Balancing Accessibility & Safety in Firearm Ownership - Part 2

"It is better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war"
- Sun Tzu, Art of War

Balancing accessibility with safety is a crucial aspect of responsible firearm ownership, especially when there are children in the household. Join our conversation with firearm safety expert Aaron Mittan, as we unravel the practical aspects of owning a firearm. Learn how to navigate common pitfalls like overly securing your firearm and ammunition separately, which can compromise effectiveness in emergencies. Aaron shares insights on achieving the right balance based on your household setup and underscores the significance of regular training to mitigate fear and amplify safety awareness.

We are also thrilled to bring in Veronica Edwards from Balance, who shares her expertise and opens the floor for listener questions about firearm safety and training. Discover the benefits of dry fire drills and get a sneak peek into personalized residential training options from Aaron’s business, Force Multiplier Solutions. Plus, get ready for an exciting upcoming visit to a shooting range, where real-world training experiences await. Don't miss this compelling episode that not only educates but prepares you to handle firearms responsibly and confidently.

For more information or to schedule training email forcemultipliersolutionsllc@gmail.com 

This program is brought to you by:
Balanced Virtually

Be sure to visit BizRadio.US to discover hundreds more engaging conversations, local events and more.

Transcript

Veronica : 0:36

Welcome to the Veronica Edwards Show where we have fun financial conversations that everyone listening can apply to their personal and professional life. I'm your host, veronica Edwards. Always excited to be back here on bizradious for season three of the Veronica Edwards Show. Always want to thank the V Team, want to thank everyone that continues to support bizradious. So today's show is a part two of a three-part series on firearm safety and it's with our own Biz Radio Programming Director and Producer, erin Matan, who's an expert in all things firearms. So if you guys did not hear part one that aired the end of May, please go back to bizradious, go to Buzzsprouts where Veronica Edwards at Buzzsprout, where you can see all the episodes.

Veronica : 1:30

But this one is a really special one. It's been a conversation in my household for years where I've been nervous about guns and my husband's been more interested and everything has come about to where for these years I've been working with Aaron. He is certified to train. So we're going to talk about that. We're going to recap what we talked about in part one, but then we're also going to talk about okay, now that you realize you want a gun or you've purchased a gun, what's next? What is life like being a gun owner. So, without further ado, I would like to introduce today's guest which is funny to say Aaron Matan.

Aaron: 2:07

Hey, aaron, hey, thanks for having me back. I know it's always funny being introduced onto these shows because I'm your number one fan. I listen to every episode.

Veronica : 2:17

I know You're'm your number one fan. I listen to every episode. I know you're everybody's number one fan of Viz Radio. So I'm just honored that you took the time and extending your talents to educate all of us that are completely ignorant, or some of us that do know about guns and gun safety. So, like I stated, aaron, we had you on it aired like the end of May and this show is going to air the end of June and then hopefully part three. We can get something in before we go on break, but if not, when we start season four. So I would love if you can kind of just recap some of the things that we talked about in part one so everyone kind of knows, leading into what we things that we talked about in part one, so everyone kind of knows, bleeding into what we'll be talking about today, with actually getting some training on guns.

Aaron: 3:03

Yeah, we pretty much just kind of did a little crash course of you know, what are you stepping into with the firearm culture? What does it mean for you as an individual to become a firearm owner? Um, and some of those included, okay, what even is the process of, of purchasing a firearm? Can you just, you know, go to go to ingles and pick one up, right or, um, you know what does? Uh, you know what? What do I need to consider if I have kids, whatnot? And that's something that we're going to kind of dive a little more into this week. But, yeah, we talked about the four universal gun safety rules and, just as a quick recap now, all these subjects that we're talking about.

