This one goes out to everyone who sells shit online. You know what I’m talking about.
Come to Aggiecon!
It’s about time I opened up the can of worms that is James Yeager, since half the shooter community think he’s a god, and the other half wishes he’d drown in a vat of cat shit infused with cancer and AIDS. Personally? He’s hit or miss with me, as far as his videos go. But I like this one.
Never even heard of him before. Video seems solid and I agreed with almost everything. Best of all, I learned a couple of new things! Thanks for sharing it.
You’ve never heard of James Yeager/Tactical Response?
What rock do you live under? Wait, did your family just come out of a nuclear fallout shelter after forty years?
Or do you just not watch anything firearm related on youtube, ever. Or visit any firearm forum….ever?
You are aware that there are thousands of firearm videos on YouTube that aren’t his, and that a great many gun owners have no interest in firearm forums, yes?
…see, I can be needlessly condescending, too. Be happy that somebody found a new source of information, instead of being a dick because their past experiences haven’t been identical to yours.
My apologies, I did not intend it to be condescending, nor assholish. Was meant in jest, but re-reading it? Yeah, I came off like a complete prick.
Pete, I apologize if you took offense, that is far from the intention.
You just earned about a godzillion points in my book. Looking over what you said, seeing how it could be taken wrong, and apologizing? Practically unheard of on the Internet (or pretty much anywhere else). I officially rescind my accusation of being a dick. 😉
Hey, what can I say? Trying to improve the internet by showing people that you can have respect, be honest, and be humble, even when “anonymous.” Just because you can’t be punched in the face for being a disrespectful dick, doesn’t mean you should be a disrespectful dick, right?
Not to worry, my skin is fairly thick and, even if I were so inclined, this isn’t the forum I would start a flame war in. . . Unless, of course, the entertainment value was extrollordinary.
It’s all good.
Yeah I am with you never heard of him before, did not seem horrible, was expecting something like alex jones
Oooh just go watch some of his other videos. He can get quite… uhm… “I am the last true patriot!!!” like at times. I´m exagerating ofcourse, but… Just watch some more of his stuff.
Personaly i´m with J. When he makes sense, he makes sense. When he doesn´t, he doesn´t.
You can’t take the skies from me.
I watched one of his videos….
The one where two other “operators” died because he and others made horrible mistakes.
And my dad told me, never take advice from a guy that can’t figure out his shirt size.
Can you provide a link or some hint as to the title of this video? I had not heard about this.
Nm, think I found it: http://youtu.be/NphgWi1nUt4
Man, I WISH it was that easy to make sales… sigh.
That one is a decent video – good info without the usual cocky attitude. He just forgot to mention a light. You MUST be able to identify your target and a shotgun takes two hands to operate so a mounted light is pretty important.
I must be able to?
I live alone – anyone I didn’t invite into my home is subject to buckshot to the face or chest. I don’t need to know anything else besides were to point the barrel.
well what if its a friend who is drunk. Things like that can happen. iD’ing the target is a good thing. Just b;lasting at a shape is not.
No one has keys to my place – any friend of mine would know well enough that breaking into my home for any reason is a Darwinian act.
Get some training in use of deadly force – that outlook could lead to a disaster.
Do we have to go over the rules of gun safety again?
1. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
2. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. (Lots of variations on wording on this one. Some assume the reader is a complete idiot.)
3. Don’t point the gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot/destroy/kill.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it
1. Done.
2. Done.
3. Done.
4. The target is someone in my home without my permission, and behind my target is a wall, possibly a window (that is obvious unless all light everywhere – including the moon – ceases to emit photons).
And that kind of attitude is what gets friends or family killed, or emergency services, or…. a thousand other variants.
Besides, a light helps you aim in a hurry. Especialy in the dark.
Again – I live alone, and no one has keys to my place (or rather, I have given no one keys). No one in my home without permission is going to be friends or family. Period. It is not possible.
