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2 NOV 2026 · P&S ModCast 71 brings together a wide-ranging panel to discuss firearms training, equipment selection, instructor credibility, and the work of separating useful information from entertainment. Across two parts, the conversation returns to a common question: can you explain why a technique or piece of equipment fits your needs, and have you tested that explanation?
The panel connects practical equipment discussions with a broader look at learning, professional standards, and the role of the Primary & Secondary community in helping people make informed decisions.
Recorded: Thursday, August 18, 2016.
Format: Two-part archival discussion.
Archive note: Equipment availability, prices, affiliations, training announcements, and opinions reflect the original 2016 conversation. Primary & Secondary Administration and Logistics (PSAL), discussed in this episode, has since been discontinued. Its discussion is retained as part of the network’s history. The restored release includes a new sponsor introduction.
Host and Panel Participants join at different points throughout the discussion.
Host: Matt Landfair — Primary & Secondary
Bill Blowers — Tap-Rack Tactical
Chuck Pressburg — referred to throughout the original recording as Roland.
Scott “Jedi” Jedlinski - Modern Samurai Project
Steve Fisher — Sentinel Concepts
Matt Levi
Steven A.
Lane Critser
Matt Shockey
Part 1: Evaluating Information, Instruction, and Equipment
Separating Education from Entertainment
The episode opens with P&S’s effort to improve the quality of information available to armed citizens, law enforcement, military personnel, and enthusiasts. The panel discusses how appealing explanations become accepted wisdom, why people defend the first method they learned, and what it takes to reconsider an opinion when evidence changes.
One recurring concern is the difference between a demonstration that succeeds under carefully selected conditions and a method that remains useful when the environment changes. Experience, context, and a willingness to test assumptions all matter when evaluating a claim.
Night Sights, White Light, and Pistol Optics
A listener question about tritium sights leads into discussion of fiber-optic sights, transitional lighting, target identification, aging eyesight, and pistol-mounted red dots. The panelists describe different experiences with handheld and weapon-mounted lights, illustrating how lighting conditions can change what a shooter sees.
The conversation also addresses one-handed pistol handling and the relationship between equipment features and developed skill. The panel places this material within a progression of training rather than treating specialized manipulations as an entry-level exercise.
Light Output and Testing Assumptions
The low-light discussion considers backlit subjects, beam pattern, reflected light, and the need to gather enough visual information to make decisions. Panelists challenge broad claims that bright lights are automatically unsuitable indoors and emphasize gaining experience with how light behaves in different spaces.
The numerical light-output preferences discussed are part of the 2016 recording. The enduring lesson is to evaluate a light’s actual performance in the conditions where it will be used.
Instructor Expertise and Student Readiness
Bill and Chuck discuss teaching within their areas of expertise and recognizing when another instructor is better suited to a subject. Credentials, reputation, and operational experience do not make every instructor equally effective for every student or every course.
The panel also considers how students can choose instruction that matches their current ability. Foundational training, purposeful practice, and honest self-assessment help students get more from later courses.
Pistol Optics, Night Vision, and Duty Holsters
Discussion of pistol-mounted optics expands into infrared illumination, night-vision compatibility, shield use, and holster requirements. The panel explores how an apparently useful equipment combination can create another problem when retention, reholstering, or compatibility enters the picture.
Duty-holster availability was an important constraint on pistol-optic adoption at the time. Manufacturing costs, development work, agency demand, and the need to accommodate different pistols, lights, and optics all receive attention.
Rifle Optics and Mount Height
Panelists recount their experience with early red-dot sights and the progression toward newer Aimpoint models and other options. They discuss viewing windows, night-vision use, battery life, and the limitations they encountered with particular systems.