Aaron: 3:51

last weekend, this week, I can sit and talk for hours and do a deep dive on but, but I really just want to kind of provide a 40,000 foot view of what, um, you know, some familiarization and some kind of kind of comfort before you. Uh, um, kind of get scared off from it because it's uh, you'd be, you'd be surprised, and especially as we do this series, um, you'd be surprised, and especially as we do this series, um, you'd be surprised how, uh, how much consideration into safety and training there is that goes into, or just in the community and um, kind of as a whole as in as an industry standard. So, um, those four universal gun safety rules are just a recap. Know the condition of your firearm and always assume that it is loaded. That's rule number one.

Aaron: 4:45

Rule number two keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire. That's a misconception, or maybe not a misconception, but kind of a assumption as well. It's a lot of people just think that if I buy this thing, it's a ticking time bomb in my house. It's okay. There's this really dangerous thing. So is poor wiring.

Veronica : 5:09

So is a knife, a butcher knife for me.

Aaron: 5:12

And even more so, I would argue, because rule number two is really important. If you never touch that trigger, it's never, ever, ever going to fire. It's kind of like if you don't put your car in drive, it's not going to go anywhere. You trust that your car is going to stay parked in the driveway.

Veronica : 5:33

Yes, it's not just going to drive off.

Aaron: 5:36

Same idea you never touch the trigger, it'll never go bang. You only touch it when it's not just going to drive off. Same idea you never touch the trigger, it'll never go bang. You only touch it when it's ready to go bang. Rule number three is know your target or, I'm sorry, never point the muzzle at anything you don't intend to destroy. So, basically, as long as you follow these rules, the muzzle is the it's kind of an old term, but the business end of the of the firearm, um, you never point that at anything that, um, that would be dangerous. Uh, so that's, that's called muzzle awareness. That, in combination with trigger discipline, is, um, really kind of a perfect safety cocktail to prevent anything horrible, horrible from from happening. Um, and then, um, last but not least, or last but not least is um know your target and what's around and beyond your target.

Aaron: 6:33

So little considerations like, say you're um, say you're cleaning your gun or something and you're pointing at a wall and you're in an apartment knowing that you know bullets go through walls, so being cognizant of that, you know little things like like that and um and we'll, we can, we'll go into like kind of a deeper dive onto how to navigate those universal gun safety rules once you have purchased your firearm, and how to live with that firearm, whether you intend to carry or just keep it at your house. Whatever the intention is, we'll kind of navigate how to apply those in your day-to-day life.

Veronica : 7:14

Yeah, just you sharing those universal gun safety rules, the last you know talk. On part one, I felt safer because it is true we have knives and different stuff all over our house not locked up. Our kids never have slit their wrists, you know, or attacked anybody. Aaron and I both have children in the house under 10 years old, so for me that was kind of an excuse that I have a kid and it's not safe and blah, blah, blah. And you hear these stories and, based on all these rules, it's clear that hollywood and the media has really painted the opposite picture that everybody's pointing a gun oh yeah and everybody's.

Veronica : 7:51

You know every gun. You're supposed to think every gun is loaded and blah, blah, blah. So once you broke it down and you kept it simple, like if you don't put your hand on the trigger it won't go bang and I know we're being a little facetious, but it's true, it's like. So I'm retraining myself too. I loved how you use the term in part one that you know your gun is a tool. That's all it is.

Veronica : 8:14

It's not this weapon of mass destruction and, yes, it can do things, but it also can be used properly. So that's why we're educating everyone, because I think what we typically someone like myself that's never held a gun, never owned a gun, didn't live in a house with guns. I've only learned about guns through television, internet and friends, and so we know how dangerous that could be. So thank you, aaron, for being the expert and educating us. So I want to jump right into. We're at the point now. We're ready to buy a gun or we've purchased a gun. They've done the background check, we're not a felon All of those things that made me feel good that the gun can't come to my house. I have to pick it up, even if I order it at a place that is certified to do background checks, all those things. What is the next step when it comes to properly training a person to use that tool the best way possible?

