American Rifleman – September 2019

38 SEPTEMBER 2019 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN

REPORTS | PRODUCTS & PROJECTS

REPORTS | TIPS & TECHNIQUES

“Three A’s” Of Defensive Pistolcraft

T

here is no way to know how a close-quarter pistol
ght will unfold. At the risk of sounding cliché, it will
be “what it is, and nothing else.” While there have
been any number of witty quotes regarding gunghting
over the last century and a half, my in-depth study of the
subject has led me to believe that the outcome can often
be explained by what I call the “Three A’s.”
Forewarned is forearmed. The person who sees the ght
coming has a distinct advantage. In 1732, English historian
Thomas Fuller said, “A man surprised is half beaten,” and
history has shown this to be true. Thus, awareness is key to
ght preparation. The combatant who sees the ght for what
it truly is, and can adapt accordingly, will likely prevail.
Adaptation is the action of “changing as necessary.” A
true combatant must be “adaptive” by possessing not only
the ability to change, but also by having appropriate skills
mastered to a level of automaticity—being able to call on
them with little or no conscious thought. The mental pro-
cess of orienting, analyzing a situation, and deciding on a
response is complex, but can be sped up considerably if the
relevant situations have been considered and prepared for
ahead of time. That said, adaptation is a function performed
in the brain, while a proper response is physical, meaning the
skills needed to win the ght must ultimately be applied.
Skilled application is a result of skill-specic train-
ing and repetitive practice. I don’t know what a “perfect
repetition” is, but I know training repetitions have to be of
a very high quality to truly anchor a skill. The brain must
be able to call upon skills quickly, and the body needs to
perform them cold—without any warm-up. I have heard

people say, “I have a one-second draw!” But when I ask

for a demonstration the response is often, “Well, I have to

warm-up rst.” Sorry, not quite.

A true skill is a physical action that can be performed

on the rst try with a high expectation of success, regard-

less of the conditions faced. In addition, it is quite likely

that a single skill will not win the day; rather, a series of

skills will need to be “chunked” together seamlessly, in

one uid motion, without hesitation. Many have lost their

ghts due to their inability to merge skills.

Remember, awareness, adaptation and application are the

“Three A’s” of defensive—or as I call it, combative—pistolcraft.

BY DAVE SPAULDING

Venture Gear Amp BT Shooting Muffs

P

yramex has released a new set of
shooting muffs through its Venture
Gear brand, called the Amp BT
Electronic Bluetooth Hearing Protector. The
Amp BT utilizes rapid-noise-suppression
technology (which activates after 85 dBs)
to compress harmful sounds to safe levels,
while simultaneously allowing surrounding
noises to be heard with the help of four
microphones positioned around the unit. The Amp BT also
offers Bluetooth connectivity, allowing shooters to wirelessly
connect a smartphone or other device to their muffs, enabling
them to listen to music or talk on the phone, while still tak-
ing full advantage of the rapid-noise-suppression technology.
A 3.5 mm auxiliary input jack is also included for wired con-
nections. And, even in passive mode, the Amp BT muffs still
offer a noise reduction rating of 26 dBs. Price: $120.
Contact: Pyramex Safety; (800) 736-8673; pyramexsafety.

Illustrations by David Labrozzi

Browning Hell’s Canyon BTU-WD

Outdoor Clothing

W

hen trying to

sit still in a

stand, ground

blind or next to a

tree, few things make

wriggling around

more tempting than

the steady creep

of damp and cold.

Browning’s Hell’s

Canyon line of BTU-WD (Warm and Dry) hunting clothing is

designed with just this hardship in mind. Working from

the bottom up, the BTU-WD Bib ($240) features a fully

water- and windproof shell, with 80 grams of PrimaLoft

Hi-Loft Silver insulation to keep out the chill, and hand

warmer pockets for when those BTU-WD Gloves ($40) need

a little assistance. Topside, the ensemble is paired with the

BTU-WD Parka ($300). A 3-in-1 hunting parka, the BTU-WD

Parka has a nifty removable insulated jacket, making it a

perfect any-season option. All articles of clothing afxed

with the BTU-WD moniker are currently available in Mossy

Oak Break-Up Country. Contact: Browning; browning.com.