Many of you will recognize this timeless quote. Its lesson is simple and profound: Every prepared individual should be acutely aware of his or her own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of opponents. Self-awareness can be earned through training and feedback from peers, but accurate intel on the enemy isn’t always so easy to come by, especially if that enemy is wise enough to play his cards close to the chest. This is why military strategists throughout history have placed such a heavy emphasis on reconnaissance — the search for information in unknown or hostile territory.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.” —Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Whether you’re fighting a war or simply trying to pass through a dangerous area safely, this information is absolutely critical to your survival and the success of your mission. Beyond combat zones, reconnaissance skills can help you observe, record, and share important details about your surroundings with your family or friends. This might include the most efficient routes of travel, alternate escape routes, potential danger areas, signs of recent human activity, and ideal observation points or camp sites.

Above: The patrol group moved in a linear formation, maintaining visual contact with their teammates ahead and behind. In areas of denser vegetation, this meant following more closely.

Reconnaissance is frequently taught to members of the military and law enforcement, but the general public is rarely afforded glimpses into this valuable skill set, short of perusing books and field manuals on the topic. U.S. Army FM 3-98 Reconnaissance and Security Operations is a good place to start reading and can be found in PDF format online. However, its tone is dry and academic, and many of the techniques within only apply to established military infrastructure. Most importantly, reading about a subject is never quite as effective as experiencing it firsthand — we wanted to get out into the wilderness and test ourselves.

In order to get some realistic training, we headed up into the White Mountains in eastern Arizona to take a two-day Rural Reconnaissance class with a training organization known as Guerrilla Mentor. As you might guess from the name, Guerrilla Mentor was established with the goal of teaching the principles of a somewhat controversial subject — asymmetric or “guerrilla” warfare — to American civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel. Founder and lead instructor Timothy Lacy has no shortage of experience with this subject. Lacy started out as a U.S. Army infantryman before being assigned to a scout platoon, where he was trained in reconnaissance by Ranger and Special Forces qualified noncommissioned officers. He also spent 16 years in law enforcement, where he applied those same reconnaissance principles to detect and track narcotics production and movement through rural areas. He also spent several years working overseas, including training and leading indigenous forces and working as part of a close protection team. He made it clear that he encourages patriots and prepared civilians to learn and understand these guerrilla tactics because, if America ever finds itself embroiled in a second civil war or “without rule of law” scenario, these are the very same tactics that’ll be employed, just as they’ve been in other conflicts around the world.

Above: Each member of the team carried a paper map, as well as a notepad for recording observed details about the enemy.

Simulating a Recon Patrol

The U.S. Army Ranger Handbook states, “Infantry platoons and squads primarily conduct two types of patrols: reconnaissance and combat.” It’s important to understand the difference between the two, since the goal of a recon mission is to observe the enemy and report back while avoiding conflict. If the mission goes awry and leads to a fight, you should have just enough firepower to break contact and retreat.

Above: Camouflage grease paint was applied to all exposed skin before the mission. Any reflective items such as watch faces were covered with tape, and gear got a thorough shake-down to check for rattling contents.

On the morning of the first day of the course, students met at a remote campsite among the tranquil pine trees, where we would remain for the next two days. Each student was required to bring a realistic gear loadout — a rifle or carbine with spare magazines, chest rig or load-bearing vest, individual first-aid kit, knife, binoculars, navigation tools, camouflage clothing and grease paint, and a patrol pack to carry it all. We brought our own trail food and water, and slept on the ground in bivvy sacks or under tarps (tents were forbidden).

The first day of the course was focused on teaching students the principles of reconnaissance patrolling; the second day would test those skills as the students set out on a simulated patrol to gather information on enemy forces, a role played by Guerrilla Mentor assistant instructors. Outside of actual hostile territory, this type of force-on-force training is the most true-to-life way to learn. Read on as we discuss each phase of a recon patrol and explain how it applied to our simulated mission during the class.

Planning & Preparation

Before setting foot in the field, gather all existing intel — in rural areas, this will include topographic maps and aerial photos; in urban areas, you might look at social media posts and Google Street View. Eyewitness reports can also provide valuable (but sometimes unreliable) intel. All of this should be combined to formulate a plan that outlines:

• A patrol base or forward operating base (FOB) location, far enough from the objective to be relatively safe for a brief stay
• Primary and secondary routes from the base to the objective
• An objective rally point (ORP) location, which serves as a place for the patrol group to gather near the objective, and fall back to afterward
• Potential rally and resupply points along the routes
• Population centers, terrain features, and known enemy positions to avoid
• Resources needed to accomplish the mission, such as food, water, gear, and vehicles

The Scenario

During this stage, students in the Guerrilla Mentor class were designated as Recon Team (RT) White Mountain. We were presented with printouts of local topo maps; the remainder of our gear would be the contents of our packs. Eyewitness reports indicated that a group of approximately 10 armed individuals had been looting local homes and businesses in the area. Two to three of these individuals were recently sighted at the top of a small hill nearby, wearing camouflage clothing and traveling in a side-by-side vehicle. They were said to be carrying rifles, binoculars, and what appeared to be a mortar tube. Our mission was to conduct a reconnaissance patrol to confirm enemy presence and activity on that hill. The nearest friendly personnel would be 20 miles away, and no outside comms or fire support would be available.

Forming a Patrol Group

A reconnaissance patrol typically consists of four to six individuals. Group members move in a predetermined tactical formation (wedge, V-shape, linear, etc.). During movement of this kind, spacing between team members is vital. That space, or interval, should be wide enough that no two people could be injured by a single blast or burst of gunfire, but close enough that each person can still see their teammates to the left and right (or front and rear, depending on type of formation).