Aaron: 9:09

yeah, once, once you've filled out that 4473 the federal transfer of a firearm and have completed your background check which is all all done in store, by the way, so you don't have to worry about going through kind of this multifaceted process, so it's simplified, but it's still. You know, there's a significant barrier between prohibited persons from purchasing a firearm. But once you've done that, then I mean first things first, welcome. You are now a gun owner welcome you know it's a it's.

Aaron: 9:45

It's an incredible um opportunity to empower yourself, to defend yourself and your family um you know there is a firearm is the great equalizer.

Aaron: 9:59

Um, that is, that is your, the best tool, like you, like you mentioned, that is the best tool for the job in, in the case that you know someone has intense harm, or you know, lord forbid you ever um have to legally utilize lethal force in a defensive situation. Um, just having the firearm just, and a lot, of, a lot of people do this, and to no fault of their own. Uh, they'll go, they'll do all the process. They're like okay, I, I ripped the band-aid off, I now am a gun owner, and then they put it in, they put that, that little cable, uh, lock through through the chamber and the magazine.

Aaron: 10:41

Well, and then they lock that in a safe and the ammo is separate and everything and they essentially treat it like an insurance policy.

Veronica : 10:48

Yes.

Aaron: 10:49

It does not work like that. It is a tool. Imagine how difficult it would be if you needed a drill and you kept the bits separate from the drill. You kept the bits separate from the drill. You kept the battery out of the drill and you had the drill in a locked container and then you have the average homicide with a firearm lasts about six seconds and it's usually within 10 yards.

Veronica : 11:18

Yes, I'm glad you said that, Aaron, because that was my thing too. Where then I would go in this circle of well, even if I was interested in a gun, if I have to have it locked up, just like you said, and it's all these places in the closet, If someone breaks in my house I'm half sleep or something happens quickly, Then what's the point? So then I'll just go through this whole thing like, well, I don't need a gun thing of like, well, I don't need a gun.

Aaron: 11:40

So I'm glad that you said that. Yeah, and it's um, it's very common and that's one of the one of the more difficult things to uh to navigate is because it's very individualized. Um, it totally depends on how your house is set up, your lifestyle, how often are you home, do you have kids? How old are your kids? Um, you know, all these different considerations kind of go into your decision, but the thing to consider and the thing to kind of default to, and, trust me, it's a never-ending battle. Even me, being in the firearms world for so many years, I'm still trying to find the best way to balance accessibility with safety. Um, because, like I said, you do need to get to that tool quickly. You do need to be able to uh effectively utilize that, that tool and get, get on your firearm, get your firearm onto target and and put uh, put rounds down, range uh, safely, effectively. It's difficult to find that balance without training.

Aaron: 12:53

Absolutely and so that's kind of what it all boils down to, and also, too, proficiency breeds. Safety all boils down to, and also to proficiency breeds safety. Yes. So the more comfortable and confident you get with the firearm, the more you're going to be able you're, the more equipped you're going to be able to make these decisions. Say you know and be prepared. You're always going to be buying new stuff for it. It's just like it's one of those things, Once you get into it, just know.

Veronica : 13:22

Yes, I imagine myself with like gloves and like all, the wrong accessories.

Veronica : 13:28

So, listeners, I am actually going to have Aaron come to my house this weekend and do a residential training with me and my husband, and then we're planning on going out to the shooting range. So for part three, I'm a virgin when it comes to holding a gun or shooting a gun, so this is going to be exciting. So I never even knew, erin, that people can come to your house, which I would love for you to plug, with you being certified to do class, like I would just be so nervous. So I just appreciate the fact that you're like, no, I could come to you if you're open to me coming to you. So I love that. Training isn't what I thought it would be, which is just in a classroom with a board and I'm bored and I don't know what to do. So I'm looking forward to it.

