Épisodes

  • 206 — Behind the Scenes of Garand Thumb with Micah and Charlie

    206 — Behind the Scenes of Garand Thumb with Micah and Charlie
    Aug 16 2023
    This episode of the podcast airs from an “undisclosed location” in the Pacific Northwest, probably meaning Washington State and likely near some Sasquatch village.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    1 h et 3 min
  • 203 — Performance on Demand “Milspec Mojo”

    203 — Performance on Demand “Milspec Mojo”
    Dec 21 2022
    GunMag Warehouse’s Jeremy Stone is back with another entertaining and information-packed Mag Life Podcast. This month, Jeremy sits down with YouTube gun guy and real-life cop, Milspec Mojo. Mojo is widely known as one of the top firearms guys on the internet, especially when it comes to fundamentals. Those fundamentals translate into lightning operations skills, meaning that he’s a good resource to watch if you want to improve your shooting and gun handling. Milspec Mojo is one of the top gun guys on YouTube. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel) Instagram and Garand Thumb Mojo started off on Instagram, where he is still very active, but his YouTube channel took off when he started working with YouTube icon, Garand Thumb. As he got further into the training aspect of firearms, Mojo found that he has a knack for teaching. He loves training other people and has developed a style in which he and his friends actually train one another, even if he is the impetus behind it all. Jeremy agrees, talking about how much fun he had at his earlier session with Mojo and his team. Mojo says it’s important to train with likeminded people who want to get better. Surround yourself with folks like that and you’ll get better. That leads to the experience of everyone training everyone. Jeremy agrees that most people want that kind of situation. Jeremy observes that not all cops train regularly. Mojo says that it is a problem in the law enforcement community, but he qualifies that by saying he’s not married and doesn’t have kids. If that happens down the road, his priorities may shift. Mojo also says that, while shooting is an important skill for law enforcement officers, other skills are also very important and maybe even more so. He talks about social skills like talking to people and making your point without sounding like a jerk. De-escalation and talking your way out of a gun fight. Defensive tactics and being physically fit are also big. All those together are probably more important for a cop than pulling a trigger, but he also says that pulling the trigger is a skill that cannot be allowed to lapse. Mojo has to pay for most of his extra training himself, as do most other cops. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel) Much of the less-than-ideal training can be attributed to budgetary factors made worse by the ill-conceived "defund the police" movement. Agencies simply don’t possess the ammo budget to have cops train properly. If they want extra training, they have to pay for it themselves. Jeremy notes that many departments require cops to provide their own patrol rifle if they want to roll with one. Mojo says he is very fortunate that his agency provides them with some great weapons. Back to Training Jeremy returns to his range session and says he enjoyed it because he felt like he learned something and got better. He asks Mojo what he thinks is the best way to know what you’re not good at. He then answers his own question by saying it’s shooting with other people. Mojo agrees and says that shooting on camera helps too. Those things force you to home in on individual skills to learn where you’re lacking. Mojo says you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, meaning you have to accept that you need improvement and be able to accept and learn from constructive criticism. You have to lose your ego to get better. He has hundreds of video hours that he watches, trying to see what he can do better. Mojo Doesn’t Shoot Competitively…Yet Jeremy asks Mojo about shooting competitively, to which Mojo replies that he hasn’t done it seriously. He did shoot a couple of matches, in which he did very well using a stock rifle and a Beretta M9A1 against guys with custom rigs. Mojo says that he probably should compete, despite some law enforcement criticisms that competition is “gaming” and doesn’t translate to the real world. Mojo says he used to buy into that but has changed his mind. He says he constantly games scenarios at work, whether it’s pre-staging a vehicle or a weapon if he thinks something is about to go down. Mojo says he's been working with the MP5 a lot. (Milspec Mojo YouTube Channel) Jeremy notes that certain skills from competition, like a fast draw, absolutely translate well, though some competition habits, like always pointing the muzzle downrange, can hinder real-life performance. Mojo says that, so far, he hasn’t been interested in competing because he has more fun training with his friends. “As long as you’re having fun, “he says, “that’s all that matters. If you have fun, you’re gonna learn.” Airsoft Training Jeremy compares competition shooting to Airsoft. Some things translate and some things don’t. He then says that Airsoft is “fun on a grand scale.” Mojo concurs. He and his friends play Airsoft, not only because it’s fun, but it also contributes to physical fitness and team building. They learn tactical team communication from Airsoft. The Airsoft ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    58 min
  • 201 — Entering the LARP Lair “Administrative Results”