Additionally, a sudden bright light blinds and disorients intruders.
This is true. I just opt for my “sudden bright light” to include a loud bang-like sound and double-aught buckshot.
I have decided that Cards Against Humanity with J and Mel would be fucking hilarious.
that dude is a grade A toolbag.
i can’t look at him without seeing the shim pornstar Buck Angel. *shudders and verps a little
At work and I don’t want to be caught looking at vids, but this looks like the guy who advocated carry of Glock 19s, then proceeded to compare them favorably to fat chicks. Unfortunately, sometimes the pro-gun side needs a bit of tact.
Buck Angel….shudder, shudder, twitch, twitch……
“Sometimes” needs “a bit” of tact?
If you have or can borrow a copy of Armed America, read the text. Well over half of the responses to Kyle asking “Why do you own guns?” are, pretty much verbatim, “CUZ IT’S MAH GAWD-GIVEN RIGHT!”
Honestly, when I made the tact comment, I was thinking of Ted Nugent and his lack of it, not someone who says “owning guns is my God-given right”. But hey, I’m not going to look askance if someone has elevated Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Hancock and other American patriarchs to the level of deities in their ignorance…… it’s a bit more amusing than the verbal diarrhea that emerges from Nugent’s mouth.
A lot of what he says is reasonable, but he also makes a lot of ‘absolutes’ on things that aren’t.
Some people got all tweaked because he dogged the 1911. I am a fan of 1911’s, and I actually agreed a bit, but he acted as if the Glock was a perfect gun, and that turned me off. After several failures to RTB, I’ll say that I just disagree. When he threatened to start killing people, I just flat out tuned him out. After that, not worth the time to listen to him anymore. He simply repeats what others have already said, and in some cases gives horrible advice. Advice that will work in a combat zone, but won’t work in the real world. Maybe if there’s a new American Revolution(Now with more Aircraft!!!), his advice may be good, but… meh.
James Who..? Never heard of him.
I learned my stuff from an experienced combat shotgunner – My father. Most of what this James person is saying is more-or-less on-target, though he comes across as a bit of a douche. I can see why folks might not care for him; doesn’t matter to me – I can learn from jerks as well as I can learn from nice guys.
Nothing new here in this vid except that I’ve NEVER heard personally of somone wanting a tighter patern on their home defense gun.
OTOH, he screws up pretty badly in a couple points: He addresses (correctly, IMO) the desirability of a shorter pull, then dismisses the utility of a short barrel; I’ll grant that short barrels are a low-priority in most cases, but if you have to move through a house with a long arm, shorter == more maneuverable.
He also extends his arms all the way out with his pistol – In a house situation, that may not be practical or possible, and may even be a very bad idea – Has he never heard of weapons retention training..?
Agree that a tactical light is a good idea, but probably beyond the scope of his little video.
Your points are all valid. However, I suspect that a very large percentage of people who choose a pistol for home defense know nothing about weapons retention and have never fired a pistol in anything but a Weaver stance. (For that matter, there are probably a lot of people, including me, who comprehend weapon retention but have not been trained in it.) As such, I think his demonstration is reasonable; many of the people arguing “a pistol is more compact” really would shoot that way, and most people who know better have learned enough that this video contains no new information for them anyway. (…except perhaps the information that some people want a tighter pattern – I’ve never heard that one before either.)
Fair points, and I’ll give the benefit of the doubt for those, based on your cogent argument. And I’ll grant – Not only was I taught by an actual veteran of shotgun combat, but was also trained on shipboard engagement tactics with pistol, shotgun, and rifle by professionals. So maybe I’m a bit too harsh a critic on those points.
OTOH, One other thing where he screwed up, and I consider this a big one, are his comments about shot size; Yes, at household ranges, #4 is going to be every bit as devastating in the next room… close to the point of penetration. A cluster of shot will most certainly blow a hole though a wall with great efficiency, and the wallboard is NOT going to stop it. Once into the wall, however, the shot pattern is highly disrupted and spreads pretty fast; the lower sectional density mean that any wounds sustained beyond close proximity are going to be (on average) less serious.