A substantial exchange examines taller optic mounts, including the reasoning behind 1.93-inch mounts and the different requirements of close-range rifles and rifles using inline night-vision devices. The discussion links mount height to the complete equipment setup, including helmets, protective equipment, and accessories around the optic.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha — belts and supporting equipment for concealed carry, duty, and training:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge Company
https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster Educational Content — practical, brand-agnostic guidance on concealment and concealed carry. Explore their YouTube channel and the PHLster Concealment Workshop on
Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Support Primary & Secondary:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum/
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://www.spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
24 OCT 2026 · Alliance Police Training grew through the work of dedicated people, industry support, and a commitment to making useful training available. In P&S ModCast 73, Matt Landfair and the panel discuss the Alliance facility and the inaugural Friends of Pat training weekend honoring Pat Rogers. The conversation brings together perspectives from the range staff, instructors, and attendees. They explore what made the weekend valuable, how newcomers can find their place in the training community, and how Pat’s influence continues through the people he taught and mentored. Recorded: November 5, 2016.
Host: Matt Landfair
Chuck Pressburg — introduced in the original recording as Roland Deschain.
Joe Weyer — Alliance Police Training.
Scott “Jedi” Jedlinski — Modern Samurai Project.
Steve Fisher — Sentinel Concepts.
Steven A.
Jess — Alliance training support and SWAT team member, with an Army helicopter aviation background.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha — belts and supporting equipment for concealed carry, duty, and training:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge Company
https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster Educational Content — practical, brand-agnostic guidance on concealment and concealed carry. Explore their YouTube channel and the PHLster Concealment Workshop on
Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Support Primary & Secondary:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum/
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://www.spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
16 OCT 2026 · What makes a firearms community useful? Access to knowledgeable people helps, but the real value comes from learning how to ask better questions, evaluate information, and apply what you learn. In this archival episode of the Primary & Secondary ModCast, Matt Landfair and the panel discuss the early network support program and the relationships developing around P&S. The conversation moves from training journals and community events to pistol optics, equipment decisions, and the difficulty of helping someone reconsider a purchase they have made part of their identity. The discussion returns to a consistent principle: useful information should help people think for themselves and contribute to the learning of others. Archive note: Recorded September 16, 2016.
Host: Matt Landfair
Panel:
Steven A.
Scott Jedlinski
Rich Mason
Adam Pini
Matt W.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha — belts and supporting equipment for concealed carry, duty, and training:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge Company
https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster Educational Content — practical, brand-agnostic guidance on concealment and concealed carry. Explore their YouTube channel and the PHLster Concealment Workshop on
Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Support Primary & Secondary:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum/
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://www.spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
12 OCT 2026 · Originally recorded November 5, 2016. This archival ModCast returns with equipment references, organizations, and training opportunities discussed in the original conversation reflect that period.
Choosing firearms training means deciding where to spend limited time, money, and ammunition. In P&S ModCast 75, Matt Landfair joins Chad Mercer, Michael Hueser, Steven A., and Terry David for an informal discussion about finding instruction that develops useful ability.
The conversation begins with early-ModCast banter and equipment questions before settling into its central subject: how a student can evaluate instructors, what after-action reports contribute, and why strong fundamentals deserve attention even when they make less dramatic advertising. The panel also examines pistol mechanics, safe handling, equipment wear, and the role of disagreement in sharing knowledge.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha Belts: https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge: https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster educational content: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Our Patreon can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/PrimaryandSecondary
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrimarySecondaryResurrection Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
8 OCT 2026 · What goes into a silencer beyond its advertised decibel number? In P&S ModCast 469, Matt Landfair interviews Mike Cain of B.O.S.S. Silencers—Black Ops Suppression Systems about the company’s origins, suppressor design, manufacturing, and the tradeoffs that matter when matching a can to a firearm and a purpose.
The conversation moves from rimfire shooting and patrol rifles to pistol-caliber carbines, suppressed lever guns, and precision-rifle competition. Along the way, Cain explains BOSS’s approach to baffle geometry, sound character, durability, service, and product development.
Use code primarysecondary at Boss Silencers for 15% off.
