Rules for a Gun Fight

1. Have a gun. Preferably one you have demonstrated skill with and bring as many of your other guns as possible. If possible, bring all of your friends and their guns.

2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting multiple times, ammo is cheap but life is not.

3. Only hits count. You can't miss fast enough to win. (Front sight & trigger squeeze!)

4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.

5. Move away from your attacker, distance is your friend. Try to move both laterally and diagonally if at all possible.

6. If you have the opportunity to choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun. Bring as many as possible of your friends with their long guns.

7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. Those that remember will only remember who lived.

8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and/or running.

9. Accuracy is relative, more combat shooting standards are dependent on "pucker factor" then the built in accuracy of the gun. Long barrel guns are inherently more accurate than short barrel guns due to multiple factors.

10. It is much more important to use a gun that WORKS EVERY TIME. It is imperative that you know how to operate the gun under adverse conditions. Although all skills are in vain when an Angel blows the powder from the pan of your musket.

11. Someday it is possible someone may kill you with your own gun, However, they should have to beat you to death with it because it will be empty.

12. Always cheat, always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.

13. Have a plan and a have a back-up plan or two, because your first plan can and will go to sh*t in a heartbeat.

14. Know the difference between cover and concealment and use both to your advantage as much as possible.

15. Flank your adversary whenever possible but ensure you cover yours.

16. Don't drop your guard. Be prepared.

17. Always tactically reload and threat scan 360 degrees.

18. Watch their hands. Hands kill but so can feet. Be very alert when giving commands that require hand and/or foot movements.

19. Decide to be aggressive ENOUGH, quickly ENOUGH.

20. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.

21. Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

22. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.

23. Your number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.

24. Your number two option for personal security is lifelong training and preparation for when your number one option fails.

25. Do not knowingly attend a gun fight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with anything smaller then "4". Rule #1: Have a gun may sometimes trump this rule.