenger to panic, moving forward or back, there’s a particular way to manipulate the weapon and know how to pin the passenger in so they’re not moving into gunfire.

You have to learn how to keep the person pinned into the seat and out of the way while you’re returning fire.

Taken together, all of this means that vehicle combatives are much more complicated than simply shooting from within, around, or into a car.

There is a LOT to consider… and most people haven’t stopped to do that.

Have You Ever Considered How You Would Deploy Your Gun From A Vehicle?
How Do You Train For Vehicle Combatives?

Share Your Thoughts And Experiences With Us Now…3 Concealed Carry Lessons For Shooting In And Around Cars!

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Rifle-Firing Techniques: Practicing the Five Fundamentals

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Practicing the Five Firing Fundamentals: There are five fundamental elements of rifle firing—aiming, breath control, movement control, trigger control, and follow-through. All of these elements work together as one process and should be practiced together in this way. Practicing the five fundamentals is paramount to understanding rifle-firing techniques.

Related Reading: Why You (Yes, You) Need Basic Gun Training

  • Aim: Align your sight with the target. Follow two guidelines when you aim.
    • Keep both eyes open to ease focusing and reduce eye strain.
    • Keep your aiming time brief. You can’t maintain the firing fundamentals effectively for long periods
  • Control Your Breathing: Your breathing can move the firearm just enough to throw off your shot. These tips will help you to adopt the correct technique more easily.
    • When you’re ready to shoot, draw a deep breath and exhale about half of it.
    • Hold your breath as you squeeze the trigger.
    • Bear in mind that if you hold your breath too long, your heart beats faster, which increases your pulse and causes the firearm to move. If you notice this happening, take another breath and start over.
    • At times, the excitement of spotting game will make it more difficult to control your breathing. Try to relax and follow the correct procedure.
  • Hold Your Aim: Learning to hold the firearm steady is a challenge. Rather than attempting to eliminate all movement, concentrate on two actions.
    • Focus any necessary movement on the target.
    • Minimize the area of movement.
  • Squeeze the Trigger: Jerking the trigger or abruptly clenching the trigger hand can move the gun enough to cause a miss. To avoid these motions, hold the gun comfortably.
    • Grasp the wrist of the stock firmly.
    • Position your fingertip comfortably on the trigger. The trigger should rest on the end of your finger—between the first joint and fingertip.
    • To squeeze the trigger without jarring the gun, simply apply slow, steady pressure until the gun fires.
  • Follow Through: After the bullet fires, be sure to continue the squeeze or follow-through to avoid jerking the gun before the bullet leaves the barrel.

B.R.A.S.S.

One commonly used shooting technique for muzzle loaders is the B.R.A.S.S. technique. It stands for:

Breathe

Relax

Aim

Squeeze the trigger

Squeeze more (for follow-through)

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Four Fundamentals of What the hell is this shooting grip?

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I’ll ask first: What the hell is this shooting grip? Some recent images from boot camp and a Marine shooting a simulator in Australia depict an obscure shooting grip not officially taught by any Marine Corps program of instruction.

What The Heck is THIS???

The images show a recruit at Parris Island, South Carolina, and a Marine in Darwin, Australia, shooting in the standing and prone respectively, but holding the rifle in a manner not commonly done by Marines undergoing marksmanship training across the school houses.

The images were posted to Facebook and the Defense Department’s imagery website known as DVIDS. Stars and Stripes reporter Chad Garland posted the images on Twitter sparking a conversation in a thread discussing the strange grip.

Marine Corps Times reached out to Marine Corps Combat Development Command to inquire whether the Corps had adopted a new shooting grip or stance in its program of instruction across the recruit depots and the fleet.

“The grip you saw is not part of any of our doctrine (Marksmanship Order) and not part of any of our POIs (Combat Marksmanship Coaches – CMC courses),” MCCDC said in an emailed statement.

“Most likely, the Marine is either trying a different position on his own or something they may have learned from civilian competitive shooting competitions,” MCCDC explained.

The strange rifle grip appears to be used in competition shooting, but it’s best suited for the standing position and not the prone.

A former member of the Marine Corps Shooting Team told Marine Corps Times that the technique has been taught within the Corps’ shooting team. The MCST participates in a number of shooting competitions throughout the year.

“It is used by many in the standing position for competition. Everyone is built differently, and each shooting position is unique for everyone. If it gives him a stable platform, it’s worth it,” the former MCST member said.

The shooting grip and position helps keep the support arm elbow tucked into the chest while in the standing, which helps provide support and stability for the shooter.

“It does keep the arm tucked in nicely in the standing,” the former MCST member said. “I’ve seen some crazy positions throughout the years. Many don’t work well.”

MCCDC told Marine Corps Times that the Marine Corps order does support a shooter using this particular grip and stance.

Rifle coaches at Parris Island are teaching according to the marksmanship program order. “Personal grips may vary as long as they abide by said order,” MCCDC said.

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