Episode Sponsors:
High Desert Cartridge Company
https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster Educational Content — practical, brand-agnostic guidance on concealment and concealed carry. Explore their YouTube channel and the PHLster Concealment Workshop on
Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Blue Alpha — belts and supporting equipment for concealed carry, duty, and training:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
Support Primary & Secondary:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum/
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://www.spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
1 OCT 2026 · Originally recorded December 7, 2016. This archival episode returns with a new introduction and sponsor acknowledgments. Equipment references, course schedules, and personal updates in the original conversation reflect that period.P&S ModCast 76 features Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics in a wide-ranging discussion about defensive firearms instruction, pistol red dots, developing shooting skill, and the responsibility that comes with teaching others.
The conversation brings together military, law-enforcement, competition, and firearms-industry perspectives.The recurring question is why. Why teach a technique? Why choose a particular piece of equipment? What does a drill actually measure, and how does that result relate to the situation a student is preparing for? Across more than three hours, the panel examines how better explanations, honest feedback, and a willingness to reconsider established habits can improve both individual performance and training programs.
Host: Matt Landfair
Panel:
Steven A.
Aaron Cowan
Tim Herron
Scott Jedlinski
Rick Labistre
Matt Meckley
Adrian O.
Adam Pini
Matt W.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha Belts:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge: https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster educational content: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Our Patreon can be found here:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website:
https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum:
https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/PrimaryandSecondary
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrimarySecondaryResurrection Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
30 SEP 2026 · P&S ModCast 468 — Defensive Display Done Right
What separates a justified defensive firearm display from brandishing, intimidation, or an unnecessary escalation? And what happens when displaying a firearm successfully stops an attack—but the defender shoots anyway?
Host Matt Landfair joins firearms instructor Steve Moses, litigation consultant Shawn Vincent, and criminal defense attorney Don West for a discussion of defensive firearm displays, sound judgment, and the legal consequences that can follow a self-defense encounter.
Drawing on their training and case experience, the panel examines how an armed defender’s decisions look to investigators, prosecutors, witnesses, and juries. The conversation connects firearm handling and threat assessment with the broader responsibility to avoid unnecessary conflict and recognize when a threat has changed.
Topics include:
• Defensive display versus brandishing, and why circumstances and state law matter.
• The distinction between displaying a firearm, pointing it at someone, and firing it.
• Recognizing an imminent threat and reassessing when an aggressor stops or retreats.
• Breaking contact, creating distance, and avoiding a return to the confrontation.
• How ego, anger, and the desire to have the last word can undermine self-defense.
• Safe gun handling, muzzle direction, trigger-finger discipline, and maintaining visibility of a potential attacker’s hands.
• Verbal boundaries, managing unknown contacts, and preparing a response before an emergency.
• Training beyond shooting drills, including decisions about when to draw—and when to stop.
• OC spray and other options between verbal commands and a firearm.
• The tactical risks and legal consequences of warning shots.
• Calling 911, video evidence, witness accounts, and the importance of context.
• Jury selection, the presentation of a self-defense claim, and the financial and personal costs of prosecution.
• How social-media advice, firearm slogans, and prior statements can influence decisions and complicate a defense.
Real-World Cases:
Michael Drejka — The panel examines the Florida parking-lot shooting and the critical distinction between drawing a firearm to stop an assault and firing after the aggressor begins backing away.
Sheri McClatchy — A laundromat attendant breaks contact after an assault, calls 911, and displays a firearm when the attacker approaches again. The panel uses this encounter to discuss resolving a threat without firing.
Alexander Weiss — A Minnesota traffic incident illustrates the risks of retrieving a firearm and returning to a confrontation, along with the difficulty of using a gun to control another person’s behavior.
Jeffrey Smith and Arthur Kohn III — A Michigan gas-station confrontation highlights how returning to an argument and introducing a firearm can compromise a subsequent self-defense claim.
Dean Keller and Jeffrey Weigle — An Indiana neighbor dispute demonstrates how displaying a firearm can cause another armed person to perceive an immediate threat, with consequences for both physical safety and criminal liability.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey — The panel discusses firearm handling, defensive positioning, and the consequences of pointing weapons during the confrontation outside their Missouri home.
Kyle Carruth and Chad Read — The Lubbock, Texas, shooting provides another example for discussing disengagement, retrieving a firearm, and returning to a dispute.