    201 — Entering the LARP Lair “Administrative Results”
    Oct 24 2022
    This month, Jeremy had Administrative Results on the podcast to talk about kit, history, and how to be a better man.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    56 min
  • 184 – Tu Lam | Finding Peace as a Warrior

    184 – Tu Lam | Finding Peace as a Warrior
    Jul 12 2021
    On this episode of the Mag Life Podcast, two warriors formally meet and for a heavy discussion about their war and peacetime experiences. Daniel is joined by Tu Lam, a Vietnamese-American former US Army Special Forces Green Beret, martial artist, trainer, entrepreneur, and TV show host. Known for his tactical gear and training company, Ronin Tactics, he is also known for his on-screen appearance on Forged in Fire: Knife or Death, as well as being featured as a playable character in Call of Duty: Warzone. Tu has carved out a public image of himself as a disciplined modern-day warrior and teacher. Daniel explores Tu’s unforgiving upbringing as a Vietnam War refugee, his decorated career as a US Army Special Operations soldier, his passion for the martial arts, and his Bushido mindset to find peace during adversity. https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/184-Tu_Lam_Finding_Peace_as_a_Warrior.mp3 Host: Daniel Shaw Guest (usual Co-Host!): Tu Lam Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh 02:41 Escaping Death Daniel asks Tu about his upbringing and what lead him to where he is today. Tu reveals a tragic and violent past, being born literally in the midst of the Vietnam War. Upon the US leaving South Vietnam and Saigon falling, the North Vietnamese forces rounded up the majority of Tu’s family and had them executed. His mother took her children and fled with thousands of others to escape oppression. What awaited the Lam family was more cruelty and suffering as they, along with hundreds of other refugees, were cramped into tiny boats, sailing in the South China Sea. Upon reaching the coast of Malaysia, they were denied entry into the country. The Malaysian troops cut their motor and left the entire boat of refugees out to die. For 30 days straight, the refugees drifted out with no access to clean water or food. Just as Tu’s mother had given up all hope and contemplated feeding poison to her children to spare them of further misery, a Russian naval supply vessel spotted their boat. Despite being on opposite sides of the war, the Soviet troops showed mercy and saved the refugees by providing food and medical aid. This was nothing short of a miracle made by fortuitous timing. If the war was still ongoing, the Soviets would have been compelled to follow wartime protocol and would have taken the refugees back to Vietnam. The horrors the Lam family faced, unfortunately, did not end there. The refugees were relocated into a camp in an Indonesian jungle, with no actual facilities or resources. Dead bodies would be regularly found in the jungles near the camp as people attempted to forage and find food. The strength of Tu’s mother was all that held them together. “[My mother] is my strength… [During that time] there was a slim to no chance that we would have lived. And she goes, ‘I would have rather died than to have lived in fear’” After a year and a half, Tu’s uncle was finally able to pay for his family to immigrate to the US. 12:55 Living in a Post-War America One of Tu’s earliest memories of living in the states was entering a grocery store in North Carolina with his mother. From living through horrific starvation to suddenly being able to pick any food item of his choice was a culture shock. But post-Vietnam War America was not without its faults. Tu’s entire childhood was riddled with instances of racist encounters and harassment from his white counterparts. The context Tu gives is that the entirety of the Vietnam War was not at all popular in the US, which in turn spawned many racist anti-Asian sentiments. At eight years of age, Tu experienced bullying from a racist white classmate. One day the situation escalated to where both Tu and his bully were sent to the principal’s office to be reprimanded. The bully’s mother was called in and was informed about the incident. When she turned to speak to Tu, instead of offering any hint of an apology, she called him a racist slur, told him to leave the country, and supported her son for bullying him. Tu tells Daniel, “I was just defeated.” Even despite all of this, Tu’s mother clung to hope. She told Tu, “No matter what, if you have an education, you can never be oppressed.” It was through these continued struggles that Tu knew he wanted to become something more than just the scared, bullied child. 24:30 Aspiring to Become a Warrior The pressures of starting a new life resulted in Tu’s mother and father divorcing. Eventually, his mother remarried to a US Army Special Forces Green Beret. For the first time ever, Tu had a warrior role model that showed him something to aspire to. “He was teaching me discipline. He was a very strict man… [We’d wake up at] 4:30 in the morning, every morning, we didn’t get days off. School now? It’s ‘you’re gonna wear slacks and you’re gonna wear button-up shirts to school [and] your grades better be good’… Physical fitness is on par, so every day is ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    1 h et 43 min
  • 181 – Chadd Wright: Navy SEAL, Ultrarunner, and Man of Faith

