Ed Stock has taught at Gunsite for about 30 years and has an extensive military and law enforcement background. Here, he goes through the three ready positions with a shotgun, all of which can help you safely handle a very effective self-defense platform.

The first position is the Outdoor Ready

Next comes Indoor Ready, which is a bit trickier since you must avoid muzzling your foot. The Gunsite method ensures your keep all your toes intact.

Last is Low Ready, which is the fastest both to learn and from which to get on target.

All of these positions aid in tactical shotgun handling, particularly the difficult reloads with pump and semi-auto shotguns.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CA - Sgt. Jason Pacheco, 23, scout sniper instructor, Division Schools, 1st Marine Division, from Las Vegas, N.M., uses his prosthetic leg as support for an M40 Sniper Rifle on a firing range at Camp Pendleton Aug. 30, 2011. Pacheco suffered a severed leg after an improvised explosive device detonated beneath him during a patrol in Afghanistan August 2010. His leg had to be amputated below his knee. Pacheco uses his prosthetic leg to support the weight of his rifle to show an example of how students can use anything to steady a rifle. He has been an instructor for the Pre-Scout Sniper School since March and recently completed a physical fitness test with his prosthetic leg. He has re-enlisted and said he hopes to continue training in preparation to return to full duty. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by L/Cpl. Timothy Lenzo)

Hat Tip: J.R. Absher.

If you’ve been living under a rock, Kyle is the most prolific sniper in American history, with 160 confirmed kills in Iraq. Despite holding that title (by a wide margin), he does not rank himself as the greatest sniper we’ve produced.

“Carlos Hathcock was the greatest American sniper,” he said. ”Just because you have more kills doesn’t make you better. The kills come because of the situation you’re in. I was presented with a lot of targets. The snipers in World War II were given more opportunities than anyone since. Hathcock used all the skills a sniper needs to know—stalking, concealing his movement, waiting for the right moment, etc.—better than anyone. That’s the real skill of being a sniper, not just the final moments of the shot.”

Beyond his service to our nation abroad, Kyle is also an NRA Life Member, though he did not join until he left the military. “After I left the military, I needed to be able to show I am 100 percent in favor of our right to keep and bear arms. Joining the NRA was the best way to show I care about gun rights.”

Check out the May issue of Shooting Illustrated (on newsstands April 17th) for the complete interview with Kyle. For now, we’ll leave you with a poignant statement from this true American hero: “No matter how much training you do, you can never simulate the emotion of combat. War is hell. You lose close friends—it sucks. But sometimes war is a necessary evil.”

Odd, then, that no politician has yet called for the banning of cellular phones, portable radios, antennae,  repeaters and solar panels, all of which were used by the Zetas cartel to create a secure communications network used for command and control of its criminal enterprise.

Did you know you can walk into a celluar phone dealer and buy an unlimited number of high-powered mobile phones without so much as a background check? Many of these phones can handle multiple calls at once, and some are even designed for use by young children. You can even buy prepaid phones that are completely untraceable!

Did you know terrorists have cellular phones? Why has no politician called for a ban on these obviously dangerous devices?

“Hanukkah, often called in English by the name ‘The Festival of Lights,’ actually means ‘Dedication.’ Most Americans have some familiarity with the Jewish custom of lighting the menorah, the nine-branched candelabrum we light each night of Hanukkah to commemorate the lighting of the menorah in the Holy Temple which once stood in Jerusalem.

Most Jewish children can explain that the lighting of the menorah commemorates a miracle, that when the Jewish people purified the Temple from the idol worship with which the Greeks had profaned it, only one jug of pure olive oil was found, sufficient only for one night. But to complete the sanctification and rededication of the Temple, God brought a miracle—the oil lasted through eight nights until more pure oil could be produced.

Somehow, the prelude to the story of the oil is less well known. The 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev—the first day of Hanukkah—also marks the day when the Jewish warriors rested from battle. On the 25th of Kislev, they lay down their arms in victory, having defeated the Greeks who had profaned the Temple.

When the Maccabees—the family of generals who led the battle—entered the Temple, the golden menorah was not to be found. In order to immediately begin the Divine Service, the Maccabees collected spears left behind in the battle. According to Pesikta Rabbati, a 2,000-year-old rabbinic source, this first “Maccabee menorah” was made out of eight spears. Cups were either attached to or beaten out of the spears to hold oil and wicks; the menorah was lit, and the rest is history.”

Now, you might ask yourself what this has to do with guns, self-defense or anything other than a nice little celebration with some candle lighting. Well, here’s where it gets interesting.

On the Sabbath, observant Jews are forbidden from creative labor in the world, and instead focus on spiritual development. Lighting a fire—an essential element in firing a firearm—is a forbidden act on the Sabbath. Of course, the Macabees had no firearms, but war is certainly labor, so the question was, can you fight a war on the Sabbath? Bendory explained:

“We know in modern times of the World War I stories of troops who put down their arms and sang Christmas carols across the trenches with the enemy; on the 26th, they picked up their arms and resumed the battle. So too in ancient times, there were ‘rules of war’—the idea of laying aside arms on a holiday (or Holy Day) is not new.

At the time of the Macabees, there was a major disagreement in the Jewish world as to whether or not we could fight on the Sabbath. Oddly, this was the first war in which our enemies ‘discovered’ that they had a strategic advantage if they attacked on the Sabbath—the Jews were either unarmed (because they didn’t carry arms in public) or unwilling to fight (because of the prevalent belief that it was inappropriate on the holy day of rest).

The Macabees said otherwise—and they proved that preservation of life overrides Sabbath prohibitions. (Indeed, it overrides all but three cardinal sins.) They took up arms in defense on the Sabbath, and then they took up arms and attacked as well. Thus, in modern times, the Tzitz Eliezer (3:9) writes that religious soldiers are not only permitted, but are required to engage in both defensive and offensive operations on the Sabbath.”

So, you can see why Hanukkah is much more than “eight crazy nights” of gift giving and candle lighting; it is a faithful commemoration of the importance of armed self-defense of life and liberty. Sadly this lesson is forgotten by all too many people today. Too many, but not all.

First they flouridate our water, now this???!!! We’re doomed! Doomed I say!

Here’s a photo of the old (alleged) criminal:

I can’t be the only person who notices a striking resemblance to this guy, can I? (Caution, link has some colorful language).

I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. With the success of the P290, P250, and a plethora of other popular rifles and handguns, along with a slew of new products both being designed and coming into production, SIG’s Exeter facility might be overwhelmed.