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Author: HeloMaster
The Under-Practiced Art of Issuing a Challenge
Many new gun owners are never trained how to issue a challenge, or even given that option by their instructors. Some may not even know what “issuing a challenge” means. When I was a young man (many, many moons ago), …
Protected: Defensive Pistol Skill Builder, 16 May 2021
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Baron von Steuben and Well Regulated American Volley Fire
Most Americans believe we won the Revolutionary war by sniping at the Redcoats from behind trees and boulders. Not true. We did a lot of that, especially in the opening days of the war, when we were losing. Such so-called …
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MSgt Marion L. “Butch” Rupert Jr.
29 Apr 1950 – 24 Dec 2018
Lt John Fox
(photo courtesy of Army.mil) Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be an uncultured brawl. –Cannon cocker’s motto When I was at Ali al Salim Airbase, three Medal of Honor recipients came to visit us. The youngest was a Vietnam …
Firing the Stockless Shortie
Call it what you want. Some call them PDWs, personal defense weapons, after a unique brand of firearms initially considered for downed aircrew survival. Some call them “AR pistols” and “AK pistols.” Those are legal terms for getting around silly …
The So-called “Krinks”
They Used to be Hard to Get. In the Soviet section of my library, an old wind-up Russian alarm clock and Red Army belt with 5-sided star buckle gather dust on a shelf in front of the books. Both were …
ASR Rifles and ASR Med Kits
Most people get guns for “GPs,” general purposes. But, like golf clubs, different guns have different niches in your battle plan. Before you get a gun (or another gun), you should have some idea what you plan to accomplish with …
Private In-home Sessions
These were a good idea long before ammunition became scarce. For those new to defensive pistolcraft, we give you a sound foundation on what goes on in fights, and what the limitations and advantages of firearms are, in solving human …
Burst Fire Misconceptions
Ever been issued a rifle or SMG that had a 3-round burst? You were probably told it was there to keep you from spraying and praying. Poppycock. Three-round burst was created to disburse bullets, not to improve accuracy or controllability. …
Protected: Tal & Scott’s House of IED Horrors, 02 Mar 21
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Tunnel Rat: The Shooting Experience
Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and Nogales, Arizona, USA are connected underground by a series of clandestine tunnels that link with the existing, legitimate stormwater drainage system. Select DEA, HSI, and CBP agents stationed along the Southern borders of California, Arizona, and …
In Praise of Law Enforcement Spouses
“Is George home yet?” It was our friend Ronnie, who was married to one of my fellow agents. It was mid morning. I had gone to work at ten the previous evening, and had not yet come back. But that …
Melissa Brown Eyes
The Patrol Agent in Charge (PAIC) of my old station had two admin assistants, both named Melissa. To avoid confusion, we got in the habit of referring to one as “Melissa Green Eyes,” and the other as “Melissa Brown Eyes.” …
IEDs: A Different Approach
Traditionally, training on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has focused on how to recognize one, or how to differentiate a “suspicious” package from any other object in your environment. We might discuss how different IEDs are constructed, or what they are …
Ray and the Jungle Carbine
One of the most profound turning points in my education as a rifleman occurred with an Enfield Jungle Carbine, under the tutelage of a Marine I’ll call Ray. Ray is one of my oldest and closest friends. We’d been team …
The Evolution of Police Long Guns
That Which is Perceived as Real Becomes Real in its Consequences. Despite their limited effective range, shotguns have traditionally been the standard long gun of uniformed patrol officers. It’s easy to understand why. Most city police field contacts are at …
Rule 3: You’ve come a long way, baby
Compare the photo above, of a US Army OpFor troop in the 1980s, with the one below, of an AFROTC cadet role-playing an insurgent in 2010. As they sang on Sesame Street, “One of these things is not like the …
Carbines vs Rifles