Here are some of the key roles in a proper reconnaissance team, and their primary responsibilities:

Point Man: Always moves ahead of the formation and remains fully observant at all times. If danger is sighted, he uses hand signals to alert the rest of the group. The point man should be rotated out regularly, since this is a mentally taxing role.

Slack Man: Second in line, positioned between the point man and the rest of the formation, provides cover for the point man and watches his blind spots. He periodically checks his compass to keep the group headed in the right direction.

Patrol Leader (PL): A responsible, confident, and experienced member who makes critical decisions and takes responsibility for the success of the mission.

Assistant PL: Helps the patrol leader with routine tasks such as pre-mission gear checks. If the patrol needs to split for any reason, the Assistant PL takes control of one team.

Rear Security: Found at the back of the linear formation, watching and listening for any signs of danger, much like the Point Man. This role is often filled by the Assistant PL.

Additional roles: The Pace Man counts paces to track total distance traveled and determine proximity to rally points and objectives. The Drag Man will drag or carry any injured member of the team to the medevac point. A Radio Telephone Operator (RTO) manages communication beyond the patrol group, if applicable.

Any other members of the group serve as 360-degree security and should periodically rotate into the point, slack, and rear security roles.

Infiltration & Movement

In military context, infiltration is defined as “The movement through or into an area or territory occupied by either friendly or enemy troops or organizations. The movement is made, either by small groups or by individuals, at extended or irregular intervals. When used in connection with the enemy, it infers that contact is avoided.” It sounds elaborate but can be as simple as a drive down a dirt road and a short hike, as was the case in this class.

Above: Linear danger areas, such as this dirt road, were crossed one by one using the “bump” technique. Both sides of the LDA were covered at all times.

As we crossed into hostile territory, our patrol group moved through the trees in a linear formation as described above, keeping an eye out for anything that might alert the enemy of our presence. This included clearings, riverbeds, animal tracks, or open trails that made us more visible — these are known as Linear Danger Areas (LDAs). If the Point Man came across this type of obstacle, he stopped and allowed the linear formation to collapse on his position. The PL made a decision between two crossing strategies:

Rush across: Two patrol members set up security looking up and down the LDA, respectively, while the rest of the group moves quickly across in a single motion. This is fast, but incurs a higher risk penalty due to increased noise and exposure.

Bump across: Point Man covers one end of the LDA, then the Slack Man gives him a physical bump, at which point he quickly crosses to cover the far side, turning to face the opposite end. The next group member bumps the Slack Man across, who takes up the Point Man’s cover position, and so on. Once all members have crossed and rallied, the formation is resumed.

Group members were also cautious around areas with dense brush that might rustle or twigs that might snap underfoot. We learned to walk in a smooth manner, slowly rolling weight from heel to toe with each step to minimize noise. High crawl (with head up) and low crawl (with head down in the dirt) were employed as we got close to the objective.

Above: Verbal communication was kept to a minimum during the patrol. The few words that were spoken were kept to a barely audible whisper.

Rally Points

Reconnaissance Team White Mountain proceeded through the hostile zone, periodically collapsing our linear formation at rally points along the way. To indicate a rally point, a group member moves his hand in a circular stirring motion. Each member closest to him silently passes this signal along the line, then the group gathers around the Point Man, who selects a concealed and defensible position. All members face outward in a circle, maintaining 360-degree security. Rally points were used to sit and rest, drink water, check maps, reapply camouflage paint, communicate with the PL in barely audible whispers, and most importantly, listen. It’s amazing what five minutes of total silence can tell you about your surroundings — sound carries much farther than you might expect, whether it’s chirping birds, the trickle of a nearby creek, or the distant burble of a two-stroke engine. The latter sound was audible as we neared our objective, telling us that the reports of our enemy using side-by-side vehicles were correct.

Above and Below: On a recon patrol, your eyes should be constantly scanning the environment, including the ground. It’d be easy to overlook deadfall twigs that could give away your position, or a footprint that could warn you of recent human activity.

During the planning phase, we had used our topographic maps to mark an ORP near a good vantage point a few hundred yards from the objective hilltop. As we approached this area, our PL pointed out a shaded position surrounded by thorny brush that would serve as our ORP. All members took up 360-degree security positions beneath a tree, but this time offloaded our patrol packs. We would approach the objective with only the bare necessities: rifles, chest rigs, and binoculars.

Above: At rally points, patrol group members formed a tight circle to maintain 360-degree security.

Conducting Reconnaissance

The first step of the reconnaissance process was a leader’s recon of the objective. Our PL took one member of the team and moved closer to the objective with the utmost caution. They noted some rocky outcroppings that would provide visibility of the hilltop, but also offer cover and concealment for the team as we approached. The duo returned to the ORP, whispered the plan to us, and confirmed that everyone was ready to move in.

At high noon, the members of RT White Mountain moved close enough to surveil the objective. We crawled up the rocks, taking care to avoid any noise or direct line of sight to the enemy position. Peering through our binoculars and rifle scopes, we could see two men silhouetted on the hilltop along with the side-by-side they arrived in. They spoke casually with each other and occasionally scanned the area with their own binos. Just as the reports indicated, we confirmed that they were dressed in camouflage, and armed with rifles and a mortar tube.

Now that our recon was complete, we returned to the ORP and gathered to disseminate information in whispered voices. This is crucial, since it ensures that all intel will make it back to base even if some members of the team are captured or killed. The SALUTE format was used to record key details about the enemy:

• Size and strength
• Activity and tactics
• Location as a grid coordinate or latitude/longitude, as well as direction of approach/departure
• Unit identification — for organized forces, this can be determined by uniforms or markings, but it may be unclear in other situations
• Time and duration the enemy was observed
• Equipment and weapons

Once we agreed on all the facts, avoiding uncertain “I think I saw …” statements, it was time to collect our gear and get moving again.

