Kurt T

About the author

Spent 4 years with the United States Marine Corps and an additional 3 years with the Kurdish Peshmerga and Ukrainian Army.

Choosing the right kit

One thing that a lot of people just getting into the tactical shooting community generally struggle with is the selection of kit or gear setup (plate carriers, chest rigs, holsters, etc.) that is right for them. If you’re like me, you’ll go through a wide array of gear before you settle on something or maybe […]

Mean Gene Leather ‘Victory Aegis’ belt

A good belt is something that’s hard to settle on and with the vast array of options, styles and brands out there it’s hard to decide on what to get. Enter Mean Gene Leather, a small company that produces several high quality leather products too include holsters and magazine pouches, but their flagship products are […]

California Sheriff’s deputy curb stomps suspect

Dash-cam footage of a Sheriff’s deputy, Michael Higgins of Orange County California, stomping on a suspects head during a lethal use of force engagement in 2013, has emerged. According to reports, the incident occurred when Higgins and deputy Juan Lopez responded to the report of a domestic dispute. Christopher Zion, 21, had bitten his mother and […]

Training with the Ukrainian army’s elite snipers

It’s an early morning in Eastern Ukraine, we stand outside, My friend and I, smoking cigarettes in a gazebo next to the parade grounds of an unknown Regiment; our field packs, battle rattle, and rifles in tow. I felt a little awkward showing up for a sniper course carrying an AK74 but also figured we’d […]

Kurdish protests over referendum continue

The current count is 80 people wounded and five dead in Iraqi Kurdistan as a result of massive protests held in response to a denial for independence after September’s referendum vote. Kurdish citizens predominantly voted in favor of cession from the Iraqi government and Baghdad’s stranglehold on Kurdistan’s economy, but Iraq responded swiftly with the […]

A volunteer’s perspective on training foreign soldiers

During my time embedded with Kurdish Peshmerga forces, I spent the majority of it in a training and advising role when not conducting combat operations. With this position I have come to acquire a vast amount of experience in what it requires to train soldiers to specific standards. There are basically two routes when it […]

CCW fail: Former Marine opens fire on shoplifters

A 10 year veteran and former Marine sergeant, James Newman, confronted a pair of shoplifters in a parking lot outside of the Rimrock Mall in Billings, Montana early this year. When confronting the shoplifters, Newman produced his concealed handgun and attempted a citizen’s arrest stating, “You are all under arrest,” he said. “This is a citizen’s […]

Ukrainian Army Recon train in CQB

CQB (Close Quarters Battle) is like religion, guys get very passionate about it and everyone thinks their way is the one true way, aside from a few agnostics. CQB refers to a type of fighting that typically occurs inside of buildings and extremely tight spaces considering a gunfight is what may go down. The Eastern […]

The Glock 17, a pistol for fighting

As always, I am a huge proponent of carrying and using whatever you have at your disposal. However depending on how you’re trained or how your brain works, because we are all different, certain firearms can be more conducive to your shooting skills than others. That being said I have my own personal standards for […]

SilencerCo Osprey 45 Suppressor

SilencerCo has come out with some pretty innovative stuff lately; the Maxim9 was a hot topic when it was revealed. Despite all the hype around it I still feel that the Osprey was probably the most practical and unique thing to come out of the suppressor community in a long time. It’s probably the best […]

The Recce Rifle

Reconnaissance teams of all different origins have always been centered around the ability to be a minimalist,  highly maneuverable element that can discreetly observe and report on the enemy, providing valuable intelligence for command elements that often dictates when and where the fight takes place. With this mission comes the desire for lightweight and versatile […]

SilencerCo Spectre II Suppressor

The .22 LR caliber firearms aren’t very loud to begin with—add a suppressor to that and you’ve got a very quiet shooter that is perfect for plinking or hunting small game. SilencerCo has yet again produced a quality AND affordable suppressor with the SpectreII. With an MSRP of around $400, what’s not to love? The Spectre […]