In the same room with #4? Might as well be hit with a slug. Next room over? Bad, but maybe not fatal if you’re far enough away. Room beyond *that*..? Pretty good odds.
Along those same lines, I don’t choose my shot (or ammunition in general) based only on what’s close – I also have neighbors. Small shot is MUCH less likely to cause a serious threat to my neighbors than heavier shot (or – God Forfend! – slugs!). Remember – Know your target, and what is beyond it.
All told, whilst I think the guy sounds like a douche, I’d give this vid a qualified thumbs up.
Actually, that’s not Weaver stance, that’s closer to isosceles. Which makes it a bit of a strawman argument: All the movies and TV shows are showing a proper Weaver these days, and that’s quite a bit more compact than isosceles or his shotgun.
You’re right that I said Weaver when I meant isosceles; my mistake. However, based on what I see at ranges, the point is still valid – a lot of shooters do practice in isosceles and probably know nothing about weapon retention. Even with an actual Weaver, I’m not sure I’d call it “quite a bit more compact,” but of course that phrase is not tightly-defined and your opinion may differ.
I have to disagree on the click clang sound of a shotgun getting racked point. It’s an intimidation tool, as well as a declaration of intent. It wouldn’t work in every situation. Like…against addicts that are looking to steal something for their next fix. But against a delinquent who is breaking in for a thrill and some quick cash? I’d bet they’d shit themselves before you could finish cycling it. Also, there are quite a few people who want to run in complete terror at the sight of a weapon. Hearing one cycle would be just as unnerving. Especially in the quiet, wee hours of the night…in the dark…when they’re in a house they’re not supposed to be in…
Strictly speaking, what he says is incorrect; sometimes the sound of a shotgun getting racked really does make people run away, as you note. However, I think the gist of his point is valid; you absolutely should not depend on that sound as part of your home-defense strategy.
The sound of someone saying “Hands up or I’ll shoot to kill!” is also pretty intimidating. You really should need no sound but the sound of your voice to scare someone.
Meanwhile, if someone aims and starts firing as soon as I appear in my bedroom door, I’d rather have a round already chambered than not.
I’m a big fan of a loud bellow: FREEZE!
Simple, efficient, doesn’t require the other party to think.
Everyone forgets that you can rack a shotgun with a round already chambered. Sure it may be a waste of a round but it is still just as intimidating. Besides, if losing 1 round in a gun with at least 5+1 (AFAIK most modern pump shotguns with the plug removed have 5 in the tube) is that big of a problem then your day isn’t getting any better.
Besides, extra ammo is a good idea.
That should be carrying extra ammo is a good idea.
That is kind of the problem that I, personally, have with shotguns: Low ammunition count. If someone’s home is the target of a 5 man home invasion (which can, and does happen with disturbing frequency), at 3AM? What is that person waking up wearing? Likely not going to have an ammo vest on. Have a vest/pouch ready to go? If you don’t have kids? May work. But how much time does that take to get ready? How long does it take Assailants to reach their bedroom door?
The other is, the idea of racking the slide: Yes, it may well scare some thugs out of the fight. But it may not. For those it doesn’t scare, it alerts them to your presence before you, yourself, are ready to deal with them, unless you are operating the slide while the firearm is already shouldered. But to me, that doesn’t make much sense, when I have my voice, or flashlight to interrupt them with.
For me, personally, a carbine of some form seems to offer the level of preparedness that I could a acquire the fastest. If I were to ever be faced with a multiple intruder situation? I don’t trust my accuracy, or precision, to make single, rapid incapacitation shots, 80% of the time, under the stress, and sub-optimal conditions of the worst case scenario. Even in a multiple intruder scenario, I realize the likelihood of my success is minimal, but I feel that a carbine, with at least one 30round magazine, would offer me the best chance of survival.
