Category Archives: Martial Arts

Letter Re: onPoint Tactical Course

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Hugh and Jim,

I won the opportunity to attend one of the onPoint Tactical courses through the SurvivalBlog writing contest. However, I knew my 23-year-old son would get a lot more out of it than I, and Kevin Reeve (owner) graciously allowed Luke to attend in my place. He couldn’t have been more grateful for all he learned in the Basic Scout course.

He spent hours telling the rest of the family of all he learned, and we all practiced some of the skills. (Luke has practiced a lot more than the rest of us.) And Luke immediately started making plans to attend the Advanced Scout course, which he would have to pay for himself. This is coming from a full-time student (fortunately on full ride scholarship) who works part time and is also building a tiny house for himself on our property, all without carrying any debt. He doesn’t … Continue reading →


My Defenses- Part 1, by Sarah Latimer

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So, in my last article, I referred to the young shepherd boy we read about in the Bible named David, who fought off a lion and bear while protecting his father’s sheep and boldly stepped into a one-on-one battle with Goliath who was taunting the Israelite army and mocking God. I am sure David had practiced his slingshot before engaging Goliath with only this one tool and no self-defense armor, and in the previous article I stated that we should be practicing our weapons also.

Now, let me just say right up front that I am not a military or defense professional nor am I anything close to a weapons expert. I don’t share my husband’s passion for weapons, but I very much appreciate and respect them and I gladly use them when necessary. Their great advantage is that they give us, women, a weapon of defense … Continue reading →


Know Your Limits, by Molon Labe

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In these times, there are many activities that we must train to be able to do, many skills we must know, and many tasks we are forced to accomplish to sustain our lives and those who we care about. In the days ahead, there will be even greater and more difficult things that we will have to do should a collapse or failure of civility occur to any degree in our area. Many things that are abhorrent to us may become required in order to righteously protect what is ours.

Taking lives in the defense of our lives, our property, and more importantly in defense of our friends and family, may well be absolutely necessary. This is a topic which is often neglected today but clearly shown in Holy Scripture. However this is one of the only skills that you cannot afford to do without or make a mistake. Realistically, … Continue reading →


Letter Re: Personal Notes of Application From SurvivalBlog’s “The Frog in A Slowly Heating Pot”

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Dear SurvivalBlog Editor,

Regarding the letter, Personal Notes of Application From SurvivalBlog’s “The Frog in A Slowly Heating Pot”- Part 1, by C.F., Saturday June 13, 2015, I always recommend to folks wanting to setup a sentry organization that they review the United States Armed Forces’ General Orders for Sentries. This gives the organization an excellent starting point for how to organize an effective watch program and insures that all participating are using the same vocabulary.

Since the prosecution of George Zimmerman in FL in 2012, many folks would like for their sentries to be unarmed, but I encourage all that conduct sentry duty to be armed to the highest legal level.

The 2015 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season is upon us and I remember from years past, exhausted sentries with shotguns, sitting in lawn chairs, trying to keep the looters at bay…


Letter: Instinct Shooting

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Pat:

I have a question about instinct shooting. Several years ago I saw a video showing a technique called “index shooting”. This video had the shooter standing with his handgun arm locked at right angel and elbow locked to side with handgun approximately six inches out from lower ribcage. Wrist is locked and shooter swings torso to change radial firing direction. Off hand is held up toward chest with palm pressed to upper chest to keep it behind the muzzel. In the video demo the shooter was very accurate, but I have not seen this technique elsewhere and have lost the link long ago. This may not be called “index shooting”. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. – J.B.

Pat Cascio Responds: There are several different types of Point Shooting, or Instinct Shooting, being taught out there, and one particular method– the one I learned from the late Col. … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 9 of 9, by Pat Cascio

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Chapter Seven

Threats in the Future…Today?

Some so-called “experts” believe that future threats to our safety and well-being will come from our children. In a manner of speaking, they are correct in their assumptions. However, you need only watch the evening news to see that the future has already arrived. Read on.

Los Angeles, California District Attorney, Gil Garcetti, probably best summed it up when he said, “My God, this could happen to me . . . What is going on here?” Garcetti was in a news conference describing what was being called the “Wrong Way Shooting” of an innocent, little, three year old girl whose uncle turned onto a gang-infested street in Los Angeles. The precious little girl was killed by indiscriminate (gang) gunfire.

The Wave of the Future?

Gang violence is perhaps what the future holds, according to a number of recognized … Continue reading →


Letter Re: Becoming A Warrior At Gunsite Academy, by J.H.

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Hugh,

There is no way a civilian can develop the proper mindset, skills, and base of knowledge required to be considered a “warrior” by attending a class for a weekend or even a week. Please do not misunderstand what I am trying to say. Classes like this can be beneficial to an individual as long as they do not leave the false impression that a warrior has been created. This false belief can lead someone to get hurt if they respond with inflated confidence during an actual life-threatening situation. There is no way to become a warrior, unless you make it your profession. The amount of training required for an action to become “muscle memory” is immense. J.H. did mention situational awareness (SA). The best high threat engagement a civilian can have is the one he or she avoids. Proper SA can save someone from having to draw … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 7 of 9, by Pat Cascio

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Chapter Five

I NEVER THOUGHT… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people on t.v. news programs crying and saying, “I never thought it could (or would) happen here.” Excuse me, is anyone out there? Violent crimes can and do happen, right where you never thought they would or could happen. You must be prepared for the unexpected. If you’re prepared for the unexpected, then it won’t be unexpected.