Exfiltration & Debrief

It’s easy to let your guard down and move quickly at this stage, but that could be a fatal error. Exfiltration should be just as slow and methodical as insertion. As we left the ORP, we retraced our path, bumped across LDAs, and formed up at rally points to rest and observe just as we had earlier in the day. Mental and physical fatigue is high after a mission, and this can lead to heavy footfalls, poor attentiveness, and inconsistent spacing in the formation. Each member of the patrol group kept an eye on his teammates to ensure we stayed focused on the task at hand.

Finally, once we had all safely returned to our patrol base and campsite, Lacy debriefed the students. In our
after-action report (AAR), we shared everything we observed and learned about the enemy during our recon patrol. Since this was a simulation, we also had the benefit of being graded by the instructors who played our enemy. Just as a real enemy would, they had been scanning the area around their hilltop position throughout the morning and had focused their attention on regions they considered the most likely approach points. They hadn’t seen or heard us at all, but we had accurately reported their presence — our recon mission was successful.

Above: Hand signs were used to communicate without making a sound. The “slit throat” gesture indicates a danger area ahead.

Lacy said that his courses are always evolving, and that future scenarios will have more curveballs. The enemy might set up booby trap alarms, establish secondary outposts, or send patrols of their own to hunt for students. There could even be a nighttime scenario that incorporates night vision equipment. We hope to take another Guerrilla Mentor class in the future to see how we fare against these challenges.

As we packed up and left the Rural Recon class, we were struck by the significance of this experience. Some people will undoubtedly roll their eyes at the idea of civilians sneaking through the woods with rifles and head-to-toe camouflage, claiming that this is a skill we’ll never need to use. They may be right about that, and frankly, we hope they are. But in the event of another war on American soil — an inevitability, whether it happens in our lifetime or hundreds of years in the future — it’s impossible to deny the advantage of having firsthand experience with small-unit guerrilla tactics. Reconnaissance patrols are an invaluable means of learning about your enemy, and this information can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat, especially in an asymmetric war.

Patrol Base Operations: Remain Over Night Positions

Certain reconnaissance missions may require an overnight stay in hostile territory. In these instances, a Remain Over Night (RON) position will be established and occupied, allowing each team member to briefly rest, eat, and maintain their gear.

When the PL identifies a viable RON position, he uses “look there” hand signals to indicate it to the group. Rather than stopping immediately, the group moves past the position at a safe distance, and loops around to approach from the far side. This is known as a fishhook maneuver, and it clears the perimeter before the position is occupied.

Above: To reinforce the reality of sleeping in the field, students were told not to bring tents. This author’s sleep system consisted of a Softie Tactical 2 sleeping bag, waterproof Bivvi bag, Basecamp Ops Maxi Mat, and Stasha tarp, all sourced from SnugPak USA.

The team lies face down in a circle, looking outward with boot-to-boot contact in the center. Each member sleeps in shifts, waking or alerting his neighbors by touching his boot to theirs. If nature calls, he rolls onto one side, digs a small hole to urinate into, and covers it with dirt before lying down again. Once it’s time to leave, the RON position should be swept with a branch to cover depressions in the soil or other signs of activity.

Intel Gathering: Field, Urban, and Digital Reconnaissance

• Survival Gear: Plate Carriers and Chest Rigs.
• Human Trafficking: Hidden in Plain Sight.
• Eye in the Sky: The Basics of Home Security Cameras.

The post Reconnaissance: Training with Guerrilla Mentor appeared first on RECOIL OFFGRID.

James Madison once sagely conveyed, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” Had Madison ever driven a car on a gridlocked freeway he’d likely have concluded the same about the necessity of this article. Neither men nor women are angels. When behind the wheel of a 4,000-pound rolling ego-inflator, they sometimes become quite the opposite.

According to a 2019 survey of Americans by The Zebra, an insurance comparison website, 82 percent of respondents admitted to having road rage or driving aggressively at least once in the last year. Further, 42 percent claimed they yelled or cursed at fellow drivers. Thirty-eight percent indicated they used obscene gestures toward others on the road. That’s a lot of anger, but unless these signs of frustration escalate, they’re relatively harmless. Our primary concern is what happens when yelling and honking goes too far.

The 2019 survey also reports that 7 percent of respondents got out of their vehicle to verbally confront a fellow driver. Six percent threw objects. Another 6 percent got into a physical fight. Astonishingly, 5 percent admitted to intentionally ramming a car, and another 5 percent admitted to forcing someone off the road.

In 2006, 80 fatal crashes were directly related to road rage incidents. In 2015, that number exploded to 467. That’s a 500 percent increase in less than a decade. In 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the U.S. averaged at least one deadly road-rage-related incident per day.

Extreme forms of road rage are still rare, but have the potential to be incredibly dangerous, which is why they need to be within our spectrum of preparedness. Road rage can easily be confused with aggressive driving, but the two are distinct, both contextually and legally. Aggressive driving can simply be the a-hole not letting you merge or someone speeding past you at 90 mph. Road rage differs, especially as the law is concerned, because it demonstrates violent intent toward another.

You might have experienced it yourself or know someone who has. We put our panelists in a potential road rage situation to see how they’d react. Security specialist Mel Ward has been involved in at least half a dozen incidents with several involving drivers exiting their vehicles. Off-road driving instructor Muggs McCoy has leveraged his military and law enforcement background to teach students tactical mobility in a variety of dangerous situations.

