The Range Is Hot
How The Chief Sees It
This section is for the Chief Instructor to share knowledge, opinions, and thoughts on anything relating to the material taught by ExecPro Training, or the reasons behind it.
Do not take offense to anything said here, as it is not meant to cause any.
No Politics or Religion will be discussed, except as it relates to the material.
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02.11.2025
Educate Yourself​
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In an attempt to avoid alarming the U.S. public, the government is doing little to inform citizens about crime and terrorism threats and how to respond. However, educating people on how to best protect themselves and their families would actually reduce fear. The public is largely kept uninformed, and there is an excessive reliance on law enforcement and other first responders to intervene during a crisis. It's important to recognize that these agencies are already overburdened and lacking resources. This situation creates a "perfect storm" for disaster, and as responsibly armed citizens, you must be part of the solution, bridging the gap between perception and reality regarding threats and responses. Just remember that, everytime you leave your house.
02.12.2025
Civil vs Criminal
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​Did you know... There is a difference in the percentage of reasonable doubt, as it pertains to civil vs criminal cases? Yes. In my class titled, "Violent Encounters and Their Aftermath", I talk about the inevitability of the trial that follows most self-defense shootings. If the evidence is such that a prosecutor feels they actually need to charge you (the intended victim) with a crime, those legal authorities who venture to assign a numerical value to “beyond a reasonable doubt” that you are guilty, place it in the certainty range of 98 or 99 percent. What does that mean for you? That simply means that the prosecution (typically the state you defended yourself in) must prove beyond 98 or 99 percent that you intentionally committed whatever act they charged you with. If you truly acted in defense of yourself or another, prove that.
The fact is, you are probably going to get sued. Whether it's by the assailant's family, or (providing they survived) the assailant themselves. In that case, in a civil trial, a party may prevail with as little as 51 percent probability (a preponderance).
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In either case, protect yourself. I'm not going to sell you on insurance, but I have it. USCCA provides it to all of it's members as a courtesy feature of membership. I also carry US Lawshield. These options guarantee me that if I ever encounter a dynamic scenario, and I am taken into custody (which is customary in almost every shooting), I will have attorneys on-site ASAP free of charge and ready to fight for me.
2.13.2025
To Port, Or Not To Port
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When it comes to customizing your firearms, I am a firm believer in the term, "you do you, boo." I truly don't think it matters what color your gun is, whether it has polka dots, etc. I believe if it operates effectively, and you train with it, you should be good to go. That said....porting the barrel and slide: That is a custom feature that not only raises the aesthetic value of the piece, but can actually improve your shooting. Let me explain.
It comes down to recoil. being able to reacquire your target quickly is a skill that takes practice, and lots of it. Sure, we all like to think we're billy badass the gunslinger, right? But the fact remains, if you don't train, you will fail. Talk is cheap. Now, when you port the barrel and slide, you reduce the amount of recoil (I'm simplifying things, I know). The gasses escape mainly through the top of the barrel, not the muzzle. Instead of the recoil pushing the gun up and back, the force of the escaping gasses push the gun back down, which in turn reduces the recoil, keeping the muzzle from rising, and allowing you to get back on target faster. All in all, it mostly balances out, as long as you keep a solid foundation for the gun to do its thing. See the media below.
(NOTE: The top video is a fantastic example of the lack of recoil. There is virtually none. The bottom video is a terrible example... I was actually just recording the first time my 10 year old son shot my M&P; but it shows the true function of the gun!) Enjoy!
The port seen here was done by Atlas Tactical Armory, in Reynoldsburg, OH. It is known as the, "Sinister Se7en", because of the 7 holes cut into the barrel, and the large window in the slide. It looks great and operates magnificently.
2.17.2025
Mentorship
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I was speaking with a young man today who was working as a security guard, wanding people with a handheld metal detector. Not bad, for a 22 year old "kid" to be making $18/hour, right? I remember when I was 18yo, and starting off in the security industry...bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, ready to take on anybody. Making much less money, but this was a long time ago.
Anyway, I had a really good talk with the guy about his future, and he is really motivated to make a career out of security. I told him, "that's great...as long as you do it right. Don't end up here. Don't celebrate your 30th birthday, at the same security job that you celebrated your 22nd. Move up. See your boss over there? Why do you think he's your boss? because he been here forever, right? See, that's not good. You don't want to be the boss because of how long you've been there; you want to be the leader because of your experience." Then I gave him some ideas of how to make a career out of this job.
Because look. This is not a job for the faint of heart. It is a hard, thankless, blood/sweat/tears kind of job. But most people don't see it that way. Most people look at security as a joke. A turnkey, doorknob jiggling, will-work-for-peanuts type of job. But guess what? The security you don't see, is allowing you to sleep soundly at night. They are protecting the nuclear sites. They are guarding the executives that control your financial and healthcare institutions. They protect your grocery stores, your banks, your data (cloud) storage centers, your hospitals. Get the point?
So, as I am trying my hardest to give this guy some good advice, I also want to tell him to find another line of work. Because this one is not for everyone. But I saw some strength in this dude. So, I stuck with it. I have to remind myself that I had mentorship throughout my life, that gave me a push in the right direction whenever I needed it, or even a boot in the ass when I needed it. So, I gave him my contact info and told him to reach out with any questions in the future. I hope I don't see him here much longer.....