Aaron: 14:21

Well, yeah and um, you know that is something that's pretty unique. My business is Force Multiplier Solutions no-transcript. So you know it's there's, and that's kind of why we break it up to where we start with the individual and then kind of move on to the range, because a lot of times the people that I bring out to the range that um same same scenario as as you and maybe many members of the audience um, you know their first time shooting or maybe they have shot 10 years prior. They right, first, first time gun owners and, um, a lot of the times you end up spending the first two, three hours just talking about you know the, the universal gun safety rules, how that actually, how that's applied, um, how you know you, you understand the concept. It's simple and everything. And then, okay, there's a gun laying on the counter. Oh my, now what?

Aaron: 15:44

you know, what do I do, how do I safely secure it, how do I clear it, how do I manipulate it and what tools can I use, or what training tools can I use to become proficient at this at home? And so it's interesting. You wouldn't expect it, but every single class I give, I give homework.

Aaron: 16:06

And that is what's called dry fire drills, and what dry fire drills are is you ensure that the firearm is clear. So remove the feed source, lock the bolt or the chamber whatever type of firearm you're using to the rear, Visually and physically inspect both the feed source and the chamber. And then no ammunition in the room, no live ammunition present, accessible even close to you. As soon as you do that and then maybe even get a third party, maybe get someone else here you can get Carlos to come and be like hey, is this firearm clear? Yes, Roger, it's clear. Great Proceed with the training. Oh, is this firearm clear? Yes, Roger, it's clear, Great Proceed with the training.

Veronica : 16:49

Oh, I feel so military yes. Sorry, I slipped through no ammo in the room so you do feel like, okay, there's no chance you're going to absolutely shoot yourself in the face. You know, that's always me. I'm so clumsy, I'm like I'm just going to fall on the gun, and it's a lot yeah and yeah doing that, and then you're also still following those universal gun safety rules even if you know because what's rule number one?

Aaron: 17:10

always assume the firearm is loaded, so you're still going to follow all those. Now, this is with dry fire. It's a little. It's a little different because you are going to place your finger on the trigger, but, like I said, you're double triple checking.

Aaron: 17:21

That it's clear um and there a lot of the techniques and and you'll see this when, uh when we do the training a lot of techniques that you uh learn on the range you can practice at homes, just like the, the angle at which you pull the trigger, the your grip, even just honestly, the most important part is manipulating the firearm. It's it's kind of like you know, imagine, imagine taking taking a an eight-hour course on how to drive stick and you have learned everything you need to know on paper about driving stick and then go get behind a manual transmission yes it.

Aaron: 18:02

You're not going to be that good. Even after eight-hour course, it's the same thing um where, where?

Aaron: 18:08

familiarization and manipulating that firearm. Um, you can do that at home and then use the range as an opportunity to confirm some of that, some of that stuff you've been working on at home, because you can, uh, you can simulate a lot of that stuff. Now, um, you know, you know I'll say it again for the people that are listening Maybe you do already have your first firearm and you're like, oh, what, I didn't know you could practice this stuff at home. Please, please, please, get information. Um, you know, make sure that you're you're doing it safely.

Aaron: 18:41

Uh, make sure that you have, and that that is really what it boils down to in finding that balance between accessibility and and whether that in a training environment or um you know application for a defensive situation and and safety is having, because everybody does it a little different as far as like clearing the firearm or how they um, how they ensure that nothing bad is going to happen. The pathway to find that balance is structure and procedure, and you need to define that for yourself Because I mean it even changes Say you do have a bunch of. Say you decide to carry you get yourself a good holster that's specific for that firearm you get.

Veronica : 19:35

I didn't even think about getting a holster. In my mind I'm like, oh, I just put the gun in my purse, dumb, you know. Like maybe that's not a good idea. It could go off in there.

Aaron: 19:43

Yeah, I mean that's violating rule number two. Never touch the trigger. There's go off in there. Yeah, I mean that's violating rule number two. Uh, never touch the trigger. There's other loose stuff in your purse, um, you know that kind of stuff in there. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's it. I, I wouldn't trust it going into that. That portal to the limitless items, um, but, uh, but yeah. So I mean, uh, having a good holster and and really like choosing that kind of stuff, and it may seem daunting.