We know road rage happens, and we know what it is. Let’s look at a few ways to deal with it, lest that deranged person start seeing red and decide you need to be the recipient of their anger because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Scenario:

Situation type: Road Rage, Pursuit
Your Crew: You, your spouse, and your children
Location: North Carolina, I-95 Northbound headed toward Virginia
Season: Summer
Weather: 93 degrees F, but feels like 108 degrees F

The Setup:

Buckling the last of your children into their car seats, you and your spouse begin a 250-mile journey to Virginia to visit some Civil War battlefields. Things are serene as green countryside whips past your windows, the young ones playing on tablets while your teenagers argue about teenager things. Leaving behind farms and fields, you make your way onto a major artery of the East Coast and start the trip in earnest, looking forward to exploring some of the nation’s history.

The Complication: As you merge onto I-95 Northbound, you notice the pickup truck driver next to you in the left-hand lane is irate and gesturing at you wildly to pull over. Clearly, he feels your merge forced him out of the right-hand lane and into the left lane in an unexpected fashion. Having signaled and merged at highway speed, you tell yourself this guy probably just wasn’t paying attention and was simply surprised. Everyone on the road these days has their heads buried in their phones and only seem to occasionally acknowledge the road conditions around them. This guy will just have to deal with it. You accelerate to put some distance between yourself and the angry driver and ask your wife where the closest Starbucks is.

Suddenly the pickup is back, this time 6 inches from your driver’s side door as he veers at you repeatedly, trying to force you to the shoulder. He’s so close you can see the veins in his neck bulging above the tattered collar of his dingy T-shirt. This isn’t a little guy. He’s big. He’s pissed. And he’s not willing to let this perceived infraction go. What do you do? Pull over and talk to him? Have your wife call the police while dodging his Mad Max routine? What can you do to get out of this spot without anyone getting hurt?

No matter what, do not pull over and do not get out of the car. Ensure your doors are locked if they aren’t already, and have a passenger call 9-1-1. This is just for starters. I drive for a living in parts of the world where the only difference between this scenario and mine is if this happened at work, I know the guy wants to hurt me. In the U.S., I’m only reasonably certain he wants to hurt me. For me, this means there’s no difference, so I treat them the same.

Maintain highway speed. Don’t try to lose the guy by flooring it, and don’t change lanes like the Fast & Furious. I wouldn’t recommend slowing down either. This might reduce the chance of a high-speed accident, but this could also allow the guy to get in front of you, cut you off, and force you to stop. We don’t want to stop.

Your spouse needs to give the police an exact location and heading: “We’re northbound on I-95 passing Exit 88.” They also need to give a solid vehicle description and tag: “White GMC pickup. Plate number 123XYZ.” Give them any additional requested information, but make sure you use the words “road rage” as that’s a legal term and immediately sets the context of the situation. If possible, have a passenger record the entire episode on their phone to present evidence of your actions as well as his. If you have a dashcam — particularly one that’s rear-facing — that’s additional documentation you can use (see Issue 18 of our sister magazine CONCEALMENT for an overview of dashcams and their features).

At work, I absolutely will not stop no matter what, unless the vehicle is disabled. I’d do the same thing in the States. Some might suggest driving to a public place — if he’s in pursuit and follows you there and you stop, you’re going to have a confrontation, and you’re not driving an armored sedan like I am. We solve this problem by not having that confrontation.

I’d stay on the highway and not exit. If you exit, or decide to head to a gas station, or the police station, or anywhere off the highway, you’re going to first come to a stop sign, red light, or encounter local traffic or something else that’ll bring you to a stop before your intended destination.

If the guy is really serious, he’s going to get out the moment you’re forced to stop and approach your door. I’ve seen it happen at work, and I’ve seen it stateside. If this happens, all that’s between your family and this enraged behemoth is some thin auto glass. You’re too vulnerable in this scenario, so do what you can to avoid it.

By staying on the highway, this guy will literally have to commit to ramming you off the road. He might try. But he also might not be willing to bang up his truck. If you can persist long enough, he also might cool off a bit and give up. Further, there’s a good chance every other vehicle in the vicinity is witnessing this and also calling 9-1-1 on your behalf, so be sure to stay cool and drive defensively.

You need to stay focused on the road. Use your peripheral to track this dude in your battle computer, but also have your spouse or passengers give you updates on what he’s doing. By focusing on the road you’ll have better command of your vehicle and environment, and you’ll be able to avoid getting into the usual back-and-forth, “F you!” “No! F YOU!” in these types of situations. You’re way better off ignoring this guy — aside from what he’s doing with his vehicle — because you won’t be feeding his rage-furnace with whatever hand gestures you come up with.

Preparation

You need to have a firearm and have with you whatever permits are required by your state, as well as those of any state you’re passing through. Also, be aware that certain counties or cities you travel through could have further restrictions governing the possession and concealment of firearms in a motor vehicle that differ from the state. Study up before you travel.

Have a trauma kit — not just a first-aid kit — accessible inside the vehicle’s interior, not in the trunk. I’m talking about at least four C-A-T tourniquets (For the Updated List of CoTCCC Approved Tourniquets, read here) , six rolls of Kerlix gauze, and four or more occlusive dressings. You’ll also want several packets of a hemostatic agent, four rolls of ACE wrap bandages, and four trauma dressings.

The most vulnerable parts of your vehicle are the windows and windshields. Short of paying big bucks for “bulletproof” glass, it’s possible to harden these weak areas by using a product like Scotchshield from 3M. You’ll need to do some research in your area, but an automotive center or window tint shop can install this for you. Basically, it’s a window tint that helps keep the auto glass together even when shattered. I’ve seen demonstration videos online of a treated window taking several hits from a rock before weakening to the point where access to the vehicle’s interior is possible.

Crisis

What if we’re forced off the road or otherwise come to a stop due to traffic or something unforeseen?

Well, this is going to suck, because your vehicle isn’t a rolling saferoom like mine is at work. Make sure your doors are locked, and don’t get out. We want everyone to stay inside the vehicle and only “crack seal” in the direst of circumstances. By staying locked inside, you’re forcing the aggressor to make an overt attempt at entry, which, stateside, is another legal and physical threshold this guy has to cross. If he’s not willing to smash your windows, all he can do is yell at you through the glass until the cops arrive or the road ahead clears enough to let you continue leaving him in the dust.

If he does try to come through that window by smashing it, then I shouldn’t need to tell you what to do. You need to protect yourself and your family. If that guy reaches through the window, or opens an unlocked door and starts grabbing people, it’s game on. If you’ve prepared, it’ll also be game over for the aggressor. Defend yourself and your family and re-notify 9-1-1 that you’ve engaged in self-defense against a violent aggressor who attempted to break into your vehicle and request police and emergency medical services.

I’d continue to cover the aggressor from inside the vehicle until the police arrive unless it becomes absolutely necessary to exit. If you do need to exit the vehicle, ensure the aggressor is down, he’s alone, and the scene is safe to do so. Check your mirrors and have your passengers scan 360 degrees for any additional threats. You’ve made it this far. You don’t want to hop out of your seat and get hit by another car or be engaged by a passenger riding with the aggressor you never saw.

If you do get out, it’s up to you to render aid to the attacker. I wouldn’t. If he’s wounded, it’s possible he attacks you again while you’re trying to help him. Again, this is why I recommend staying in the vehicle. You can articulate all this to the police when they arrive: You stayed inside your vehicle the entire time while the threat consistently came after you and your family. You did everything you could to avoid him by never leaving your vehicle until you had to, or until the police on scene told you to.

2020 has been quite the year. Wildfires, locust swarms, economic crisis, earthquakes, murder hornets, social unrest, hurricanes … oh yeah, and a global pandemic. Needless to say, it’s been a very taxing year on our mental health. It seems each day brings a new cellphone video of someone losing their mind over an innocuous situation. Mental strain from culminating events seems to have pushed many past their limit. Something as simple as driving your car can quickly turn into a life-or-death situation when patience gets tested and emotion takes over. Road rage often has more to do with anger management than criminal intent. Knowing how to act and react will provide the greatest opportunity to keep you and your family safe.

Preparation

Many assume they have little control when a road-rage incident occurs — after all, you’re in a metal deathtrap traveling 75 mph down the highway. But let’s back up and take a look at what we can manage. First, you’re in control of your own and your family’s training and preparation. Before I even get into the car that day, I know I’ve already performed mental exercises with my family. Mental exercises involve working through various scenarios of “What If” to help our brains make quick decisions during a real conflict. The last thing I want is to freeze when faced with a threat. Discussing options of various forms of fight or flight with my family gives me confidence they, too, will act. These exercises can be practiced alone or with your family at any time. I typically use road trips or dinnertime to discuss scenarios with my family. It’s important to note — how I react to a situation is often very different than how my spouse or child reacts. When discussing options, I always take into consideration their training and physical capabilities. Like most things, the decisions we make are situation dependent.

I also carry basic items on myself and in my car that support my needs for various circumstances and conditions. I have a knife and a pistol on my person as part of my everyday carry; in my vehicle, I have pepper spray and a collapsible baton. Now, these are only to be used in specific, immediate threat of life, last-option cases. However, just knowing I have worst-case scenario protection accessible allows me to process the force continuum scale in a methodical way. Again, mental exercises are imperative in these situations in order to keep your family safe while also staying within the rules of law.

Above all else, I’m in control of myself. If I’m calm, then I know my family will remain calm. If I remain level-headed, I’ll find openings to de-escalate the conflict. If I can de-escalate the conflict, everyone remains safe.

On Site

Now in the vehicle, there are things you can do to set yourself up for success to avoid conflict. One of the easiest ways to avoid confrontations is to prevent an encounter. Don’t be a distracted driver by texting, flipping through Yelp, or talking on the phone. There are many safety features one can enable to ensure you keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel. For example, connect your phone to Bluetooth in the car; use a GPS on your dashboard or through your vehicle’s display screen; make it a family policy that the passenger is the only one to fiddle with music, maps, or answer phone calls. I use an auxiliary cable to connect my phone to the car so I can make or take phone calls through the stereo. My wife is responsible for both navigation and restaurant selection. My job as the driver is to get myself and family from point A to point B in a safe manner. That’s it. This means I drive defensively — I look out for other drivers who aren’t paying attention and predict what they could potentially do (e.g. drift in my lane, run a stoplight, rear-end me at an intersection). I keep a safe following distance, stay out of drivers’ blind spots, and give myself time to react to others’ mistakes.

If I’m an undistracted driver, I can observe when a situation is escalating. Initial warning signs of road rage include indications of impatience: darting back and forth between lanes, inching around vehicles, using the shoulder illegally, etc. Usually, this is followed by drivers throwing their hands in the air, pounding the steering wheel in frustration, tailgating, horn honking, and the prize-winning display of the middle finger.

This behavior is most often found in heavy traffic. Commutes with impatient people are a recipe for road rage. If possible, I adjust my schedule around stressful times such as rush-hour traffic, the start and finish of three-day weekends, or events that bring masses of people together on the road. If I cannot avoid traffic, I ensure I provide myself plenty of time to get to my final destination and listen to something that makes the trip enjoyable. Part of being a defensive driver isn’t overreacting if I get cut off or must yield to another driver’s stupidity. Remember, this isn’t an ego contest; nothing good will come out of losing your temper.

Crisis

No road rage behaviors should be ignored. You must keep an eye on dangerous, erratic drivers so you can be prepared to react. That doesn’t mean make matters worse by escalating the tension with your own poor behavior. Rather, attempt to distance yourself from the driver either by slowing down or changing lanes. Don’t speed up. Don’t turn a dangerous situation into a worse one by breaking the speed limit and “challenging” your threat to give chase.

In this particular road-rage situation, the moment the guy veers his pickup at my vehicle, I’m asking my wife to call 9-1-1 on my phone and use hers to find the closest police or fire station. Since my phone is connected through my vehicle, I can keep both hands on the wheel, keep my eyes between the road and threat, and still voice to the police what’s occurring. They can either provide me directions from there or dispatch an officer to my location. Meanwhile, my wife will be looking for a safe, preferably official place to navigate me to. Exiting the highway will either deter the driver from pursuing me, or enable him to follow me to a location where everyone can safely hash things out. My job at this point is to keep my vehicle under control. I’d slow down; I’d be careful of overcorrecting as I avoid his attempts to force me off the road. This repeated action of staying slow and steady hopefully will de-escalate the driver and make him feel like he “won” the confrontation. Yet the entire time, I’m on the phone with the police, letting them know on record what’s occurring and where I’m located. No matter how this conflict ends or how the driver shares his perception of your wrongdoing when police arrive, I want to make sure my voice is on record as the defensive driver attempting to de-escalate.

That being said, if he’s able to veer me onto the shoulder before the police arrive, I have a few options. If we’re both stopped on the side of the road, I’m going to take advantage of my greatest asset — my vehicle. My car has four metal sides, four tires, and a roof for protection. This means I can stay safely in my vehicle, doors locked, windows rolled up, on the phone with the police waiting for an officer to arrive. The man could exit his truck and scream all he wants — as long as I don’t meet him toe-to-toe, the only damage is my traumatized family. However, this opens the possibility of him directing a weapon at me, my car, or my family. It’s higher risk because there are many unknowns.

Another option: Once we both stop, and he exits his truck, I’m going to back up and drive away. Since I maintained control of my vehicle the entire time, I know it’s still in good working order. My goal is to delay long enough for the police to reach us or create enough space for me to safely exit the highway. Getting out of the car to confront this man when I have an opportunity to stay in and drive away is a huge mistake for multiple reasons. One, because I’m a concealed carry instructor and holder, I know any use of deadly force when I had other options (i.e. driving away) doesn’t meet the threshold of the use of force continuum. Two, depending on what’s said in our exchange, or what this man perceives I did that prompted his aggressive behavior, my claim as an “innocent party” could come into question. Additionally, talking to an irate and dangerous man will do nothing to de-escalate the situation. More likely, the conflict will lead to a fistfight or use of weapons. I’m taking an unnecessary risk to myself and my family facing him person-to-person. Using my vehicle to my advantage will help me control the situation and keep everyone safe.

Road rage involves a lot of ego. Surviving road rage involves controlling your own. It’s safe to say, road rage incidents are more likely caused by uncontrolled temper than criminal intent. Anything you can do to de-escalate the situation will benefit all parties involved. As a responsible citizen of the world, focusing on what you can control, preparing yourself and your family for possible conflict, and keeping a cool head throughout all situations will enable you to survive emotional events.

Conclusion

You can see how ugly this scenario can get. This is why you shouldn’t get off the highway or out of the vehicle unless absolutely forced to do so. All of the road rage incidents I’ve personally been involved with either resulted in the aggressor eventually losing interest, or one of the two parties remaining inside the vehicle and the other being unwilling to smash the windshield to further the engagement.

If you get caught up in the emotion of the incident, whether it’s the one described above or another take on it, and go toe-to-toe with some yahoo on the side of the road, who is looking after your family? Is the guy alone or does he have three other guys in the truck with him? Does a third-party decide to pull over and try to intervene, and now you’re throwing hands with two guys instead of one? Where’s your spouse again? What are the kids doing? How complicit are you going to look on the video recorded by a bystander who showed up halfway through the confrontation?

Prepare for best and worst-case scenarios, but call the police, keep moving, and do everything you can to stay in the car and avoid the confrontation.

About the Authors

“Muggs” McCoy is the owner of Team TORN (Technical Off Road Navigation) and is a retired, 24-year veteran of the military. With 18 years in special operations, Muggs’ professional experience spans a broad range of technical and tactical skills essential for training the nation’s elite forces. Throughout his career, he has trained hundreds of members of the special operations community in tactical mobility, as well as developed and utilized mobility tactics, training, and procedures in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Muggs began motorcycle and UTV racing during his military career, culminating in the country’s longest off-road race: Vegas to Reno. He’s also a reserve deputy sheriff, splitting his time serving his community and teaching defensive tactics and techniques. He’s a CCW instructor, USCCA & NRA instructor.

Mel Ward is a husband, father, and combat veteran. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq with 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Over the last 15 years, he has worked in the security industry. He’s an advocate of preparedness and believes self-reliance isn’t an option, but a duty.

The post What If You Become a Target of Road Rage appeared first on RECOIL OFFGRID.

There are a nearly infinite number of opinions on what makes the best weapon for the worst-case scenario. While it could be argued that the AR is one of the most common weapons owned by citizens in the United States, the AK platform has a not-unsubstantial following as well. At the end of the day, everyone wants a rifle that’s easy to manipulate, maintain, and use effectively. All of these points are intrinsic to the AK platform. While there are some things left to be desired by the Soviet Union’s greatest export, the Kalashnikov is a proven platform that has seen combat the world over. It’s simple, reliable, and easy to maintain. The controls are very easy to use. It can be stripped down and reassembled in a flash, and it’s accurate enough to hit a man-size target reliably out to 300 yards while not being excessively large or heavy. But as with an AR, when something says it’s just as good, it’s often far from the case. This is a quest for what makes the Best AK47. 

Not All AKs Are Equal

What the AK isn’t is refined. This isn’t a state-of-the-art weapon manufactured from aerospace precision machining with a match barrel and competition trigger. It can feel like the Tonka truck of rifles with its sharp edges, cold steel, and dark finish. But those Tonka trucks provide years of faithful and reliable service to American children, just as an AK can do for their parents. But like any rifle (or pistol), there are varying levels of quality in the AK market. Far too many consumers fall into the trap of believing that all AKs are invincible and bargain-basement builds are “good enough.” And the best AK47 doesn’t settle.

When assessing an AK, the variants at the higher end of the spectrum include those made by Saiga, Vepr, and Arsenal. These are considered by many as the standard against which any American AK should be measured. Saigas, which are actually made in Russia, are no longer imported. But they can still be found for sale from time to time online or at local shops and shows. All of these brands feature hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrels and properly manufactured and assembled receivers. Whatever brand you go with, be on the lookout for canted front sights, bent/crooked operating rods, magazine fit and lock-up when inserted and head-spacing. Quality manufacturing will get you past all of these, but make sure you do some brand research. 

Dropped Shots

What does the AK lack? There’s a large contingent of folks who maintain that the AK is perfect, and that nothing more needs to be added — cue the “Nyet! Rifle is fine.” meme. On the opposite end of that spectrum are those who wish to tear the rifle down to its barreled receiver and customize everything else to build their best AK47. Your mileage may vary, but there’s a lot of a room between the two extremes to figure out what best fits your needs. Off the starting block, the AK lacks ergonomics. In its stock configuration, most Americans will have a hefty learning curve due to its manual of arms — the physical manipulations required to operate the weapon. The selector, while easy to use, is rudimentary and doesn’t lend itself well to rapid switching from safe to fire or back again.

For those raised on ARs, ACRs, SCARs, or the like, a completely different manual of arms is needed, and consistent practice is the only way to become proficient. Sighting is also a bit tricky; the open design is in many ways similar to a pistol with a simple rear notch and front post, allowing the user to line up the tip of the front sight with the top of the rear sight and center it inside the gap. While it’s possible to become decent with these sights, they aren’t conducive to precision or speed. Another issue is the short stock and small front handguard. Shooting, like anything else, evolves over time, and modern shooting techniques that can give the user better control for faster, flatter shooting at shorter distances (home defense or in and around traffic) will be far more difficult to do given the shorter length of pull and small handguard.

Best AK47 Upgrades

There are a few options that’ll greatly enhance both the use of the rifle (or pistol), give options for added accessories, and improve the manual of arms. The changing of the furniture (stock, grip, and handguard) on the AK is a strong upgrade from basic wood and plastic. Pistol grips, telescoping and folding stocks, and railed handguards that come in an assortment of different lengths offer both better comfort and more accessory options. There are also several paths for optics mounting: a side rail optics mount, or a railed handguard, top cover, or rear-sight adapter. Each of these gives the end user a multitude of choices ranging from red dots to scopes.

Above: Above: Modern, extended-length handguards allow more flexibility in support-hand position while shooting and create additional room for mounting accessories.

The AK selector will never be the most ergonomic one you come across, but there are companies offering modified selectors that allow for use of the trigger finger, making it easier to move the selector back and forth quickly without having to release the firing grip. Finally, there are many aftermarket triggers, muzzle brakes/compensators, and magazine adapters available today. All of these can enhance both ergonomics and modularity for a rifle designed long before there was such a thing as the aftermarket. Building the best AK47 is a little more than plug-n-play with aftermarket accessories, and will demand a bit more from the builder. 

Caliber Selection 

The AK has come in two original calibers, the legacy 7.62x39mm and the follow-up 5.45x39mm. After the AK’s introduction in the U.S., there was a surge in desire — which was eventually met — for a 5.56x45mm NATO variant. More recently, there have even been chamberings in 7.62x51mm NATO, .300 BLK, and a quickly growing demand for 9mm versions, which use a host of different magazines depending on who manufactures the weapon.

The original caliber 7.62x39mm is a dependable round. It’s well regarded by sport shooters, enthusiasts, and professionals alike — designed as a short-to-intermediate range round that has devastating effects at close distance. Given the powder burn rate, shorter-barreled AKs perform especially well with this cartridge. The weapon is available with myriad magazine types in both steel and plastic, with surplus and American-made mags plentiful in this caliber. The standard-capacity magazine carries 30 rounds and is heavily curved to aid in proper feeding. The biggest drawback to AK mags, in general, is that they can be difficult to store in pouches that aren’t specifically intended for the AK. This is where the best AK47 will be the one you can integrate with your gear.

