The Everyday Marksman

In this episode of the Everyday Marksman, I’m talking to Alex Sansone, better known as The Suited Shootist and operator of the blog and YouTube channel under the same name. Alex is a bit different than most of the other guests I’ve had on the show because he doesn’t have the same military or high-level competition background as others. He’s a regular citizen who happens to care about protecting himself and his family while looking good doing it.

This episode is an off-the-cuff ask me anything (AMA). I gathered questions from social media as well as the discord server and opened the flood gates. Allison also joins me again to help dig into questions abut gear, shooting, and some fun stuff.

I don't do musings posts very often, especially with the podcast. Current events this week have been a little wild with the stock market, and I've been watching from the sides. While I didn't partake in the Gamestop madness, I've certainly been entertained with the news articles and chatter on Reddit. During all of this, I realized that there is a common thread between the politics of gun control and what's been happening all week with retail investors.

I've got a bit of experience between training and competition, though not as much as I'd like. Still, I've learned a few things along the way and today we're talking about some of the key lessons I wish I could go back and make sure I knew back at the beginning.

This is just a quick unedited rant about why I decided to launch a physical fitness test for The Everyday Marksman. In short, 2020 sucked, and 2021 might be worse: maybe it's time to hold ourselves to some objective standards.

This is a short episode touching on an observation I've had lately. Since the biggest rush of gun-buying stuff, this year is new shooters, they haven't quite learned about all the other stuff they should be aware of. And that leaves an opportunity for enthusiasts like you and me.

This episode is a bit of an audio guide version of my article on selecting AR-15 optics. It’s a bit more off the cuff than usual, and you can probably tell that I get a bit excited about nerding out with this topic. The principles I outline apply to just about any kind of optic regardless of the rifle, or handgun, that it mounts to. At the core, it’s about understanding the role you are trying to fill and then selecting an appropriate solution within the bounds of your budget.

2020 has been a rough year, and things may only get worse from here. So what, exactly, can we do about that? First, take a breath. Now let's talk.

Today I'm talking about my concept of the Minimum Capable Carbine. If you've been reading for a while, you might recognize this as my suggestion for your first AR-15. In truth, this episode is a chance for me to say things out loud that didn't come across very well in written format.

Mike Green is a 15 year veteran of Special Operations who began a training company in Northern Virginia as a bit of a side gig. His school has since grown into quite the training operation spanning multiple states and categories of students. One of the things that stood out to me about Green Ops is their motto, “Why Should Your Training Be Less Special?”

The theme of the month is all about balance, so here’s another one to think about. I thought about the elements that should go into decision making regarding everything we do, and I categorized everything into these three: safety, capability, and security. As gun owners and firearms enthusiasts, we should always be mindful of keeping these things in balance.

Today's episode has to do with the theme of the month within our community over at The Marksman's Quarter: finding balance. I thought this was an appropriate topic because I just came off of a month-long break from writing or recording, and wanted to talk a little bit about what led to that hiatus and the things that have been on my mind.

I don't know why this question has been on my mind lately, but I've felt compelled to try and put words to my answer. Why is good marksmanship important? What do we get from learning and practicing it? I think there's an assumption within the gun world that everyone already knows that marksmanship is important. But I don't think most people actually care.

Today we're sitting down with NC Scout of Brushbeater and American Partisan to talk about radio communications. Scout comes from an Army Infantry scout background, with time served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a variety of martial skills to everyday folks, including radio communications.

Today's episode is a fairly short one. I want to touch on the idea of a modern Minuteman. It's something that a lot of people romanticize, but we never really define. In this discussion, I want to talk a bit about what it means to me and what I think we need to do. This isn't a discussion about the contents of a go bag or the kind of rifle to bring to the fight. No, it's about the philosophy of being an engaged citizen ready to put aside individual goals for the sake of maintaining liberty.

Today we're talking to ILya Koshkin, a prolific blogger and internet personality in the world of rifle optics. I've personally been following him for years and learning from his advice. We've recently struck up a bit of a friendship and I thought it was a great opportunity to bring him on to the show and have him share some of his wisdom.

One of the most important habits my family taught me growing up was the value of playing "what if." In this episode, I talk about the Special Forces PACE model for planning and how it applies to everyday situations.

In this episode, I sit down with Lothaen of The New Rifleman to discuss our mutual love for the M16A5 rifle. You know...the one that never really came to be for the US Military. It turns out that both of us have our own versions and experiences, and thought you might enjoy a little casual conversation about it.

Today's episode is bringing it back to the Minimum Capable Carbine that I wrote about in my article about your first AR-15. With so many new shooters out there dealing with their first guns, I'm seeing a lot of questions about all the little minutiae that I remember obsessing over when I got started. So this episode is really about giving some advice. Here's the short version: Don't do it.

Amanda Banta is a national rifle champion and Olympic competitor. She began shooting at 11 years old and competed in the 2012 Olympic games only 9 years later. In this conversation, we take a look at what it took to make that kind of progress, what it means to have a winning mindset, and of course learn some tips for better marksmanship practice.