One of my students (a mother) objected to the fact that I was teaching gun and knife disarm techniques to her three children. Her children between six and eleven years old at the time. I informed this mother that as long as she and her kids were in my self-defense classes, I was going to teach them these techniques. One of my assistant instructors broke into the conversation at this point and drove my point home. He … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 6b of 9, by Pat Cascio

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Hip Shooting

Whoa, partner! Before everyone starts firing letters off to me protesting that hip shooting isn’t point shooting, give me (and others) the benefit of the doubt! You have to admit that leveling a gun at someone from just above your holster isn’t exactly aimed shooting, is it? Neither is it exactly what we call point shooting. None the less, the technique is worth mentioning, as it does work in the tightest of combat situations. When your opponent is directly in front of you just about face-to-face or, worse yet, is face-to-face with you, you can’t draw and fully extend your arm, can you? I didn’t think so!

Now, there are some of those self-proclaimed “experts” out there who will claim that hip shooting doesn’t work, either. Well, God bless ’em, I guess they will never get into a situation where their assailant is right on top of … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 6a of 9, by Pat Cascio

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[Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game is a SurvivalBlog exclusive.]

Chapter Four

Close Quarters Combat Shooting

No book or single chapter of a book can adequately teach a person gunfighting skills. In this chapter, I’m going to give you the basic concepts of close quarters combat shooting, or CQB as it’s commonly called. It is my sincere belief that there is no better method of deploying a handgun in a close quarters, self-defense situation than with the method known as Point Shooting.

If you’ll recall, in many of the war stories I have related to you, the distances involved were extremely close. FBI statistics prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that most gunfights take place at 21 feet or less, and in many cases the distance is “reach out and touch someone” close.

To be an effective all-around combat pistol shot, you MUST be trained in … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 5b of 9, by Pat Cascio

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[Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game is a SurvivalBlog exclusive.]

Chapter Three (continued)

CASE STUDY: Three Determined Power Plant Thieves

At one time or another, both Ralph (who we called Lo-Lo for some reason that I don’t recall) and Rudy worked for me when I was a supervisor at a detective agency. This story deals with Ralph.

At this point in time, Ralph hadn’t completed his 30-hour training course in order to be an armed security officer in Illinois. So, Ralph was working unarmed at a very remote location. He was supposed to protect an old Commonwealth Edison power plant, but how you protect property without a firearm is beyond me. The plant was scheduled for demolition. In the meantime, the plant was loaded with a huge fortune of copper wire. It was not just your regular copper wire but copper wire as thick as your arm. … Continue reading →


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 4 of 9, by Pat Cascio

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[Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game is a SurvivalBlog exclusive.]

Chapter Two

DIRTY FIGHTING TECHNIQUES

Growing up, most of us have witnessed school yard fights. These usually amounted to a shoving or wrestling match. However, every once in a while, things got serious and punches flew. In some instances, one opponent will do something “dirty” to win the battle. In the eyes of school children, this is a “no-no”. In real-life, it’s another story. Remember, this is Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game. Also, as mentioned in the last chapter, there is no “second place winner” in this sort of combat.

I’ve witnessed more than my share of bar fights, and I’ve even participated in a few (in my “young and dumb” days). I have yet to hear any participant of a bar fight claim that the other opponent fought dirty. You do whatever you have … Continue reading →


Letter Re: Killing, Death, and Dying

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HJL,

The article speaks to human nature. Being tough in a vaguely dangerous situation is easy, being tough in a moderately dangerous combat situation, like Fallujah, is a bit harder, but being tough as the first dude onto the beaches of Normandy would be truly tough. I can only imagine that level of violence. Don’t kid yourself thinking that sitting in a leather recliner watching Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan makes you understand. Nevertheless, can you or I prepare ourselves to the best of our individual ability for that type of event? Yes, as previously discussed.

Regardless of mental and physical training and preparation, some people are not meant for battle, in my opinion. What if you know you are not a fighter? The sight of blood makes you pass out, you react to being scared by curling up into the fetal position, loud noises … Continue reading →


Self Defense Methods to Hone the Modern Prepper, by J.D.E.

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It’s a warm summer evening. Your children have been begging you all day to take them to that new cartoon playing at the theater. It’s a Saturday, and you don’t have to be at church until noon the next morning. You give in to those little “pretty pleases” they’ve been charming you with all day. The movie is over around 11:00pm, and two tired but content children follow you out to your truck. There are very few people in the parking lot, and you are 15 feet from your vehicle when the hair on the back of your neck stands at attention. You’ve felt this before and know to listen to your senses, but it’s too late. Suddenly you are slammed to the ground from behind. A large man sits on your chest, while delivering blow after blow to your head and face. The weight of your attacker … Continue reading →


The Warfighter and the Auxiliary Opinions

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There are many that want to be the cool guy running in the hills with a rifle, taking out targets, conducting raids, and setting up ambushes. Several think that they can sit on a hill top with their rifle and take out any targets in sight. Just about everyone wants to do something tactical.

While learning, knowing, and practicing those skills is great, it is not practical to have everyone in the prepper community running and gunning. Everyone in this community needs to know how to run their rifles, pistols, and shotguns, but it is not necessary for everyone to run into the hills. Everyone needs to have their gear laid out and ready so that they can, if necessary. However, it DOES NOT need to be your first option, nor your second, third, or even fourth. For most, it SHOULD be your last resort.

To talk about gear for … Continue reading →