Aaron: 20:10

The best way to combat that is just ask questions. Go to the gun store, you know, get a feel for who they are. You can get the same feel at any retailer. Are they just trying to push the sale or are they really listening to you? Are they really um receptive to um your questions and want to to aid you in in in this purchase and and so, just okay, what type of holster do I need? Um, what you know what is, is kydex better? Is leather better? Um, and and every single salesman that's a good salesman is gonna say say, well, it depends. You're going to hear that a lot.

Aaron: 20:48

Well, it depends, and so just kind of share your day to day and how you intend to carry it and ask those questions like, okay, I want to carry it on my person every day. Great, that's a whole new set of products and whatnot. So, really, really figuring out what is the intended purpose of it. Do you just want to keep it at home? Do you? Do you want to carry it? Do you want, um, you know, do you just want to, uh, explore the sport of it before you even, yeah, um, even start, uh, you know, use or staging it defensively, um, and all those are right answers so um, yeah, just asking questions, but but and then, and then, as you train and as you become more proficient, building that structure is is very, very important.

Aaron: 21:39

Um, but kind of the. I don't know if that answered your question no, it definitely did.

Veronica : 21:45

Uh, just you telling me about the dry fire drills. Never in my mind did I think. Oh yeah, you could do stuff at home and it could still be safe. And I think when you take the ammo out and you just literally just put that gun on the table and you know nothing is going to happen. I think for me it is almost going to be like a therapy session. You know it's going to be, you know, you know it's going to be. You know you have it very personalized, where you come to folks for maybe two to four hours, then you go to the range, I'm sure a lot of training. I have a good friend of mine's friends of the show ebony sullivan co of cassie electric. She um has her, I correct me, is it? What's the right word, aaron that she can conceal?

Veronica : 22:26

yeah something a concealed handgun.

Veronica : 22:28

A concealed handgun permit A concealed handgun permit and I think she did like a half day course and it was you know out in the field and they did the same safety things as well, telling you, you know, use the gun only when you need to use the gun, and all that fun stuff. So for those that are listening, aaron cause we're already to the end of the show if they're living in Western North Carolina and they want to at least get your services, how do they reach out to you? And then also, if folks anywhere listening are interested, I know they can just Google, but what would you recommend for those anywhere that's listening to the show for training?

Aaron: 23:01

Yeah, anybody. In Western North Carolina I do a whole wide range of services. Most of it is individualized and personalized to your lifestyle, your day to day. You can just email me directly at force multipliers solutions LLC and gmailcom. The all the, all the shorter ones were taken.

Veronica : 23:24

Oh, I'm Veronica dot Edwards at balance. I'm like taken.

Aaron: 23:30

Oh, I'm Veronica Edwards at Balance. I'm like, what was I thinking? Yeah, so force multiplier solutions LLC at gmailcom. Just shoot me an email, or anybody outside of the Western North Carolina area. If you have any questions, please reach, reach out. Ask me those questions. I'd be more than happy to get you started, um, or at least point you in the right direction, no matter where you are in the country.

Veronica : 23:48

Oh, that's great, and we'll make sure. Since Aaron's the producer of the show, all his information will be in the link.

Aaron: 23:54

It'll be in there.

Veronica : 23:55

Well, aaron, I'm excited. I'm looking forward to you coming this weekend. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to just continue to educate us Listeners. We will be coming back with a part three where it'll be my experience and carlos's experience, um, going out and I is it a gun range? Like what do I call it, erin? Yeah, yeah, shooting range, gun range, shooting range, and I'm looking forward to being part of the firearm culture. So, erin, thank you so much. Like said, we could go on and on and on and I feel like we're just still even scratching the surface in this three-part series, but thank you so much for providing your knowledge to the listeners and, again, all listeners. You can listen to bizradious for the Veronica Edwards Show on Wednesdays across all platforms and, if you missed the live airing, you can listen to all prior shows, including part one of firearm safety at veronicaedwardsbuzzsprout.