    181 – Chadd Wright: Navy SEAL, Ultrarunner, and Man of Faith
    Jun 4 2021
    Daniel Shaw is back at it with The Mag Life Podcast, this time featuring a one-of-a-kind super-human: Chadd Wright. A decorated Navy SEAL, Chadd served as a Team Leader on multiple deployments, a SEAL instructor, and a Master Training Specialist. He later came out of the service finding a new calling in life through his Christian faith and Ultrarunning. Chadd and his brother, Blake, now lead the 3 of 7 Project, a spiritual team building and self-improvement program. In this high-energy episode, Daniel and Chadd discuss overcoming life’s obstacles, achieving goals, military service, and the power of faith. https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/181-Chadd_Wright_Navy_SEAL_Ultrarunner_and_Man_of_Faith.mp3 Host: Daniel Shaw Guest: Chadd Wright Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh 03:24 Why join the SEALs? Daniel asks Chadd what specific moment in his life inspired him to join the Navy SEALs. Chadd recalls his upbringing as a kid living out in the countryside of Georgia, quickly realizing normal institutionalized life was not for him. While he did graduate high school, Chadd barely did so as it did not motivate him. He eventually found himself working in construction, but this too failed to satisfy him. “I went to work in the construction industry and I realized I was surrounded by these people that… were content with what life was giving them, their 400-500 dollar a week paycheck… For some reason, though, I was like ‘Man, I want a little bit more.’” Chadd Wright has the distinguished honor of being a former team leader of SEAL Team 8 and a multi-champion Ultrarunner. It was only when Chadd came across a Navy recruiter with a SEAL advertising banner that read “The Hardest Training in the World” that something clicked in his head. Despite not knowing a thing about the Navy or any other military branch for that matter, Chadd knew something as challenging as joining the Navy SEALs was exactly what he wanted. 06:20 Furnace of Adversity As Chadd found out, the act of becoming a SEAL is an arduous journey in and of itself. He failed his initial physical assessment for the program due to his lack of preparedness and physical endurance. Chadd explains, “I didn’t even know how to swim.” After numerous tries, Chadd eventually passed the physical assessment and was allowed to enter the Navy. However, fate would take a turn for the worst. On his last day of Boot Camp, Chadd was disqualified from joining the SEALs. The Navy doctors had notified Chadd that he had a 7-centimeter pericardial cyst on his heart. If he had passed BUD/S and become a SEAL, the extreme pressure changes from combat diving could rupture his heart. Unfortunately, the Navy was not willing to operate on an asymptomatic cyst for him to become a SEAL. Chadd was crushed and left the Navy on a medical discharge. This was on top of the fact he had given up all of his assets, possessions, and home in preparation for becoming a SEAL. However, Chadd never took ‘no’ for an answer. Upon returning to his hometown, he immediately sought out Georgia’s best cardiologists willing to operate on his heart. The leading heart surgeon in Atlanta was the only one to accept his request. The surgeon had never performed this particular kind of surgery before, nor had the surgery been performed on any previous Naval Special Warfare Candidate. “The Navy didn’t tell me… ‘If you have this cist removed, we’ll let you back in’… They just said ‘We’ll see you later, probably never again.’ So I’m going in here, driving to the hospital at 5:30 in the morning to have some surgeon cut my chest open… for what? Just for, maybe a chance to get back into the Navy.” 13:54 Undying Perseverance Simply put, Chadd dedicated his life’s purpose up until this point to becoming a Naval Special Warfare Operator. Upon a successful heart surgery, he re-enlisted in the Navy and was allowed back. However, a 5 month decision period took place in order to determine if he was still eligible and healthy enough to enter BUD/S to join the SEALs. When Chadd was finally given permission to participate for SEAL selection, he was more prepared than perhaps any of his peers. “When I finally got to line up on the start line, I had so much invested in this process… they would have had to kill me, and I don’t say this lightly, to make me go away” Chadd passed BUD/S with flying colors, completing each evolution without any issue, and became 1 out of only 18 of the graduating class from the original 300 candidates. When reflecting upon the incredibly difficult journey to become a SEAL, Chadd ultimately regrets nothing. Had he been simply handed the spot in the selection course, Chadd would have never succeeded. His stumbles and failures taught him how to adapt to adversity. The awful hand he was dealt in life made him strong enough to become a SEAL. 17:30 From Student to Teacher During his service, Chadd eventually ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    1 h et 23 min
  • 178 – The Present and Future of Armor | ShotStop Ballistics

