Armed Response “Tactics and Techniques for Defensive Shooting” Video by David Kenik and Ralph Mroz.

Carrying a concealed weapon is a great responsibility. As Spiderman’s Uncle said: “With great power comes great responsibility”.  We always recommend that people follow the laws of their state, get training and the proper permits. The biggest problem with concealed carry permit holders that we see is that they do not practice or look for additional training materials.

David Kenik contacted us and asked us to review Armed Response “Tactics and Techniques for Defensive Shooting”. This was a great honor as I have been recommending his book “Armed Response” for my CCW students. The book is a great resource and covers many of the issues that are not covered in some CCW courses. Pictured on the right is Ralph Mroz talking about "Pieing Cover". This is a tactic that is used to look around cover objects while maintaining maximum coverage for your protection.

We sat down over the Holidays and watched it. I then had to watch it again by myself and take notes. It was a training video that was presented in a format that was interesting and informative. Family members that did not know much about CCW and experienced CCW permit holders found the information useful. Everyone found different takeaway points, but we all learned from the video.

The topics covered included defense for your home, car and public places. Ralph Mroz also goes into great detail the basics of carrying a concealed weapon. They include carrying a cell phone, what to do after a shooting, backup weapons, de-escalation, close quarters, where to shoot, multiple targets (gangs), why a hand gun rather than a shot gun for home defense, cover and concealment, and holding a person at gun point. These are not all of the topics, but some of the key issues that are demonstrated as well as discussed.

Five of the key takeaways that I found were mind set, backup weapons, multiple adversaries, what to do after an incident, and most important; de-escalation issues. First when Ralph was talking about the “mind set for carrying a firearm” is something that many people do not consider before they start carrying a handgun for protection. In the video he states that just because you have a gun does not mean that you have the ability or desire to shoot someone in defense of you or your loved ones. You may not even have the skills that are required even if you have the mental mind set required.

The second issue regarding the discussion of backup weapons was right on target. Ralph states that a back up firearm can be a smaller version of your primary firearm, or a small revolver carried on your weak side. This allows for either hand to be able to access a firearm in case of injury or circumstances. The advantage for carrying a smaller revolver for a back up is the reliability of the revolvers, and if you need to arm someone else in your party a revolver is much easier to use. I personally use a couple of backup firearms such as the Tarus 357 2 inch barrel, Springfield Arms Micro compact, or the Bond Arms Snake Slayer 45 Longcolt or 410. We did note that you need to check with your state laws regarding backup weapons. Some States only allow you to carry the pistol that you have associated with the CCW permit. They may not allow a backup firearm.

Third is something you hope to never face, and that is multiple adversaries. I found this interesting and needed in this day of gangs. They point out that you should shoot each adversary once and then scan back to see if you are still in danger. Focusing on one target with multipule shots might leave you open for getting shot from one of the other adversaries.