That’s why the sidesaddle and stock belts were invented. 🙂
Even the top 3-gun shooters can barely manage to reload a tube-fed shotgun that’s been smoothed up and polished, from dedicated competition ammo rigs tightly secured in a known location as fast as the dumbest, clumsiest recruit can reload an AR his first day on the range in Basic.
Sidesaddle and other “on gun” ammo mounts are great (I have them on the shotgun I put together for a house gun when my wife decided she was more comfortable if the house gun was a shotgun), but will never change the fact that the shotgun is slow to reload. Push 1 button + stuff 1 hole once wins the speed contest EVERY time, versus stuff 1 hole 6-8 times.
Plus, a carbine with a 30 round mag has 2.5x the ammo all ready to go as a 20″ shotgun with a mag tube out to the muzzle (a really HEAVY setup, BTW). Heck, even sidesaddles AND a butt cuff, you’ve got more ammo IN the rifle than the shotgun carries in and ON it. Frankly, the only reason you should NEED to reload an AR house gun is a mag failure — the first 20-30 rounds should be MORE than enough to stop anything short of a full on Hollywood home invasion by outlaw bikers who think you stole their meth and scratched their bikes.
And you can do that with a 6 lbs carbine that can be shouldered one handed quite easily (try that shit with a 20″ Mossberg 500) if you need a hand free for a second.
True, but I’ll take my chances in a defensive long gun (rifle OR shotgun) leaving it with the chamber empty while everything’s peaceful. The single extra round isn”t (to me) worth the additional risk of an ND when I wake up at 3AM to the sound of breaking glass. (That’s also why, despite being a die-hard 1911 carry fan, my nightstand pistol is a DAO – to reduce teh odds of an ND when I first grab it half-asleep.)
I have dogs. BIG dogs. Many of them. Anyone who comes into the house past them has already had all the warning to which they’re entitled.
Nice thing about dogs? I can tell by tone if it’s someone they know who’s set them off – or if they feel threatened themselves – which means I have the luxury of time to *think* before engaging – and additional intelligence about the intruder.
That’s not theoretical – The pack cornered a stoner rummaging around in the garage (had some of my tools in his pockets), and held him in place whilst I… made a phone call.
Another nice thing about dogs? A single small dog works very nearly as well. All they need be is somewhat territorial – Or noisily friendly. Either will serve – all you need is advance notice, and they’ll give it to you.
Strongly agree on the dog point. Dogs will always be my first alarm. Their hearing is good enough that they’d wake up to any sound of a break-in even if you don’t. I have a Rott/Pitbull mix that we picked up from a shelter nearby. We introduce her to everyone we know, and she’s super friendly to everyone she’s met. That way I know that happy noises from her in the middle of the night means that it’s someone I/we know who got drunk/lost/confused, and angry noises are directed at targets. Furthermore, anyone who breaks in will be focused on defending themselves from the pup and less focused on me walking in with my Mossberg.
The downsides? I’m pretty sure I spend more money on feeding her than I would spend on ADT every month. I also wouldn’t give her terrific odds of surviving an encounter where an invader or invaders come armed and looking for trouble, but her presence means that I have significantly better odds in the same scenario. And the invaders would fare worse by far.
My family always had a Rottie when we were growing up. One time we had to fly up to Oregon for my grandfather’s funeral, and we had a friend of the family come over a couple of times a day to feed and check on Gretchen. Bear in mind that this guy has been at the house frequently and was comfortable with her. He told us that the first day we were gone, he showed up on his Harley with full riding gear and a full helmet that hid his face because he had just come back from a Sunday ride. He couldn’t even get near the fence because she was just flipping out to get a piece of him, and he was terrified that she was somehow suddenly rabid. He had never seen a dog get that worked up. Once he took his helmet off, night-and-day difference. She was all smiles and wiggles. (Yes, my dad taught her to smile. Ever seen a 100lb Rottweiler smile at you? It’s a pants-changing experience.)