We often hear those in the know referring to ARs as “carbines.” But doesn’t AR stand for Armalite Rifle? What’s the difference? Carbines were originally short rifles issued to cavalry troopers. Troopers generally fought from the saddle with a handgun …
Protected: RSO Instructor Development, 19 Dec 2020
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Industry Day, 28 Nov 2020
On Saturday, 28 Nov 2020, Warlizard Tactical and Heloderm LLC hosted an “industry day” at our favorite firing range. We try to do that periodically, to give our wonderful volunteer range safety officers (RSOs), adjunct instructors, their friends, and family …
Mind the Gas Port
“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.” I grew up on Air Force fighter bases. During my first Thunderbirds airshow, …
Protected: In-Home Defensive Pistol, 13 Dec 2020
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Grip, Hold, and Stance
What’s the difference, when they matter, when they don’t, and why you must have several in your repertoire. Some of this was written for the training summary of our 10 Oct 2020 Pistol fundamentals class, specifically addressing aspects of grip, …
Ground Pistol Fighting
On 26 Jan 2008, Officer Jared Reston chased a shoplifting suspect out of the Regency Square Mall in Jacksonville, Florida. The suspect shot him in the chin with a .45, knocking him down. Reston said he kept trying to …
Protected: Intro to Ground Fighting & other NBG Fundamentals, 22 Aug 2020
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Alert Carry Conditions
Choosing a “carry condition” that fits your lifestyle and risk assessment well requires a thorough understanding of your options. What carry condition you chose will affect your safety and level of readiness, as well as how you should train for …
Protected: Violence Avoidance and Survival, 17 / 18 Oct 2020
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RMR Cold Weather Test
Field Testing the Trijicon RMR in Sub-freezing Temperatures 27 Oct 2020 BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT Our conclusions, some of which are based on testing and others on reason (/ conjecture) or experience: Cold pistol to cold air: No problem …
Protected: Pistol Fundamentals NBGs, 10 Oct 2020
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Protected: Phase II Defensive Pistol (DP1B), 29 Aug 2020
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Vehicle Incidents
Not too long ago, in the Walmart parking lot at Speedway and Kolb in Tucson, three gang bangers attempted a carjacking. This being Arizona, not Massachusetts or California, the owner of the car shot the one who threatened him …
Women Only Pistol Fundamentals clinics
When I was growing up in the 1960s and ’70s, women were mostly part of the scenery in movies and TV shows. During a violent confrontation, her job was to stand behind the hero and scream. Men were expected to …
Protected: Night Fighting, 19 Sep 2020
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Level 1 Lifesaver
This class is offered by our friends at Warlizard Tactical. The instructors, Joel and Michael G, are former Army, and currently NAEMT certified Tactical Emergency Casualty Care providers. The Level 1 Lifesaver (L1LS) course uses the military MARCH algorithm to …
Protected: Scoped Bolt Action Coaching, 05 Sep 2020
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Protected: Phase I Defensive Pistol (DP1A), 01 Aug 2020
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Protected: Pistol Fundamentals clinic, 08 Aug 2020
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Protected: Basics of Defensive Shotgun, 15 Aug 2020
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Violence Avoidance and Survival
Home invasions became popular in the 1990s. Now even spree killers are targeting people in their homes; witness the Nova Scotia killer’s arson and shooting rampage. This course is NOT just about Active Shooters. We will give you unarmed skills …
Defensive Shotgun
In this era of hijacked protests turned into riots, the old-fashioned “riot gun” is making a comeback. Many people still use shotguns for the bunkering down phase of home defense. But as the carbine has gained popularity, corporate knowledge of …
Protected: Pistol Fundamentals LEG, 25 July 2020
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Defensive Pistol Phase I
DP1A is the first half of our celebrated introduction to FIGHTING WITH HANDGUNS. We will teach you how to keep your pistol when the bad guy tries to take yours away, even if he’s on top of you. You’ll also …
The Lie: How Much Ammo Do You Need?
