One Hand or Two? Instinct vs. Training

What Actually Works in a Defensive Gunfight

A question that occasionally comes up in firearms training circles is whether shooters should default to one-handed shooting because it is “instinctive.”

It’s an interesting claim—but it doesn’t hold up when we look at how people actually perform in real defensive encounters.

There Is No “Instinctive” Way to Use a Firearm

The next time someone claims, “You don’t need to carry— just call 911,” share these eye-opening facts from recent years. Police response times remain strained due to ongoing staffing shortages, and the reality on the ground hasn’t improved much since 2023.

Too many discussions about situational awareness boil down to “just pay attention” or “stay alert.” That’s like telling a new shooter to “be accurate.” It’s well-meaning but useless—no structure, no drill, no path to get better.

Situational awareness isn’t a vague mindset, a personality type, or a color code on a mental chart. It’s a concrete skill you build deliberately, test under pressure, and maintain through consistent practice.

The bottom line: WEAR YOUR GUN! Carry consistently—because the day you need it most is the day you least expect it. These real-world patterns underscore why we train for close-range, rapid presentations, multiple threats, and decisive hits under stress.

Exceptions exist (e.g., rare longer-range engagements), so build versatile skills: speed at close quarters and precision when distance increases. Train realistically, stay aware, and stay prepared.

Questions or ready to level up your training? Reach out—we’re here to help you meet the realities of self-defense head-on. Stay safe out there.

On January 3, 2026, in Raleigh, North Carolina, a beloved science teacher and department chair at Ravenscroft School, Zoe Welsh, was fatally assaulted in her own home during an early morning burglary. Around 6:30 a.m., Welsh discovered an intruder in her residence on Clay Street and immediately called 911 to report the break-in. Tragically, while she was still on the line with dispatchers, the suspect began attacking her. By the time police arrived minutes later, she had sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where she later died.

At Lone Pine Tactical, we emphasize practical, real-world skills that go beyond the range—skills rooted in awareness, movement, and smart decision-making under stress. One particularly valuable concept we’ve incorporated into our training draws from advanced courses like “Take-A-Seat,” which focuses on effectively fighting from seated positions (such as in vehicles, restaurants, or on the ground), defending against close-quarters threats while seated, and rapidly transitioning back up to your feet to re-enter the fight.

A standout element from this type of training is a powerful post-engagement sequence: a straightforward mental checklist for the chaotic moments after neutralizing an immediate threat.

It consists of four simple questions:

1. Who can help me?

2. Who can hurt me?

3. Where am I going?

4. Where are my people?

Beware the Shod Foot: A Deadly Reminder of Ground-Fight Realities

Train for the Worst—Because It Happens

Incidents like this underscore why we train ground fighting, multiple threats, and disadvantaged-position shooting at Lone Pine Tactical. Our Defensive Handgun and Advanced courses include drills for drawing/shooting from the ground, retaining your firearm in clinches, and managing multi-assailant scenarios.

At Lone Pine Tactical, we don’t sugarcoat reality: Violence doesn’t send invitations. It erupts anywhere, anytime, against anyone. Accepting this truth is the first step toward taking control of your personal safety.

You may be selected as a victim without consent—but becoming victimized? That’s where you draw the line. Preparation turns the tables.

Justifiable Homicide 2015-2024

In motor skill development—especially the high-stakes skills needed for defensive handgun use—three principles stand out: Primacy, Recency, and Repetition

Distances in Real-World Self-Defense Shootings: What the Data Actually Shows

For years, many civilian defensive-firearms courses have leaned heavily on police-oriented statistics, especially the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) reports. The problem? Most police shootings involve uniformed patrol officers conducting high-risk activities that armed citizens almost never face—felony traffic stops, responding to hold-up alarms, domestic violence calls, serving warrants, and so on.

Those scenarios are fundamentally different from the environment a concealed-carrying citizen operates in: plain clothes, concealed handgun, unmarked (usually personal) vehicle, and no legal authority to detain or pursue.

Lone Pine Tactical American ammo is the gold standard - until it isn’t.

A Wake-Up Call from the Chairside: Violence Can Strike Anywhere

Shared by an oral surgeon in small-town America.

I practice in a quiet community of about 16,000—your classic two-horse town, 20 miles from where I live. As a former firefighter, I trained or worked alongside many of the local first responders. That history pays dividends: when I dial 911, fire or police are on scene in under 90 seconds.

Except once.

Airports, train stations, and other so-called “sensitive places” attract people who know travelers are unarmed and distracted. Modern airport policies, in the name of appearing “progressive,” have created soft targets — unsecured areas filled with unaware civilians who assume the presence of cameras, uniforms, and TSA lines means safety.

When folks pick a carry/self-defense load they often get hung up on tiny differences in penetration or expansion. Don’t. Pick several high-quality loads that fall inside an acceptable performance envelope, then find out which one your pistol likes best.

he Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), part of the U.S. Department of Justice, releases its annual crime report every October, detailing the previous year’s data. The 2024 report, published this month, paints a sobering picture. Compiling this data takes time, but the numbers demand attention.

“Knowledge defeats fear.

Preparation defeats failure.

Discipline defeats panic.”

~Michael Lang

Stay Vigilant, Stay Prepared: A Call to Action for Personal Safety

by Jeff Young

Wasp Spray for Self-Defense? Busting a Dangerous Myth