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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MOA, Mils, and Angular Measurement for Rifle Optics
Understand minutes of angle and milliradians for group measurement, optic adjustments, reticle holds, and corrections at different distances.
Read articleRifle Sighting Systems: Iron Sights, Optics, and Lasers
Compare rifle iron sights, red-dot sights, magnified optics, and laser aiming devices by capability, limitation, mounting, zero, and intended use.
Read articleInternal Ballistics: What Happens Before the Bullet Exits
Internal ballistics explains ignition, chamber pressure, projectile acceleration, rifling, barrel vibration, gas-system timing, and muzzle exit.
Read articleUsing Performance Data to Improve Unit Marksmanship
Use range-performance data to locate recurring problems, confirm their causes, design focused training, and measure whether the intervention worked.
Read articleForward Movement as Part of the Shot Process
Forward movement should support a tactical purpose while preserving muzzle control, awareness, balance, and an accuracy standard appropriate to the task.
Read articleThe Training Value of Shooting Competition
Shooting competition provides pressure, measurement, accountability, and unfamiliar problems, but it should complement—not replace—tactical training.
Read articleBallistics Terminology: Key Concepts Explained
A practical glossary of internal, external, and terminal ballistics terms, including trajectory, velocity, zero, energy, momentum, and penetration.
Read articleMovement in the Rifle Shot Process: Principles and Categories
Movement affects stability, aim, control, awareness, and communication. Train it progressively and use it only when it creates a meaningful advantage.
Read articleBuilding a Standardized Range Safety Brief
A useful range safety brief covers orientation, commands, emergency response, equipment, hazards, responsibilities, and active enforcement.
Read articleWhy We Fight
“ War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose.” -Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers We are continuing our discussion on why we…
Read articleIntroduction to Ballistics
‘There were over thirty of them in continuous action, and all I could do was touch the Germans off just as fast as I could. I was sharpshooting.…
Read articleTransitioning From a Primary to a Secondary Weapon
A weapon transition is a context-dependent decision shaped by urgency, distance, cover, weapon condition, equipment, and mission—not an automatic response.
Read articleUsing the Engagement Skills Trainer Effectively
Use the Engagement Skills Trainer as a diagnostic and rehearsal tool with clear objectives, deliberate coaching, and transfer to dry and live-fire training.
Read articleImplementation of Dry-fire into the Training Calendar
“As there is no ammunition, every day when they come here for training, the shooters just aims the gun, pull the trigger to hear the ‘tick’ sound, and…
Read articleTraining Emphasis on Weapons Mastery
For TrainingTuesday, we are starting a new discussion on how to train our Paratroopers more efficiently. Specifically, we will be addressing how to train more efficiently. The reference…
Read articleMalfunction with a Primary Weapon Part 3
For Manual Monday, we are continuing our discussion on Control. Specifically, we will continue our discussion on malfunctions as we address when in the cycle of function immediate…
Read articleIntegrated Weapons Training Strategy Doctrine
For Walkthrough Wednesday, we are continuing the discussion on the Integrated Weapons Training Strategy and the changes that are going to be taking place in doctrine. Master Jhoon…
Read articleBattlesight Zero
Those who carry guns for a living know the world isn’t a nicely manicured flat range and threats will present at differing distances. You won’t have an opportunity…
Read articleSucked Down the Tube: A Failure in Training
Much, if not all training and practice is conducted on flat ranges under calm conditions with no surprises. We shoot steel and paper that we purposely place and…
Read articleBattle of Takur Ghar
15 years ago today, my amazing husband was the platoon sergeant in charge of a 65 man Ranger strike force from 1st Ranger Battalion deployed to Afghanistan ??…
Read articleRunning the Irons.
Iron sights have been part of shooting since the very least April 19th 1775. Aiming was a major part of our tactics that helped defeat the British unaimed…
Read articleMalfunctions
We are continuing our discussion on Control. Specifically, we will be addressing how to handle malfunctions, which is a particular part of the shot process that was not…
Read articleFollow Through With the M4 and M4A1
We are continuing our discussion on control. Specifically we will be addressing Follow-through for the M4 and M4A1 platforms. The Reference for this discussion is TC 3-22.9 Change…
Read articleSlaughtering Sacred Linguistic Marksmanship Cows: Following up “Clickbait”
Author’s note: Context is important. The previous post here was intended for the military audience. Judging by things I’ve seen from others it may be applicable to law…
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