Primary & Secondary Article Library
Explore the Primary & Secondary Article Library: practical writing on firearms, defensive training, law enforcement, equipment, tactics, mindset, and the people who contribute to the professional training community. Articles are organized to help readers find durable information, professional perspectives, and useful resources by subject.
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So you want to be in Law Enforcement?
Editor’s note: This article reflects information available when it was originally published. Laws, policies, products, personnel, technical standards, and recommended practices may have changed. Verify time-sensitive details through…
Read articleQuality Assurance in the Selection of Equipment & Information.
Quality Assurance in the Selection of Equipment & Information. By: Frank Woods (NYPD) What is “the best?” This isn’t so much a subjective matter, as it one of…
Read article“That Guy”: Gearing Up
Know your goal. Know your role. Slow your roll. We live in a world of appearances. It’s unavoidable when most of the data we accumulate is visual. How…
Read articleWhy Do I OPFOR?
Arien Lee explains how skilled OPFOR role players improve force-on-force training through adaptive resistance, realistic feedback, equipment testing, physical pressure, and adversarial perspective.
Read articleBasic Wound Ballistic Terminal Performance Facts
By: Dr. Gary K. Roberts 8/23/11 Psychological and Physiological Incapacitation The last 30 years of modern wound ballistic research has demonstrated yet again what historical reports have always…
Read articleArmorer Liability: Minimizing Risk and Exposure
Chad Mercer explains how professional armorers reduce risk through authorized maintenance, documentation, custody records, manufacturer guidance, inspection, and clearly defined responsibility for duty weapons.
Read articleHow I Was “That Guy” but Avoided Being *That Guy*
Jonathan Halek describes entering his first rifle class as the least-experienced student and succeeding through safety, humility, instruction, class etiquette, realistic pacing, and honest feedback.
Read articleEgo, Disagreement, and Professional Firearms Training
Professional instructors can disagree without making the disagreement personal. Sound teaching explains context, objectives, evidence, safety concerns, and meaningful tradeoffs.
Read articleWhy I Have A Red Dot On My Pistol – Part 2
After receiving a lot of great feedback regarding my first offering, I decided to write a follow up article based on the questions I received. Again, I want…
Read articleWhy I Have A Red Dot On My Pistol – Part 1
Red Dot Sights (RDS) are possibly the single biggest innovation on the pistol platform in recent years. But just like any “new” thing, it has its evangelists and…
Read article“Just as Good”: Diagnosing an Unreliable AR-15
An unreliable AR-15 demonstrates how extractor tension, carrier velocity, buffer construction, component quality, and stacked deficiencies can produce repeated cycling failures.
Read articleBeing Prepared For All Seasons: Through Layer Selection
When dressing before I head out, I like to ask myself, “can I reasonably change a tire, dressed as I am, with the full range of weather and…
Read articleThe Fight Picks You
By: “Frank Woods”, NYPD I have something to say. I will try to keep this short and simple. If you are in Law Enforcement and thus have the authority/ability/permission…
Read articleDPMS Oracle 5.56 Rifle Autopsy: An Armorer’s Inspection
A detailed armorer inspection of one factory-new DPMS Oracle 5.56 rifle, covering receiver assembly, staking, fasteners, bolt-carrier components, gas-system choices, materials, dimensions, and torque observations.
Read articleAAR: DARC Tactical Urban Sustainment Course (TUSC)
Multiple vehicle drill, contact left and front vehicle is disabled. Moving to the shoot house. AAR: DARC Tactical Urban Sustainment Course (TUSC) 4-7, 20 SEP 2015 By: John D.…
Read articleWhy DIY AR-15 Gunsmithing Can Go Wrong
A failed barrel modification shows why AR-15 reliability depends on the complete operating system—and why diagnosis, proper tooling, inspection, and testing must precede irreversible work.
Read articleWhat is quality?
What is quality? According to the American Society of Quality, quality is – 1. the characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to…
Read articleCold-Weather Tactical Clothing: Layering for Wind, Rain, and Movement
A field-tested approach to cold-weather tactical clothing: manage moisture, begin movement slightly cold, reserve waterproof shells for wet conditions, and add loft insulation when activity stops.
Read articleRed Dot Sight Field of View
Red dot field of view depends on binocular vision, target focus, window size, sight placement, and the shooter's vision—not simply the dimensions of the optic.
Read articleAccuracy and Optics Placement
Accuracy by volume is a great concept; however time is working against you with that process. In order for us to be efficient little gunfighters we need true…
Read articleLight and the Inverse Square Law
The inverse-square law explains why light intensity falls rapidly with distance—and why flashlight reach depends on candela and beam shape, not lumens alone.
Read articleHow to Evaluate Forum Experts and Instructors
Forum titles can identify experienced contributors, but they do not prove every claim. Learn how to assess expertise, evidence, and relevance before acting on advice.
Read articleStop Blinding Yourself
High-output weapon lights are most effective when paired with disciplined low-light training. Learn to control reflected light, use spill, avoid strobe dependence, and gather information without blinding yourself.
Read articleEmotion, Identity, and Evidence in Guns, Gear, and Training
Emotional attachment, group identity, and popularity can distort decisions about defensive guns, equipment, and training. Better choices begin with mission, evidence, and demonstrated performance.
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