    178 – The Present and Future of Armor | ShotStop Ballistics
    Feb 19 2021
    In this week’s episode of The MagLife Podcast, Daniel Shaw interviews Jason Henkel, Director of Sales and Operations at ShotStop Ballistics. For those unaware, ShotStop Ballistics is a leading manufacturer of high-quality NIJ-certified lightweight body armor. Specifically, ballistic armor plates. They’ve distinguished themselves from much of their current competition through their innovative Duritium technology, which provides high threat level protection without the weight traditionally associated with armor plates. Join the discussion as Daniel and Jason dive deep into ShotStop’s amazing product offerings for 2021, the future of the company, and the future of ballistic protection technology. https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/178_The_Present_and_Future_of_Armor_ShotStop_Ballistics.mp3 Host: Daniel Shaw Guest: Jason Henkel Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh 01:41 ShotStop’s mission for their customers. Jason gives a brief overview of the vision and goals of ShotStop for their clients within the ballistic protection sphere. ShotStop does not seek to merely meet the bare minimum requirements of government contracts, but to surpass expectations and to be pioneers in the industry. “Bad guys don’t stand 40 feet away and [shoot] at a perfect perpendicular angle, and the temperature is 32 degrees. We just want folks out there on the front line to have legitimately, real protection in any given warfighter or law enforcement situation.” 02:43 What makes ShotStop stand out? Daniel inquires about what specific technological advancements have allowed ShotStop to be ahead of the curve in armor plate development. Jason explains that ShotStop has mastered a unique form of polyethylene material that offers an incredibly high tensile strength but at a fraction of the weight of competitor plates at the same threat level. This technology is their patented Duritium technology. As an example, ShotStop’s GT2 10”x12” plate weighs only an astonishing 3.8 pounds, is a little over a half-inch in thickness, and is rated to stop M855 green tip rounds. The benefits of weight savings can only improve your combat effectiveness by increasing comfort, mobility, and decreasing fatigue. ShotStop Duritium GT2 armor plates are rated to stop 62-grain M855 and weigh just 3.8 lbs. per plate. 05:37 Quality of protection. ShotStop offers plates for all the relevant threat levels, ranging from III to IV+ all while staying thin and light. All of their plates have been rigorously tested by NIJ-certified third-party institutions. Many of their customers have publicly put their armor plates to Youtube video “torture tests”, in which these plates are subjected to unheard-of levels of abuse and still being able to effectively stop rounds. The company has full transparency of all of their plates, including official NIJ laboratory test results. “We let the people do the talking” ShotStop’s ballistic plates have received many positive reviews from the field. 07:56 What is new for 2021? Jason unveils ShotStop’s new Duritium HA, a level IV multi-hit rated plate that weighs an unheard of 4.3 pounds. This particular plate has been rated for and tested to six rounds of M2 AP 30-06. Additionally, this comes with a 10-year warranty. By comparison, most level IV plates by reputable companies will weigh at least over 5 pounds per plate. In accordance with their company mission, ShotStop went above and beyond what any armor manufacturer is doing today. 09:43 Long-term cost savings. Daniel brings the question of what the real cost savings are with armor plate extended warranties and long-term expiration dates. He notes that many law enforcement agencies buying armor in bulk for their officers are limited by their department budget and do not necessarily get the best items on the market. Having an extended warranty and expiration date can add great value and savings per unit purchased. 10:14 Jason agrees and further elaborates how ShotStop products fit that bill by offering individual clients and law enforcement agencies these long-term cost savings. One should consider the full cost of ownership versus the short-term upfront charge. Most armor manufactures offer just 5 years of warranty while ShotStop offers 10-15 year warranties on their products. This effectively means the price of one plate replaces what would otherwise be the cost of owning two plates from a competitor. ShotStop plates add long-term cost savings in their durability and extended warranty. 11:25 How does the average armed citizen get this level of protection? All residents of the US can go to the ShotStop website and use the “Find a Dealer” search function to find local vendors that are verified to sell their products. Google is always the preferred option for finding local dealers. 12:18 “Boob cut” or female body armor considerations. While not in the immediate pipeline until the end of 2021 or Q1 of 2022, ...
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    23 min