Gregory Kielma • December 24, 2024
Here are a few tips for new concealed carry gun owners
Here are a few tips for new concealed carry gun owners
Gregg Kielma
FFL-Firearms Instructor-First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith
AED Defibrillator Sales
Your first few times out with the gun - you will inevitably feel like it’s 3-feet long and 6 inches wide, weighs 20 pounds, and sticks out like a sore thumb. Quit fidgeting with it! It will feel normal soon enough. If you keep checking it, people will notice. Just be as comfortable as you can. Have a qualified instructor with you for the first 3-4 times. The cost is minimal and will advance your skills safely and quickly
Be sure you have a sturdy holster and belt. No saggy thin belt or cheap elastic belts. Its important to use a good top of the line holster, not some cheap knock off. Unprotected (exposed trigger) carry is begging for a negligent discharge. Depending on where the gun is pointed, you, or someone else, could become very uncomfortable very fast. I have some belts that have a steel strap sewn through them - they will never sag! A belt that doesn’t sag is one I don’t have to concern myself with under a possible very stressful situation
Practice. Empty the gun, purchase snap cap rounds and practice drawing, practice from different positions (sitting, standing, with your other hand - can reach your gun if your strong hand is injured?
Practice shooting. Not just punching holes in paper, but if you can find a range that allows you to draw and fire, or to go through some sort of obstacle course, then do so. START SLOW. Speed will come but the basics must be mastered first. The last thing you want to do is try a fast action and shoot yourself or someone else. Keep your finger off the trigger until the barrel is pointed at your target. Gradually speed up but stop when your accuracy suffers. Get good at one speed, then speed up some more. You can’t miss fast enough to win a gunfight. Remember: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
Two Examples To Think About:
1. A copperhead bite one of my neighbor's dogs. My neighbor and I were searching and found it. It was in a small open space heading for deep cover. I had perhaps had as much as a second to shoot it. I brought the gun up, leveled the sights on the snake scurrying for cover, and got off 3-4 rounds. Clean hit. The snake can no longer hurt any children, pets or adults. The whole motion surprised me how normal it felt, how the muscle memory took over, how I instinctively made sure the area downrange was clear. All that in under a few seconds.
2. Was shooting a 9mm carbine at an indoor range. The guy next to me was shooting his rifle, and hot brass found its way under my collar. It was HOT! I danced around, finally getting the brass out. When the brass cooled down, people on the range noted I had always kept the barrel downrange, and that my finger was off the trigger the whole time I was distracted by the brass. That level of instinctive trigger and barrel control must be your goal as well.
I'll have more to say on this in future blogs, so please keep checking back.
Gregg Kielma
FFL-Firearms Instructor-First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith
AED Defibrillator Sales
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Being Prepared for the 2026 Hurricane Season By Gregory Kielma, Tactical K Training & Firearms The 2026 Hurricane Season is shaping up to be another year where preparation isn’t optional it’s essential. Florida has seen record heat, rising insurance pressures, rapid population growth, and increasingly unpredictable storm behavior. None of that is meant to create fear. It’s meant to reinforce a simple truth: preparedness gives you control, confidence, and options when the weather turns. Whether you’re protecting a home, a business, or a family, the goal is the same build layers of readiness before the first storm forms. Start With Awareness and a Plan Storms don’t give you time to “figure it out later.” Your plan should be written, practiced, and known by everyone in the household or workplace. Key elements of a solid plan: Where will you go if evacuation becomes necessary Multiple routes out of your area A communication plan if cell networks fail A designated out‑of‑state contact A plan for pets, elderly family members, and anyone with medical needs For businesses, include: Who secures the building Who handles digital backups Who communicates closures and reopening A plan removes panic. It replaces it with action. Strengthen Your Home or Business Before the First Storm Florida structures take a beating every year. Small improvements now prevent major losses later. Exterior protection: Inspect your roof for loose shingles or soft spots Clear gutters and drainage paths Trim trees and remove dead limbs Install or test shutters Reinforce garage doors—one of the most common failure points Interior protection: Surge protection for critical electronics Elevate valuables and important documents Know how to shut off water, power, and gas If you own a business, walk your property as if you were a storm: What can break? What can blow away? What can flood? Fix those points now. Build a Realistic, Usable Supply Kit For Your Home or Business A hurricane kit isn’t about stockpiling, it’s about independence. After a major storm, help may take hours or days to reach your area. For homes and families: Water: 1 gallon per person per day (minimum 3–7 days) Non‑perishable food Medications and medical supplies Flashlights, headlamps, and batteries Battery bank for phones First aid kit Copies of important documents Cash in small bills Tools, gloves, tarps, duct tape For businesses: Backup power for essential systems Printed employee contact lists Hard copies of insurance documents A plan for securing inventory and equipment Preparedness isn’t about fear it’s about not being dependent on luck. Protect Your Digital Life In 2026, digital readiness is just as important as physical readiness. Back up important files to the cloud and an external drive Photograph your home, business, and valuables for insurance Store digital copies of IDs, insurance policies, and receipts Keep chargers, power banks, and a small solar panel if possible When the power goes out, your digital preparation keeps you moving. Understand Post‑Storm Safety Most injuries happen after the storm, not during it. Be cautious with: Downed power lines Flooded roads Carbon monoxide from generators Unstable structures Contaminated water If you evacuated, don’t rush home. Wait for official clearance. Your safety comes first. Mindset: Prepared, Not Paranoid Preparedness is a discipline, not a reaction. It’s the same mindset we teach in every Tactical K class awareness, planning, and responsible action. A hurricane is a natural event. Your response is a choice. When you prepare early, you protect: Your family Your property Your business Your peace of mind And you set an example for your community. Kielma’s Parting Shot The 2026 Hurricane Season will bring challenges, just like every season. But Floridians are resilient, and preparation is part of our way of life. Start now. Strengthen your home, your business, and your plan. Build your layers of safety before the first storm forms. If you need help building a plan, creating a checklist, or preparing your family or business, Tactical K Training is here to support you with practical, real‑world guidance.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’ Thursday, April 30, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.” On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term. According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions. During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward. In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.” Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated. On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name. Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan. Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking
