Manly Skills

How to determine how long you have before the sun sets

Many skills when it comes to the outdoors are perishable. If you don’t practice those skills or use them regularly, you’ll lose your edge and that could cost your life depending on the situation. One of those simple skills is knowing how much daylight you have left before the sun sets. Nowadays we have technology to assist us with this. My Garmin Fenix 5 watch displays on the dial what time the sun sets each day. Pretty easy to just look down at my watch to see how much time I have left. But what if the battery dies midday?

Fortunately, there is an easy way to determine remaining daylight left with just your hands. This is a skill I picked up in the military and I still practice it from time to time and comparing that with my Garmin watch. Below is an easy to understand picture of how to measure remaining daylight with your hands. Check it out!

Why is this important?

Well if you’re out for just a simple day hike this could come in handy so that you can ensure you have enough time to get back to your vehicle, so you’re not navigating back in the dark. That could present a whole other set of issues. If you’re not prepared for an unexpected night out, then you better know how much time you have before it gets dark.

If you’re backpacking or camping then knowing this will allow you to make sure you have ample time to prep for the evening. This could be tasks such as setting up tents and hammocks or gathering supplies to get your fire going and keep it going into the night. Waiting until dusk to start these tasks will only compound the difficulty and increase your stress level. The time spent outdoors is meant to be enjoyable.

*Featured photo courtesy of Pixabay

Wilderness survival expert breaks down how to build a fire

Fire is life. It’s cooks our food, it keeps us warm, it drives away the darkness in which we sometimes find ourselves. There’s something incredibly calming, almost meditative, about sitting in front of a crackling blaze. We stare at it intently, slowly getting lost in the flames. Fire connects us, with each other, with ourselves, and with the past. I think that somewhere in all of us is some ancient spark, left over from whatever forward-thinking Neanderthal first brought fire to life, that makes us feel cheered and secure within a fire’s glow. The reality is that in the modern age, the art of fire building is a seemingly unnecessary skill and is often forgotten. But whether you’re suddenly alone on a deserted island after an unexpected misadventure, or simply trying to impress at your future in-law’s summer barbecue, knowing how to make a fire anytime, anywhere can really save your life.

When building a fire, most people simply cheat and use an accelerant; be it lighter fluid or gasoline, soaking a pile of wood in the stuff and then throwing a torch onto it and watching it explode into blazing life is what works for a lot of us. While it’s fun and effective, having a gallon of gas or two with you while hiking or camping just isn’t practical. And not only can accelerants be dangerous as a fire can quickly get out of control, but they are a short cut. Plus, if you intend to cook on said fire, the chemical residue from lighter fluid isn’t the most palatable, unless you like your steaks to taste like a melting credit card, in which case more power to you. So, without using a flammable liquid, the first thing you need to start a good fire is tinder. Tinder can be anything from man-made materials such as newspaper, or natural materials such as dry grass or leaves, that ignite quickly and can hold a flame long enough for you to begin adding more fuel. Always try to add small dry twigs first, followed by larger branches, before you add any large logs. You always want to build a set of coals up to keep your fire going. It can take practice and patience to “build from scratch” like this, but while a slower process than pouring gas on a flame, it’s here that you learn how to bring a fire to life.

Once you have the basic understanding of building a fire then you can put together a simple fire starter kit to carry with you wherever you go, always keeping a potential blaze at hand. Whenever I go into the woods, I slip a small Ziplock bag into my pocket or backpack with a few simple items. First and foremost are two butane torch lighters from Jetpro. I like them because they’re windproof, refillable and simple to click into life with freezing fingers.

As a back-up, since lighters can break or run out of fluid, I also throw in a couple of simple Bic lighters and a flint and steel. I like Swiss Safe’s 5-in-1 fire starter kit steel, because it’s small and light, extremely reliable, and comes with a handy whistle and chunk of parachute cord that I can play with when I’m bored. Aside from the lighters and flint and steel, I also carry a small amount of tinder. This can vary depending on what I have at hand when I remember to refill my kit. Dryer lint, a small ball of duct tape, or a couple of cotton balls coated in Vaseline all work well. I’ll also put in a small bag of pencil shavings or my personal favorite, powdered birch bark, which catch a spark from the flint and steel very effectively. These are all items that are small light and easy to carry, and they ignite quickly and hold a flame even in damp and wet situations.

Now, the thing about fire starters kits is that for them to be effective, you must have them with you. Of course, things can happen like the kit becomes lost or damaged or you forget to bring it. So knowing how to build a fire with literally nothing is pretty vital. We’ve all seen Tom Hank’s rub two sticks together in Cast Away, and in truth doing it that way is entirely possible but not very practical. When I was a kid, I’d spend hours messing around with sticks trying to start a fire and never had much success. I wanted to find a better quicker way to get a fire started and that’s when I discovered the fire bow. A fire bow often called a “fire drill” or a “bow drill,” is a straight piece of wood bent into a bow shape, with a piece of rope tied at either end.

Combined with a spindle, a fire bow is easily the most effective way to quickly start a fire with just two sticks. Using friction to generate heat, when used effectively a fire bow can create an ember that when placed in a tinder bundle (a ball of light dry tinder material) can be coaxed into flame quickly. To make a fire bow simply bend a stout branch into a bow and attach a piece of twine to both ends. Once you have that together pick a dry stick to use as a spindle and wrap it in the center of the string in the bow, tightly enough so it wont slip around too much. Place the end of the spindle in a notched piece of dry wood on the ground held between your knees for stability. Then simply work the bow back and forth like you’re playing a fiddle in a duel against the Devil, while putting downward pressure on the spindle until a coal is formed. Now I may be oversimplifying it a bit and it admittedly takes a bit of practice but using a fire bow is a great fire-starting weapon to have in your quiver.

When it comes down to it, being able to build a fire is a skill. Whether it’s simply building a quick blaze outside a tent to set the mood or coaxing a lifesaving flame from soaked and snow-covered logs with trembling fingers, you want to be sure that you can get it done quickly and efficiently. Everyone knows that dude who throws their family in the car and takes them to McDonalds because he can’t get the campfire going. Don’t be that guy.

Some basic survival skills everyone should know

We live in a techno-centric age. Everything is at our fingertips. We have cell phones that can navigate our roads from point A-to-point B. Our phones also have GPS grid coordinates at the quick typing of an app, that can pinpoint your exact location. But what happens in the event of an emergency and you don’t have your cell phone, or it breaks or it just doesn’t get a signal out wherever you’re at.

And don’t say it can’t happen. It can, it does and all too frequently. So, unless you want to be a statistic, you should know at a minimum some basic survival skills if you are ever stuck out in the wilderness somewhere.

You don’t have to be a Green Beret or Navy SEAL and be a SERE School graduate but it certainly helps if you are comfortable out in the wilderness, far from home and have good outdoor survival skills.

So, if the unthinkable happens and you are just your average Joe, not all is lost here. You can survive, thrive even as long as you perfect a few basic outdoor skills and we’ll get to them in just a second, but first, if you ever find yourself in a survival situation, just remember the word Survival and that will help you plan your way to safety

S – Size up the situation

U – Undue Haste makes waste

R – Remember where you are

V – Vanquish fear and panic

I – Improvise

V – Value living

A – Act like the natives

L – Learn basic skills … simple no? Let’s move on.

We’re going to use the KISS Principle here, Keep it simple, stupid. And we’ll start with the first of the basic skills you should know how to do.

Remember “The Rule of Threes.” A person can survive for:
– 3 minutes without air
– 3 hours without a regulated body temperature – hypothermia (shelter)
– 3 days without water
– 3 weeks without food

With that in mind, it brings us to our very first and most important skill.

#1 Build a Survival Shelter: Are you alone or with another person or group? What kind of materials are at your disposal? Hypothermia can and will kill people quickly, long before they feel the effects of lack of food or water. So the first thing a person or group must do is to build a shelter, that will allow your body heat to keep you warm and dry during the night. Some basic consideration for building a shelter are:

Location – (just like real estate, location, location, location is very important) Don’t build a shelter in a low-lying area next to a river or stream. A flash flood can happen quickly, pick higher ground and preferably a spot that is protected from the wind.

Insulation – the ground can sap the warmth right from your body, ensure that bed that you lie on has four to six inches minimum of pine straw, leaves etc, that will insulate from the ground. Double or triple that for the sides of the shelter
Heating – is the shelter just body heated or is there a fire?
Personal or Group Shelter – if you’re in a small group, a group shelter although harder to construct, will keep everyone warmer, and don’t be shy, the closer you are to each other, the warmer you’ll stay.

The simplest design is a simple lean-to, building one isn’t particularly difficult. Just find a downed tree resting at an angle, or set a large branch securely against a standing tree. If you have cordage, you can secure it that way or use any vines in the area to lash it all together. Then stack smaller branches close together, weaving them together if possible. Then layer debris, like leaves, pine straw etc. until the walls are thick as well as wind and waterproof as you can make them.

#2 Starting a Fire: Having a fire is not only a tremendous tool for warming your body as well as your shelter but it can cook food, and boil water. Having a fire is also a big psychological boost for all involved. It provides a sense of security and safety.

A fire can also be used as a signaling device if an individual or group is being actively searched for in a rescue type of situation. A large smoky fire is easily visible from the air and can be seen from far away.

One should always carry field expedient fire starting devices but it is always a plus knowing the skills of starting a fire without matches, a lighter or flint. Use small tinder to start with and then add tiny sticks and twigs until you get a bed of coals going well enough to add some larger logs.

#3 Finding a Fresh Water Supply: If at possible, water should always be boiled before drinking. Depending upon your situation, that may not be possible. But finding a clean potable water supply is a must. If you’re in a winter survival situation, rain, snow or dew can be captured using a bandana or t-shirt and drank as it is more often than not in a purified state. Many vines will have water that can be wrung out as well as certain cacti.

#4 Finding Food: When it comes to a survival type of situation and food, the best rule of thumb is to think small. Unless you have a weapon of some kind, trying to trap or snare a large animal will waste more energy than it is worth. Become familiar with what edible plants are in your area. There are plenty of edible plant guides out there that will help you become more familiar with what it edible and what isn’t.

A couple of common plants that can help sustain you in most areas include:

Cattails – The “super Wal-Mart” of the swamp, almost every piece of the cattail can be eaten, the roots, shoots and the pollen heads are all edible.
Conifers – Most evergreen, cone-bearing trees, with the exception of the Yew have a soft, pulpy inner bark that is called the cambium. It is full of calories and starches and will sustain you
Oak trees – Acorns from oak trees can be eaten once the bitter tannic acids are removed. Native Americans used to put a basket full of acorns in a fast moving stream where the water would leach the tannic acid out in a day or two. The other method is to boil them. Place the acorns in a pot and cover them with water, once the water boils and turns the color of tea, dump the water out and repeat the process until the water no longer turns brown.

Now as a word to the wise, these are survival foods and the taste isn’t going to make one want to give up prime rib for a diet of cattail, cambium, and acorns. But it will get you thru a tough situation if the need arises.

These are just a few of the skills that one should master if you ever find yourself in a survival type of situation. But the weapon you have at your disposal is your brain. To quote Tom Hanks, “that’s the lump three feet above your ass.” Keeping a positive mental outlook on things, keeping your wits about you at all times is imperative.

And by all means, take a course on outdoor survival. There are a plethora of them in all parts of the country. And there is no shortage of very good ones in every area. Do your homework and check them out.

One (unsolicited by the way) course you should check out is run by former Special Forces officer Mykel Hawke. Many of you may remember Hawke from his television show that he and his wife had called “Man, Woman, Wild” on the Travel Channel. He runs a couple of different survival courses including a Couples Survival Course. So bring your significant other and take an outdoor survival course and learn some new skills while bonding with your spouse. Then they’ll have a greater appreciation of what you do… Stay safe, be prepared and don’t quit.

Photo: Wikipedia

Courtesy of Special Operations.com

The glaring problem with your plan to defend your home

It’s not at all uncommon to find articles breaking down the proper techniques you should employ when clearing your home, just like it’s easy to find articles discussing and debating what the best possible firearms are for that specific (and dangerous) set of circumstances. I love reading these pieces and participating in the dialogue they encourage, but all too often, I’m left with the uneasy feeling that the debate is going on between a strange combination of experienced veterans, well trained amateurs… and idiots that fancy themselves cowboys. Of course, not all idiots are bad guys, some are just woefully inexperienced, under-trained, and overconfident. In a lot of ways, you could use those same three adjectives to describe me doing just about anything half the time I’m doing it. Being an idiot only becomes really dangerous when you don’t realize you’re doing it.

And that’s where home defense comes in. It’s become apparent to me that most home defense strategies are predicated on the idea that you’ll have ready access to your firearm and the advantage of knowing your home when an intruder breaks in. From there, many articles suggest that it’s just a matter of slicing the pie through doorways and careful execution of your room clearing plan (that would optimally already be worked out) until you’ve neutralized all the bad guys and can call it a night. After all, that’s what John Wick would do.

The truth of the matter is, if the extent of your tactical training comes from watching YouTube videos and occasionally going through the motions in your house with your kid’s Nerf gun, clearing your home during a break in is an absolutely terrible idea. You have no idea how many opponents you’ll be facing, what they’re armed with, what sort of training or equipment they may have, or where exactly they’ll be coming from (assuming your house, like most, has multiple entrances). Your home-field advantage dissipates quickly the minute you find yourself creeping through the kitchen and realize there are bad guys both in front of and behind you.

As for firepower, three guns almost always beats one, even if you’ve got a very expensive boomstick you’ve been itching to try out. While you’re engaging one target, you often leave yourself exposed to be hit by the others. There’s a reason the U.S. military doesn’t use the one-man Rambo approach to house clearing even when sending in highly trained special operators: numbers matter. The more support you have, the more likely you are to survive an encounter. With no support and an unknown number of assailants, your effort to “clear the house” is really just putting you in harm’s way.

There’s a reason the military trains to clear houses as a team: because it’s too dangerous to do alone unless you absolutely must. (US Marines)

So, what do you do when you hear a break in? I won’t lie to you — I’ve had a break in and I took off after the sound of broken glass with my pistol in hand and hate in my heart. In hindsight, I was lucky. Our house was broken into by a young punk with a head full of drugs and a healthy fear of his Marine neighbor carrying a 9mm. If it had been an armed assailant with more than my X-box on his mind, I could have been riddled with holes before I cleared the stairwell.

Sometimes you’ll have no choice but to move from one room to another during a break in: You’ll need to get to your family and your firearm. Once you’ve got both, don’t bother moving through the house like Solid Snake trying to take down the bad guys one by one. Instead, put yourself in a solidly defensible position, keep your family around the corner, out of sight, and behind whatever cover you can find. Call the police and keep them on the line. Then, if need be, open fire to keep the home intruders from entering the room you’re all hiding in. The best place for you to take cover is somewhere that allows you as clear a line of sight of their approach as possible, while allowing for as little exposure to your opponents as possible. Stake out your house ahead of time and identify spots like that so you can more easily locate them when the adrenaline starts pumping.

With no support, every angle is your responsibility and there’s no one there to watch your back. (US Marines)

Remember, drywall doesn’t stop bullets, and neither will your kitchen table, couch, or mattress. Real cover needs to be legitimately solid (steel, concrete, a stack of logs) — so if you’re lacking in real cover, do your best with staying low and keeping the intruders back until help arrives.

Stay on the line with the police, even if you have to drop the phone to defend yourself. Keeping the line open will help them to understand what’s going on in the room for when the responding officers arrive. Remember, in this defensive position, you really are fighting for your life and the lives of your family. Most intruders will run rather than get shot or arrested, so anyone that’s willing to exchange gunfire with you to get into your bedroom likely has something worse in mind than stealing your wife’s jewelry.

If you’ve got the training and the confidence, clear your house the way you’ve been taught. But if you’re a normal mortal with a gun, your best bet is finding a defensible position and waiting for backup. It could save your life.

Feature image: Courtesy of InformedMag.com via Flickr

What’s the best Home-Defense carbine for the new gun owner?

Let’s face it, there are more than enough articles detailing rifle setup or reviews of home defense carbines With the ever-growing list of friends, family, and acquaintances that have little to no shooting experience, they tend to ask the same typical questions:

“What’s the best rifle I can buy?”

“Can’t I just go cheap?”

