29 Mar 21
Tac-Con, 2021, Carrollton (Dallas), TX
Vicki and I just attended the 2021 Tactical Conference in Carrollton, TX, hosted by Rangemaster, and Tom and Lynn Givens (26-28 Mar 21, Fri-Sun).
We were at the wonderful Dallas Pistol Club Outdoor Range, a fabulous facility right in the center of town, with nice hotels and restaurants close by.
The 2022 Tac-Con will be this same time of year, and at the same place!
The event was sold-out back in October of last year. All Operators should attend. Get signed-up for next year’s event now!
I got a chance to attend at least part of most classes and talk with LEOs (local and federal) and other
Operators from around the Nation and the world.
Trending:
1) Big ammunition manufacturers, Remington and Winchester, are both having serious quality-control issues, Remington for some time, Winchester more recently.
Speer, Hornady, and Federal continue to enjoy good reputations.
Smaller manufacturers, Defiant Munitions, Supervel, Lehigh Defense, Underwood, Gorilla, Black Hills, also continue to enjoy good reputations. I’m always carrying in my personal pistols ammunition from one of the six listed above!
2) Nearly half of the Conference’s attendees were carrying concealed in IWB/appendix holsters!
Appendix carry continues to be controversial (for obvious reasons), with strident opinions on all sides being regularly expressed. I heard many! However, of the fact that IWB appendix carry is popular, and that its popularity is growing (for better or worse), there is little doubt!
John Daub presented a wonderful range class on this very subject!
3) And, red-dots on pistols is also a potent trend! In excess of half the Conference’s attendees were carrying pistols with red-dots! RMR and Holosun are seen most often.
Scott Jedlinksi showed us all fine points on carrying, deploying, and using red-dot-equipped pistols!
There were many other live-fire Courses, as well as lectures, and even practical grappling (Cecil Burch showed us how to grapple with the best) by big names in our Art, including:
Mas Ayoob, with his amazing presentation on recent deadly-force cases in which he has been involved as an expert. This is so enlightening!
Andrew Branca, is equally amazing and enlightening on the same subject. All Operators need to attend Andy’s lecture!
Tom Givens, delivered a sobering and detailed presentation of mass/spree murderers. Bottom line is that whoever believes help will arrive in “the nick of time,” is dreaming!
Greg Ellifritz, talked with us about foreign travel. Greg has been there, in spades, and he brought-up many issues of which I was unaware. I’ve done some overseas travel, but hardly worth mentioning compared with
Greg’s!
Jeff Gonzales, on recoil management. Jeff is high-speed, no doubt!
John Murphy, delivered his marvelous range class on concealed carry. I wish I had John’s energy!
John Holschen, John’s range class on shooting and moving was also energetic and included many factors I had not considered before.
Tiffany Johnson’s class on Instructional Design was extremely illuminating. Tiffany is the most organized person I will ever know!
Hany Mahmoud updated us all on world events and historical trends. If you’re wondering, the news is not good!
Rolf Penzel, Rolf’s range class was on practical accuracy. Like Jeff Gonzales, Greg Ellifritz, John Murphy, Ed Monk, Steve Moses, Allan McBee, John Holschen, Craig Douglas, Chuck Haggard, Rich Smith, et al, Rolf is a member of the next generation of omniscient instructors of our Art, and I am delighted to have had at least a little influence of them!
There were numerous other marvelous classes and instructors, and I apologize for not mentioning all by name.
Many young, upcoming, and extremely competent instructors attended and contributed.
This is a “Gathering,” no doubt!
Tom, Lynn, and his Rangemaster Team, including all the wonderful RSOs, do us, and our Art, a monumental service with this event, and we all thank them very much.
Plan on attending in 2022!
/John