The 5.45 is the little brother to the 7.62, offering a couple of unique advantages. The 5.45mm slug is generally lighter and faster, lending itself to increased range and accuracy. It also produces a lighter, quicker recoil impulse that aids in rapid follow-up shots. Genuine Russian ammo in this caliber features a unique hollow core (not to be confused with a hollow point as seen in defensive pistol ammo) that makes this round particularly aggressive against soft tissue. The trade-off with the lighter bullets is less mass, thus reducing its effectiveness against intermediate barriers like glass, drywall, and car bodies. Nonetheless, its improved performance will aid in longer distance shooting, if that’s a priority for you.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration imposed a series of trade sanctions against Russia that included a complete ban on the importation of 5.45mm ammo. There are other sources for it, ranging from the Red Army Standard ammo being produced in the Balkans to Hornady’s ballistic-tipped load. While current prices are still on par with 7.62x39mm or commercial .223, the dirt-cheap prices once seen in this caliber (think $100 per 1,000 rounds or so) aren’t likely to come back anytime soon. When considering the best AK47, consider your ammo source. 

Above: The addition of Picatinny rails to the AK means that accessories such as weapon lights, optics, and vertical grips can all be added to suit user preference.

Even though the introduction of 5.56 AK variants came about over two decades ago, it wasn’t until years later that AKs in this caliber became commonplace, when several former Soviet states joined NATO and converted to this chambering. As with 5.45mm, the ballistic advantages of the 5.56 are readily apparent. The lighter round aids significantly in recoil reduction for the AK platform, as well as providing for longer range potential. While 5.56mm/.223 provides the greatest ammo selection by far, there’s a specific catch-22 for 5.56mm AKs. Magazines are a major issue and, when you can find them, they aren’t an economically viable option for many shooters. Sourcing these magazines from reputable manufacturers can run in excess of $50 per mag, depending on availability. 

The .308 and .300BLK are both anomalies in the AK world, but they’re out there. Again, sources for these magazines will require one to dig deep into their budget. The increasing number of 9mm AK variants are a relatively new entry into the market, especially for civilians. These are truly meant for short distances and can make a great complement to your sidearm if you’re able to share ammo and/or magazines. The 9mm round has an assortment of ammunition types available, and these statistics have been covered to exhaustion in other forums.

Choosing Your AK

How well is the AK really suited for home defense, mobile protection, or survival? The AK has been used by many nations with great effectiveness in all of these roles. So the real question becomes more a matter of what the individual end user wants. In short, what exactly do you feel the need to be ready for, and does an AK fill the role for you? What is your best AK47?

Above and Below: A multitude of side-folding stocks and mechanisms can keep the AK trunk and duffel bag-friendly, while still affording excellent terminal ballistics.

In home defense, an AK properly outfitted with red dot and weapon light will provide an excellent weapon that’s easy to use and can provide effective fire even through barriers or against opponents with body armor. The round of choice, in my humble opinion, would be 7.62×39. This allows better performance out of short-barreled weapons while still providing the shooter anti-personnel and anti-vehicle capabilities with battlefield-proven wounding ballistics. In my opinion, either a short-barreled rifle (registered SBR) or pistol variant would best suit the general-purpose survival role, as they offer the user better mobility in tight spaces like hallways or stairwells as well as more practical options for storage. The 5.45 and 5.56 options can also be highly effective, but to maximize performance a longer barrel will be needed. The 9mm variants offer a high degree of convenience in terms of ammo cost, availability, and cross-compatibility with sidearms, but one may find that the 9mm has limitations in penetrating cover or when dealing with opposition wearing Level II or III body armor. 

For protection on the move, either while bugging out or evading a threat, the best AK47 can fit the role of a truck gun, especially if one has to bail out of the vehicle to move to a safer location on foot. With options like folding stocks or braces, the user can easily store the weapon more discreetly while utilizing a longer barrel to maintain the capability to engage targets at further distances than pistols or shotguns. A setup like this would provide the user with the ability to “stretch the legs” of the platform and engage accurately out to 200 yards and beyond while still retaining the mobility to move around stationary vehicles. The best AK47 cannot be a one-trick pony.

Above: With a variety of calibers available now, including boutique offerings in 6.5 Grendel and even the bleeding-edge 6mm ARC, long-range AKs with magnified optics are a viable option if built correctly.

The final point is long-term survival in the grand sense, which includes both defensive engagements and hunting. Due to the AK’s ease of use, low maintenance needs, and inexpensive replacement parts, it’s very well suited for this role. While it’s effective in its stock configuration as both a defender and game-getter, it can be upgraded with relative ease to improve performance and handling. While steel configurations will require more attention than aluminum due to rust, the robust overall design will stand up to substantial abuse and periodic neglect if necessary. The loose tolerances even allow room for field-expedient repair in more desperate times. Several members of our team have come across AKs around the world held together with nails, tacks, and tape.

If you plan to press your AK into service to put food on the table, keep in mind that even medium game will likely require the larger 7.62x39mm or .308 chambering for best effect. For small game and varmint hunting, the smaller calibers will do just fine. The best AK47 for survival isn’t just one that will keep the scavs at bay. While there aren’t quite as many options as for ARs, dedicated AK suppressors are available, as are thread and muzzle adapters that would allow the use of suppressors made for other rifles of the same caliber. In a survival situation, this could help tremendously with not spooking a herd and not announcing your position to others as easily.

In the end, no one weapon is perfect. But the AK, for all of its flaws, brings with it a host of advantages. Regardless of your needs, the AK and its robust aftermarket provide the end user with a reliable, modular, and lethal package. This is one classic that has only gotten better with time.

Shop AK Ammo at Palmetto Armory

The Survival Guns of OffGrid: Read More

• See You Space Cowboys: Customizing the Marlin 336 Dark Series.
• Canon in B Minor: The Beretta 1301 Tactical Shotgun.
• Shooting vs. Fighting, a Lesson in Firearms Training.
• DIY: Building a .410 pipe shotgun.

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