“I know what you’re saying, but I really like that tiny Sig P290. Can’t I just go with that? A rifle seems like a bit much”

“Can’t I just build it? It looks easy on YouTube.”

“Can you show me how to set it up?”

“I don’t know about LMT, I’ve heard Rock Rivers’ are just as good on this blog.”

I’ve seen varying reactions from the staff at your average gun shop. Some people are helpful, some get annoyed, others exploit a new buyer for the sake of an easy sale, and the absolute worst is the staff member who seizes the opportunity to belittle you. While some folks come to me lacking maturity in their line of questioning, I always provide the best and simplest advice I can give. There’s nothing to lose here, and if someone decides to bet their life on your recommendation, I really hope you gave them a real answer based upon a combination of real experience and some research. This article is my recommendation to a new buyer interested in protecting their home. With that, I’m keeping much of the information in this article basic.

When writing this article, I chose two carbine length multipurpose rifles, tailored slightly towards close quarters battle (CQB). The first question is “why carbine length? Don’t we have better options with respect to short barreled rifles (SBR) and AR pistols?” Yes, there are better options, but I have no desire to deal with SBR laws when traveling across state lines. I have even less of a desire to deal with how the BATF chooses to interpret the legality of an AR pistol on any random day of the week. Furthermore, a 16-inch barreled AR-15 will handle a close quarters fight just fine. You may be hesitant as a new shooter to approach the concept of an AR-15 style rifle over a pistol, so let’s assess the “why” — My main driving factors for choosing an AR-15 style rifle are: high-capacity, maneuverability, dependability, and accuracy.

Now, let’s get into the weapons. I chose two different models from two different manufacturers.

Rifle1: Daniel Defense M4 V11 in 5.56mm with 16inch barrel (Pictured on Top)

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 in 5.56mm with 16inch barrel (Pictured Below)

Here’s why I chose these manufacturers, quality parts, quality labor, quality control. Take whatever stance you want, but Daniel Defense and Bravo Company Manufacturing are known for this. Am I saying you’ll never get a bad gun off the line? Nope. I’m saying that you are far more likely to get a dependable weapon out of the box. If there is a defect, both companies take their customer service seriously, and will make it right.

All those points aside, if you decide to make a rifle your duty or home protection weapon, and it has yet to be fired, you’re a moron. Never bet on an unproven piece of life saving gear. Do not get caught up in the “it’s mil spec so it’s basically the same” mindset. That “mil spec means it’s good to go” argument is the equivalent of saying, “to build a house all you need is a roof.” The extra steps these companies take before shipping a weapon are leaps and bounds above other manufacturers, and that is why I chose them.

Now, there are plenty of other manufacturers that make quality AR platforms such as LMT, Colt, Triarc Systems, LWRC, LaRue Tactical, Knights Armament Co, etc. and they are top notch. Even during my service in the military I bet my life on Colt for years, so please do not think I am stating these other manufacturers are unworthy for duty or home defense. On the other hand, if you are considering building a rifle (I recommend that for more experienced individuals), do not make your first home defense rifle a build. I’ve seen it all when it comes to builds. Build your first and make sure it runs — Clint Smith would agree with me. With that noted, let’s move on.

Weapons System Overview:

Rifle1: Daniel Defense M4 V11 in 5.56mm.

Barrel- Cold Hammer Forged, government profile 1:7 twist, Chrome Moly Vanadium Steel

Rail- Keymod 15inch

Gas system- Mid-Length

Gas block- Low profile pinned

Muzzle Device- Daniel Defense Flash Suppressor

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 in 5.56mm.

Barrel- Cold Hammer Forged, government profile 1:7 twist, MIL-B-11595E Chrome Moly Steel

Rail- Keymod 15inch

Gas system- Mid-Length

Gas block- Low profile dimpled with set screws

Muzzle Device- BCM Mod 0 Compensator

I can get into further detail, but I’m not a damn brochure, look the rest up yourself.

The barrel- Both rifles are government profile and cold hammer forged, a solid decision with respect to durability. There are some who would urge you to seek lightweight barrels, but I like versatility. There are also days where training is high round count and long in duration; I have no interest in sacrificing accuracy, or increasing the level of heat on my handguard if that can be mitigated with a slightly heavier barrel. In fact, I am also a big fan of the heavier SOCOM profile barrels as they handle a higher volume of fire. Bottom line, I like a workhorse that I can depend on.

