Table of contents for February/March #41 2021 in RECOIL OFFGRID

On the other end of the phone, my buddy Tom — your archetypically squared-away retired Recon Marine — was validating my decision to bug out of Los Angeles due to the COVID-19 situation. As we discussed the sense of panic that was still brewing in the city, his words weighed on my chest like an overloaded plate carrier: "This was bugout practice." Though I was now sitting safely on the deck of our secluded mountain getaway house, the fact that I’d recently thrown my rifle, dogs, and loved ones into the truck to get the hell out of Dodge was finally sinking in. If the COVID-19 virus itself blew across the world like a gentle summer breeze, the winds of fear that preceded it were a hurricane-force gale. In my…

From the time I was a young soldier, I was determined to master my craft — especially shooting. I spent countless hours of my own time shooting, dry-firing, and researching in my quest to get better. And I did get better. I became a good enough shooter to more than hold my own among my peers. But it wasn’t until many years later, when I started competing in shooting sports, that I started to understand what good actually was, and found my skill level increasing exponentially. The reason for my “leveling up” after so many years was that I was now training my shooting less like a soldier and more like an athlete. I wasn’t satisfied though. So, I started researching again. I trained with as many top competitors as…

Violence is never something we relish, but it’s certainly something we prepare for. When the time comes to defend yourself with lethal force, it should be immediate and overwhelming until the instant the threat has ceased — a “light switch” moment, as some instructors have described it. This logic applies to both your training and the weapons you choose. If you someday find yourself cornered by an approaching enemy armed with a carbine and 30-round magazines, as we’ve seen in active shooter incidents, your subcompact concealed-carry handgun may not qualify as overwhelming force. Ideally, you’d want a weapon that matches or exceeds the opponent’s level of firepower. It’s usually not practical to carry a 16-inch AR-15 slung across your chest 24/7/365, but we’ve been pleased to see the increasing availability…

Active shooters, terrorists, and other mass-murderers have no uniform code of conduct. They carry out vicious attacks on a variety of targets, with little to no warning and a goal of generating carnage as quickly as possible. They select the most effective weapons they can get their hands on, and hope their victims are utterly defenseless. The concealed pistol on your belt is an excellent tool for self-defense against these adversaries, but it’s not the best possible tool for every situation. There’s a reason law enforcement officers carry shotguns and/or carbines in their vehicles in addition to their duty pistols. If you’re ever facing an opponent with multiple weapons, hundreds of rounds of ammo, and possibly even body armor, having those same tools at your disposal can even the odds.…

Estimates have put the number of new gun owners in 2020 to be somewhere over 5 million. In a time of growing threats to public safety and stigmatization of law enforcement, it’s finally dawned on many that protecting themselves and their family has never been more important. By the time you read this, the election will be over. No matter the results, increased instability will be par for the course. With the media, activist groups, and countless others fanning the flames of civil unrest, the next question becomes, who can teach you the skills to defend what’s important and the discretion to use them righteously? Guys like Byron Rodgers. When you hear the term “executive protection” (known colloquially as EP), images might come to mind of some shredded guys with…

There are a nearly infinite number of opinions on what makes the best weapon for the worst-case scenario. While it could be argued that the AR is one of the most common weapons owned by citizens in the United States, the AK platform has a not-unsubstantial following as well. At the end of the day, everyone wants a rifle that’s easy to manipulate, maintain, and use effectively. All of these points are intrinsic to the AK platform. While there are some things left to be desired by the Soviet Union’s greatest export, the Kalashnikov is a proven platform that has seen combat the world over. It’s simple, reliable, and easy to maintain. The controls are very easy to use. It can be stripped down and reassembled in a flash, and…

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is now being taught in schools and offered readily in even the most rural areas. Most people don’t have an issue doing chest compressions; however, when it came to mouth-to-mouth breathing, that was always going to be “somebody else’s job.” Beyond the uncomfortable idea of putting your lips against a stranger’s, there’s always a risk of that stranger coughing up fluids or vomiting while you’re performing the task. Fortunately, two things have made that less of a hindrance for people. First, in 2008, the American Heart Association approved Hands Only CPR (cpr.heart.org/en/cpr-courses-and-kits/hands-only-cpr) to increase involvement of bystanders who might be unwilling to provide rescue breathing. The second option was to use a shield or mask when performing rescue breathing. Most shields are lightweight, but can be difficult…

Over the course of 26-plus years of service, I’ve witnessed a lot of changes to the main sighting system of the issued long-gun. The rifle has been the primary weapon for the military since the Pennsylvania Rifle (some say Kentucky, but I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and loyalty counts). The rifle then, and still today, is the modern sword and shield. It’s the inseparable tool of the soldier on the battlefield, becoming almost ubiquitous in the armory of modern-day law enforcement (LE) and a self-defense implement for the law-abiding citizen. Our optics nowadays are an integral part of that sword and shield, and, like other components such as rails and furniture, must evolve to keep pace with technology and ever-emerging threats. Change for some entails resistance and discomfort…

BANG, CRASH, BOOM! You live in a gated community in, let’s say, St. Louis, Missouri. You’re outside enjoying a Sunday family barbecue in the late afternoon, early evening. The crash is followed by a chant of sorts: “No justice, no peace!” This mantra is loudly repeated as a massive crowd approaches your residence. Your wife looks at you and she is scared. You’re scared too. You run into your house and grab your AR-15. Your state allows the lethal force defense of an occupied structure. You come around to the front of your residence and notice a large group of young people. A few members of the crowd appear to be armed with rifles, but you cannot tell if they’re airsoft replicas or real firearms. The crowd is enraged. You…

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.”—Sun Tzu, The Art of War Many of you will recognize this timeless quote. Its lesson is simple and profound: Every prepared individual should be acutely aware of his or her own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of opponents. Self-awareness can be earned through training and feedback from peers, but accurate intel on the enemy isn’t always so easy to come by, especiallyif that enemy is wise enough to play his cards close to the chest. This is why military strategists throughout history have placed such a heavy emphasis on reconnaissance — the…

In my job as a firefighter and rescue technician, there are times when I need to venture off the beaten path to suppress forest fires or rescue injured hikers. While my crew and I can certainly hike, carrying loads of 50 pounds, it’s faster, safer, and more ef ficient if we can drive ourselves and our equipment up the mountains and through the hiking trails. But rough unpaved terrain has its challenges, and flat tires happen far more often than we’d like. When the inevitable flat tire happens, having the right tools available can not only make life easier, it can literally save the day. One great device I’ve added to my arsenal of professional tools is the Pro Eagle Off Road Jack. At first glance, this jack looks like…