I don’t know this dude from Adam either, and while I agree on most of his points, AR’s are not drop safe. There is no firing pin block, and yeah it would take quite a whack to do it, but the pin can go forward hard enough to fire off a round.
Well, the drop safe problem goes away if you use ammo with military primers — because the firing pin was completely redesigned in the 1960s to be drop safe with standard military small rifle primers.
Any varmint load loaded with military primers (which are available) will be just about perfect for home defense with an AR. While yielding less recoil, more ammunition, faster followup shots (even when comparing to an autoloading shotgun, because of recoil), faster reloads if you have to reload (although, honestly, if you’re reloading a home defense AR, you either live in a state that limits you to 10 rounds, it’s the zombie apocaplyse, or your mag’s busted), and LESS DANGER TO PEOPLE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE WALL than effective defensive loads for pistols OR shotguns. (I’ll go with Ayoob on birdshot — a great choice. . . if the first guy through the door is always going to be a pheasant. Seriously, birdshot can and HAS proven to go too shallow to produce incapacitating wounds on many suspects, because the penetration of each pellet is so little — so #4 buck is as light as you should really go.)
Heck, even the effects of M193 and M855 (not just ammo “like” M193 or M855. . . not even NATO spec SS109 that isn’t M855 — actual, US made M193 or M855 – long story short the US military makes them in a way that results in much more fragile jackets) at what is effectively contact range for those rounds (remember, the military tests “muzzle velocity” at 78 feet) are severely incapacitating, even from short barrels, and yet still LESS dangerous to unintended targets on the far side of walls if you miss the intended target than pistol or shotgun ammo. That’s based on reproduceable, scientifically valid tests, not heresay. (Which is why M193 is my “go-to” load, even for home defence.)
Two caveats on my use of an AR with M193 —
1. I have eight years professional time on the AR platfrom, and more than twenty five years total time with it, so I have absolute confidence in running the system, even half asleep in the dark. I do not have anywhere the same familiarity with shotguns. If you have decades of shotgunning experience and can run your 870 like an artist, well, familiarity counts for a lot.
2. I realize that an AR indoors is FAR more damaging to hearing than a shotgun, due to the pitch and how short the main impulse is (again, more physics) — so I keep active earpro with the house gun, but accept the fact of damage if I don’t have time to get my ears on. For me, the choice between hearing aids or death is an easy call to make, and I have (unfortunately) experienced what firing an AR in close quarters without earpro (in a cinderblock structure, no less) is like, so I know it won’t cause me to completely shut down when my eardrums meet in the middle. (If you’ve never fired it in close quarters, 5.56 is really, really, painfully loud — loud enough that to the guy less than two feet from the muzzle, it _can_ be almost like a flash bang grenade.)
OTOH, even a pot metal “pimp .22” pistol beats harsh words and a dirty glare, so whatever works for you.
Two key points you hit here that trump everything else argued on this page (or on this topic anywhere else). One is the old “first rule of a gunfight”: bring a gun; what kind is less important than having one at all. Second, what matters most in a defensive arm is familiarity – the last thing you want to have happen is to be trying to remember how to use your weapon while you’re half-asleep and your adrenaline is through the roof. You want something where your muscles work the gun while your brain processes what’s happening. Related note: if you aren’t already to that level of familiarity with your defensive gun, change that; practice, practice, practice.
I like James Yager. While I understand that maybe some of his attitude may be “gung ho” and his politics might not be to everyone’s liking I think he gave pretty much 80% solid advice on home defence with a shotgun. I don’t understand what he is supposed to have done. I tried watching the video that a poster linked to it shows some sort of armed engagement in a country, but I didn’t exactly understand what was going on.