Compiled by Gila Hayes
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has recognized our affiliated instructor Kevin McNair, of Tactical West in Las Vegas, NV as a “Local Champion” for his efforts to promote firearm safety in the region. The recognition comes as NSSF continues its third annual Project ChildSafe “S.A.F.E. Summer” campaign to emphasize the importance of responsible firearm storage–particularly while children are home from school and more likely to be unattended.
McNair was selected for his diligence in promoting firearm safety throughout NV. He regularly runs programs that include both classroom and range instruction, including hunter education classes through NV’s Department of Wildlife, group and private firearm classes and hunting seminars. He is a multi-state licensed concealed carry firearm instructor and chairman of the local chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation. He is also the local Bass Pro Shop’s hunting pro and exclusive firearm instructor and prepares local Boy Scouts who are working to earn firearm-related badges.
“For me, firearm safety is the most essential and important part of the classes and seminars I run,” commented McNair. “Basic firearm safety and proper storage should be taught to anyone of any age. It is especially critical to teach children and their parents the steps they should take to protect themselves and any visitors to their homes from firearm-related accidents.” Congratulations to Kevin McNair and his team mates at the NSSF for the great work they are doing!
Chuck Taylor’s Handgun Combat Master Course will be taught October 15-19, 2015, hosted by Norman Hanson Firearms in Tehachapi, CA. Taught personally by Chuck Taylor only by special request, this program provides the student with all the nuances and “trade secrets” needed to bring his or her shooting and gun-handling skills to unprecedented levels.
All the requisite skills and methods integral to being a master tactical shooter are covered in this five day program, Chuck explains, including high speed weapon presentations and target engagements from arm’s length to 50-meters, multiple targets, small targets, angled and partial targets, speed and tactical reloading, malfunction clearance techniques and mental discipline. “Are you ready to take the challenge?” he asks.
For more info get in touch with Norm at Norman Hanson Firearms, 20810 South Street, Unit 5, Tehachapi, CA 93561, phone 661-823-4977 or see www.chucktaylorasaa.com.
Network Affiliated Instructor James Olson has added a book The Olson Combat System Level One to his repertoire of self-defense instruction. Like Olson’s classes, the book teaches situational awareness, combat psychology, combative techniques, defense with knives, sticks and guns, as well as a discussion of pistol shooting and defenses for different situations including grabs and chokes. Learn more about Olson’s programs at http://www.olsoncombatsystem.com.
I wanted to save enough room at the end of this column for details about a very interesting blending of the ethos of the traditional martial arts with modern handgun skills for defense in the creation of Handgun Martial Arts Center of Tucson, AZ by instructor Jeffrey Prather, who tells all his students about the value of Network membership. HMAC is a recognized martial arts pioneered by Prather back in 2009. The program blends Japanese ancient martial art training philosophies with American cutting edge firearms training.
“At first this pairing may seem unlikely,” Prather explains, “but recall that Imperial Japan was the ultimate warrior society, undefeated until America and World War II. As Americans we adopt the best the world offers, especially from former foes.” He compares the famed Japanese katana and samurai courage, skill and lethality with handguns in the holsters of “American police, military, and citizen warriors,” adding that back up handguns are the equivalent of the second sword carried by the samurai. The parallels are striking and even reflected in the pistol reload technique Prather teaches.
More important, though, is the mindset of the prepared, well-trained warrior, which Prather illustrates by citing “American citizens Todd Beamer and Jeremy Glick on Sept. 11, 2015, ready, willing and worthy to protect the good and oppose evil when Divine Providence called. On January 8, 2011 it was again citizen warriors that stopped the murdering rampage of the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Giffords.” HMAC training sessions often focus on ripped-from-the-headlines armed defense problems, including active shooter attacks like those in CO and CT, as well as one-on-one assaults like the attack on George Zimmerman in Florida. Prather explains that intended victims have a number of fighting resources, including improvised weapons, stressing, “We don’t just sit there and get shot, we advance on the active shooter, occlude his vision, we distract him, we disarm him.”
“Time after time it is the American citizen whether military, police or civilian that stands up, steps into the breach, moves to the sound of the guns, and saves the sheep from the wolf. We are the sheepdogs. And because we are reacting and responding to danger, we will not have time to respond with anything other than the weapons we have on our person at the time.
“That means a handgun. Therefore we must be ready and worthy to perform the impossible when called. We must be able to shoot to stop the next threat, slay the next dragon, but never, ever hit the innocent. In the midst of the carnage and chaos, we must intercede between the good and evil, and use our handgun and skills to protect life and freedom. We must be Handgun Martial Artists,” Prather concludes. Learn more about Prather’s classes, books and philosophy at https://warriorschool.com and http://www.gunfightingsite.com or call HMAC at 520-241-7690 or email
We always enjoy reading about our Affiliated Instructor’s programs! Affiliates, please send me an email if you have any special events like open houses, special classes or other interesting tidbits that we can announce for you in this column. If announcing an event, about 60 days advance notice is best since we publish only once a month.
Also, please let me know when you need more copies of the Armed Citizens’ Educational Foundation’s booklet What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know About Self-Defense Law and our tri-fold brochures by emailing me at
We’re all in this together, so let’s work as a team to get the word out so armed citizens in your community have a better understanding of lawful, judicious use of deadly force and what to expect in the aftermath.
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