A homeless panhandler’s average annual income is $500,000.00. Not including welfare, disability, handouts from kind people, or “stimulus” checks. Does that mean you should never slip the guy with the cardboard sign a few bucks? Of course it doesn’t. Whether …
May / Can / Should: Lawful Use of Force
One way to speed up your response to threatening situations is to reduce doubt. A great way to do that is to know, beforehand, exactly what the law says about what you can and cannot do. “Everything seemed to be …
Protected: Day and Night Fighting, 22 Mar 2020
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Protected: Warlizard Dynamic Carbine, 15 Mar 2020
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COVID-19 and Practice Ammo Availability
We all knew there would be yet another run on ammunition. I just figured it wouldn’t happen until the weeks leading up to the election. Firearms dealers have seen more panic buying since the Clinton administration than the 19th century …
Protected: Defensive Pistol (DP1), 15 Feb 2020
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Protected: Managing Multiple Assailants, 07 Mar 2020
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Myths of Cover
During a killing spree in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, 2016, an officer took cover behind a large pillar. Taking fire from a suspect who ran at him, the officer ducked back behind his cover, which was very effective at …
Protected: Intro to Defensive Pistol, 23 Feb 2020
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Protected: Explorer Rifle / Pistol Fam, 07 Dec 2019
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Concealed Carry Permit courses
Do you need a Concealed Carry Permit? Is it a good idea to have one? Arizona is a “constitutional carry” state. You may carry a firearm on your person or in your car without any concealed weapons (“CCW”) permit. An …
Carbine Fundamentals
The AR series carbine has twice as many manipulations to master as your average pistol, yet most of us spend far more of our time training with our handguns. Pistols are more likely to be our constant companions, but carbines …
Pistol Fundamentals Clinics
These clinics are offered by our friends at Warlizard Tactical. It’s a great way to get more experience and trigger time, and work on your fundamentals, without breaking the bank for tuition or ammo expenditure. This half-day of training costs …
Night Pistol Fighting
There are 3 things you need to do with threats in the dark: 1) Locate potential threats 2) Identify whether or not something IS a threat 3) If so, you need to hit it. Many of us get “night” sights …
Managing Multiple Assailants
THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF CROWD VIOLENCE American news reporters in Japan covering the aftermath of the disastrous March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami were astounded that there was hardly any looting following the complete breakdown of law enforcement services–even …
Violence Avoidance and Survival (VAS) via Teleconference
This class is being presented remotely. We will show you ways you can practice these skills with your family at home. We have also added blocks on Home Invasion prevention and survival, as well as domestic violence. Contact us to …
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Protected: Shotgun and Pistol Clinics, 26 – 27 Oct 2019
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Protected: Lost Art of the Revolver, 17 Nov 2019
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Lost Art of the Revolver
“An elegant weapon, of a more civilized age.” Join us for a clinic on revolver tips and tricks. Revolvers have put plenty of bad guys in the ground. The wheel gun is still quite capable–IF you are trained to use …
Running & Gunning
Dynamics of Movement in Interpersonal Confrontation A class for intermediate level defensive shooters Ever wonder why law enforcement officers have a 99% hit rate during qualifications, but only a 20% hit rate in violent confrontations? There are many reasons, but …
“Stand Your Ground” and “Castle Doctrine” in Arizona
A student wrote to me after a class, asking about some phrases she had heard elsewhere: “stand your ground” and “castle doctrine.” Here are some of the things I explained to her. STAND YOUR GROUND The phrase “stand your ground” is often bandied about …
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Why hammer on the stoppage reduction drills?
“I did my homework, and got off my wallet, to get a gun that never, ever jams. So why do we have to practice stoppage reduction till we can do it blindfolded?” The following is taken from an after action …
Testimonials
Here is what our students are saying about Heloderm training. Please feel free to give us YOUR feedback, good or bad. We strive for continual process improvement, and will consider any constructive criticism to help our future students become even …
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