Moving onto gas systems- I’m a pretty big proponent of the mid-length gas system on a 16 inch barrel. It allows greater dwell time and creates a far smoother recoil impulse than a carbine length gas system. During training sessions, I believe you’ll find recoil management a tad more manageable than a “snappy” carbine length system during a rapid string of fire.

Gas blocks- Pinned or dimpled with set screws? Honestly, if done right it doesn’t matter. However, if done wrong the weapon won’t run. This is an area where a quality manufacturer is important. Over the years, I have had plenty of friends shoot their personal weapons in a course side by side with me, and some lesser manufacturers have been known to cut corners in this area. I’ve seen some of those guns run like sewing machines, then one day, not function…. All due to poor gas block installation or cheap materials.

Muzzle device- The muzzle device in both systems work just fine, but they are nothing to write home about. The Daniel Defense Flash suppressor works as intended, it dissipates muzzle flash, and helps direct recoil where it needs to go. The BCM Mod 0 Compensator does neither task very well. It does an okay job of flash suppression, and an okay job of compensation. If you are thinking of installing a large muzzle brake on your home protection weapon to aid in recoil management, don’t. The muzzle flash, combined with the deafening noise will be a less than pleasant experience should you have to fight with your rifle indoors.

Regarding Rails- both work fine, Keymod or MLOK, I really don’t care. It does not impact my ability to shoot well, and the systems are durable. If I were to pick from the two manufacturers, I prefer the BCM rail system. It’s lighter, and the lockup is simplistic but tough. For you gear-nazis, MLOK accessories will have greater longevity with respect to accessory availability, and it is a more durable system than keymod.

Last, but not least, Bolt Carrier Groups (BCGs)- There’s a ton of options out there, so I’ll say it like this, get yourself a full auto BCG. The AR-15 was designed to run with the full auto BCG. There are better options, but a Mil-spec, carpenter 158 steel, high pressure tested, magnetic particle inspected, heat treated and shot peened, with properly torqued and staked gas key screws are essential to reliable operation. The Daniel Defense and BCM BCGs are a fantastic example of a perfectly executed Mil-spec BCG; however, the BCM BCG has become the “gold standard” throughout the shooting community. You would not be wrong with either choice.

Rifle Setups:

Rifle1- Daniel Defense M4 V11 (Pictured on Top)

Optic- EOTECH EXPS 3-2 (Tan)

Iron Sights- Daniel Defense fixed iron sights

Foregrip- Strike Industries SI LINK angled foregrip

Light Source- Arisaka Defense 300 series with Surefire SR07 pressure switch

Buttstock- BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD Stock

Other- Magpul PMAG Coupler

Rifle2: BCM RECCE 16 (Pictured Below)

Optic- Trijicon MRO

Iron Sights- Daniel Defense fixed iron sights

Foregrip- Strike Industries SI LINK angled foregrip

Light Source- Arisaka Defense 300 series with Surefire SR07 pressure switch

Buttstock- BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD Stock

Other- Magpul PMAG Coupler

Kit for your setup are where some folks tend to skimp once they purchase a quality rifle, sometimes…. They skimp even if their rifle is garbage. But here’s the takeaway, positive target ID, a fast-reliable optic, and a weapon that feels instinctive to operate are just as important. If it looks cool, but works sometimes, or is not user-friendly, move on.

Optics: The EOTECH EXPS series- are great close quarters optics, practically parallax free (not totally), large window that promotes situational awareness, and ideal donut style reticle make it a force to be reckoned with. Now, I am fully prepared for all my EOTECH haters to crawl out from the rock they are hiding under screaming things like “thermal drift!” In my experience, all the EXPS models I’ve run work great. Even the one I used during my time in Special Operations through parachuting, climbing, rucking, FAST roping, and extended shooting sessions during extreme cold weather (the polar vortex of 2015), I’ve had no issues. My biggest complaint is battery life, 1000 Hours. You do not want to be in a position where you go to turn on your optic in the middle of the night only to see a big fat nothing. I always play it safe and change my batteries every 3 months.