The central theme is continual judgment: circumstances change, and a defender must respond to the threat that exists at that moment. A firearm display that ends an attack does not automatically justify a shot afterward. Avoidance, restraint, competent handling, and the ability to explain reasonable decisions all matter.
Recorded September 29, 2026.
Host:
Matt Landfair
Panel:
Steve Moses
Shawn Vincent
Don West
Guest Resources:
CCW Safe — The Armed Defender’s Dilemma, 36 Lessons for Armed Defenders, and the In
Self Defense podcast:
https://ccwsafe.com/
Episode Sponsors:
High Desert Cartridge Company
https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster Educational Content — practical, brand-agnostic guidance on concealment and concealed carry. Explore their YouTube channel and the PHLster Concealment Workshop on
Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Blue Alpha — belts and supporting equipment for concealed carry, duty, and training:
https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
Support Primary & Secondary:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum/
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://www.spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
This discussion provides general education. Self-defense laws vary by jurisdiction, and individual incidents require analysis of their specific facts. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
28 SEP 2026 · This second half broadens into mindset, fieldcraft, capability, and culture. The panel emphasizes that the job is uncomfortable, demanding, and often poorly supported; the people who last are driven by responsibility and resilience rather than the identity or appearance of being a sniper.
They cover moving-target work, practical accuracy standards, realistic expectations for rifles and ammunition, compact precision rifles for urban or patrol use, and the value of competition and cross-training with civilian and law-enforcement shooters. The discussion also addresses risk-averse training cultures, maintaining a warfighting focus, healthy coping skills, and the importance of asking for help before stress becomes a failure point.
Host: Matt Landfair
Panel:
Alex Hartmann
Rick Labistre
Matt Meckley
Tarrol Peterson
Adam Wilson
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha Belts: https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge: https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster educational content: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Our Patreon can be found here:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/PrimaryandSecondary
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrimarySecondaryResurrection Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
Transcribed
28 SEP 2026 · The first half focuses on what actually makes a sniper program viable: selecting and developing the right people, earning command trust, building sustainable training, and preserving institutional knowledge instead of relying on one motivated individual. The panel talks through the difference between being assigned a precision-rifle role and becoming genuinely capable at it.
A major thread is honest performance validation. They argue for dry practice, meaningful round counts, 10-round groups rather than flattering three-shot groups, and walk-back confirmation—not simply dialing a rifle to distance and declaring it ready. They also discuss the friction created by limited time, ammunition, funding, training venues, and organizational priorities.
Host: Matt Landfair
Panel:
Alex Hartmann
Rick Labistre
Matt Meckley
Tarrol Peterson
Adam Wilson
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha Belts: https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge: https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster educational content: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Our Patreon can be found here:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/PrimaryandSecondary
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrimarySecondaryResurrection Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
25 SEP 2026 · P&S ModCast
Matt Landfair is joined by Jon Canipe, Bryan Eastridge, and Nate Osborne for a wide-ranging discussion of small-batch reloading. The panel covers specialty and obsolete cartridges, revolver loads, cast bullets, coatings, practical equipment choices, component fit, load development, and why handloading remains useful even when factory ammunition is available.
Episode Sponsors:
Blue Alpha Belts: https://www.bluealphabelts.com/
High Desert Cartridge: https://highdesertcartridge.com/
PHLster educational content: https://www.youtube.com/@PHLster
Our Patreon can be found here:
https://www.patreon.com/PrimaryandSecondary
Primary & Secondary:
Website: https://primaryandsecondary.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/primaryandsecondary/
Forum: https://primaryandsecondary.com/forum
Complete Audio Podcasts: https://spreaker.com/show/primary-secondary-podcast
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/PrimaryandSecondary
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrimarySecondaryResurrection Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/primary-secondary-podcast--2585240/support.
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| Author | Primary & Secondary |
| Organization | Primary & Secondary |
| Categories | Education |
| Website | primaryandsecondary.com |
| matt@primaryandsecondary.com |
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