Moving on to the Trijicon MRO- the thing is bomb proof, parallax is a bit rough on this optic, but I haven’t found that to be an issue. In stark contrast, the battery life is amazing at a whopping 5 years in constant on. What is very hard to beat, is the price. If you wait for an online sale, you can roll out the door with one for approximately $375.

Iron sights- It’s like this, yea, it’s more money to spend; on the other hand, batteries and electronics fail. Iron sights are a constant you can count on, so buy them. Light Source- Arisaka Defense makes solid kit, and the 300 series are cost effective and reliable. They are also relatively small, light-weight, and take up very little real-estate on your rail system. Add a surefire pressure switch and you’re in business.

Flashlights are a non-negotiable item, if you can’t identify what’s in front of you, you are combat ineffective. BCM Gunfighter SOPMOD stock- Highly durable (I’ve drop tested their stocks before at 20+FT…. they hold up), with a fantastic cheek-weld. The BCM SOPMOD stock makes reflexive shooting just a tad more instinctive. Strike Industries Angled foregrip- I just like them, no other reason, find what works for you. Their slim profile allows me to get a solid grip around the rail system, and the forward notch aids the shooter in keeping the rifle pinned to your shoulder with ease. Lastly, the Magpul PMAG coupler- “What’s better than one thirty round magazine?” Two thirty round magazines mounted side-by-side. I can’t predict the future, but 60 rounds of 5.56mm in your home defense rifle should be more than enough to end most engagements. I’m not saying 60 rounds are all you’ll ever need, but I am saying that the odds are in your favor.

Lastly, all the top-notch gear in the world does not make an effective combat shooter. I know plenty of businessmen that own expensive firearms they don’t know how to run. If you plan to invest in a home defense weapon, then plan to invest regular money in constant training. You owe it to everyone as a responsible gun owner, you owe it to your family, the innocent neighbors across the street, and most of all, yourself. Even if you’re not a combat shooter, you need to train like one. The whole reason you are making this purchase is if something “might” happen. Well, if something “might” happen, then training is the other 50% percent of that dangerous hypothetical.

About the Author: Jonathan Fietkau is a former SOTACC from 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, and a graduate of the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course (SFAUCC). He is a combat veteran of Iraq, and other theaters of operation, with previous service in the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions.

Off the beaten path: 4 tips for mitigating the risks of adventure traveling

I’ve done a fair amount of traveling over the years. I’ve stood next to pyramids on two continents, wandered around the Coliseum and the Acropolis, gone white water rafting in Alaska and relaxed at a wine tasting in Malta. Que Johnny Cash singing, “I’ve been everywhere,” because, although there’s still plenty of world left to see, I’ve seen enough to know what to expect when I get there.

Despite what Tumblr posts and motivational memes on Facebook would have you believe, travel alone isn’t really enough to educate you in the ways of the world. Tourism is a powerful industry; powerful enough to shape your experiences as you jet set around the globe. Many tourism based economies revolve around the idea of giving you (the tourist) what you want. In some places, that means only offering food that fits a region’s stereotypes rather than local tastes, but in others, like many Central and South American countries, it often means the construction of entire facades intended to convince you of some Disney interpretation of local life, carefully built at just the right angle to obstruct your view of reality. The reality of poverty tends to stay under wraps–but that’s not the only way traveling can mislead you.

It’s honestly pretty easy to write an article laying out a few simple steps that can help keep you safe when seeking adventure that’s a bit off the beaten path, but the problem with that sort of article is that the IDEA of adventure seeking inherently requires a bit of risk. The risk in some situations, is the very goal of the trip. Therefore, the secret is to actively manage those risks, and make sure you try your best not to end up in over your head.

Do your research.

Back in my HR days, I was always amazed at people who would come into my office for an interview without ever even googling the company they hoped to work for. If you didn’t know what we did, or the specific requirements for the job, you were unprepared and off my hiring list. Call it harsh, but if you don’t prep for our meeting I’ll assume you aren’t going to a competent leader if hired.

Just like you should know all you can about a company before an interview, you should know all you can about a place before you arrive. No, that doesn’t mean re-reading the brochure your travel agent gave you, it means doing a little digging around the internet, checking news stories and, if applicable, State Department warnings. If you’re visiting someplace you’ve already been, you should still do some research to see what new changes have occurred since your last visit.

This counts for cities in the U.S. as well. Before I set off on a trip to New Orleans a few years ago, I did some quick google research and found a story about local thugs approaching tourists and asking them “where they got their shoes.” Apparently, it would make people glance downward, allowing these criminals a chance to start the beat down with an unobstructed shot to the head, followed by a good old-fashioned mugging.

The very concept sounded too idiotic to be true–until I found myself standing face to face with a big, bald dude in a Bourbon Street alley less than 24 hours later, asking me where I got my shoes.

Maybe he saw me walking around in khakis and a polo shirt from afar and thought I’d be an easy mark, but realized he bit off more than he could chew when all 6 feet and 230 pounds of me was staring him in the eye and waiting for him to flinch. Maybe he was just really into alleys and shoes. Either way, I kept my wallet that night and possibly my intact face, thanks to situational awareness and a bit of background research. Having a real mean stare helps sometimes too.

Plan for the worst.

It doesn’t always seem cool to be the guy that’s planning for safety. Some will think you’re paranoid, others that you’re “playing operator” and just showing off your tactical vocabulary, and there’s usually at least one (like my wife) that’s a little too sure of his or herself, and in their ability to fight their way out of trouble. To quote Mike Tyson, “Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

You need to be the person with a plan for WHEN you get punched in the mouth. Identify a spot to meet back up if you get separated from your group, talk about how to get to safety and what safety IS in the location you’re in. At the mall in Cleveland, safety might mean just meeting up in front of Sears. In Turkey, it could mean finding a consulate, depending on your faith in local law enforcement (the last time I was there, they were far more interested in taking pictures of my wife with their cell phones than giving me directions).

If you’re traveling with veterans, they probably won’t think twice when you start dropping ORM bombs (Operational Risk Management) in the middle of planning a night of hard drinking in Honduran bars, but if you’re among civilians, you may catch a few stray eye rolls–but I’ll always take those over right crosses, or god forbid, stray rounds.

Trust your gut.

This is the second time I’ve written an article about travel advice and included those three words. That’s not due to a lack of creativity, it’s because your gut is THAT important when it comes to survival.

Trusting your gut is more than trusting yourself–it’s about trusting a specific part of yourself. I once tried to fight a group of guys in Italy over five Euros. My gut told me that I was in a dangerous situation, but it was my ego that told me the solution was to punch my way out of it. Fortunately for me, my wife was present in both body and mind and just gave the dude the money to save her husband’s hide. My ego said that was giving in, but my gut knew it was the fastest way to getting us out of a dangerous situation. Paying up isn’t always the right move, but in that instance, squaring off with street peddlers just outside the Vatican gates, it was the right call.

It’s not in my nature to avoid a fight, but it is often in my best interest. If you can manage it, especially when overseas, diffuse situations before they start and look for ways to ease tensions as they rise. Avoiding a fight might not only save your life, but even winning a fight in many countries will land you a trip to the sort of jails you’ve only seen on the Discovery Channel. Use that gut instinct to get you of harm’s way, before harm even knows you’re there.

Acknowledge that some risk is necessary.

In the military, every operation can be visualized in the form of a fraction: you take your risk factors and throw them on top, you take your objectives and stick them on the bottom, and hopefully your result will be equal to or less than 1. From there, work on ways to mitigate risks until the ratio starts looking friendlier.

Travel doesn’t have to be very risky at all, but sipping rum runners from the deck of a cruise ship isn’t everyone’s idea of adventure and if you’re hoping to go live a chapter in a book you hope to write one day, it’ll mean raising the risk number in the numerator of that fraction.

You don’t always have to avoid risks to reduce the threat they present, sometimes you need only to be aware of them. However, it’s imperative that you make an objective assessment of what could go wrong in the pursuit of your adventure, and pair it with an honest appraisal of how much risk you’re willing to deem acceptable. That’s a personal decision that needs to be based on your level of experience, ability to address dangerous situations on the fly, and the amount of faith you have in the people around you.

Risk doesn’t have to be avoided, but it should always be assessed.

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