Shownotes
Matt from Magic Prepper joins John and Kaylee to make the case that preparedness starts long before a firearm, and that one of the most valuable tools you can own costs about twenty dollars. Asked for the best prepping tool under $20, Matt names a water filter, pointing to the Sawyer Mini, which he says can filter up to 100,000 gallons and attaches to a smart water bottle, a bladder, or runs on its own. He explains why water sits near the top of the survival list, second only to air, and why having clean water for $20 or less is hard to beat.
Matt shares the story behind the channel. After being held at gunpoint and beaten while living in California, he chose to take responsibility for his own defense rather than wait on institutions. He bought his first gun, a pistol-grip-only Mossberg 590, learned the hard way how restrictive California's laws were, and eventually earned a CCW in El Dorado County. A move to North Dakota gave him land, freedom, and the isolation that made being prepared matter even more. He walks through his five-step framework: identify your limitations, plan for the basics of food, water, communications, and first aid, then add self-defense, financial readiness, and finally reinforce and expand what you have.
The conversation turns sharp in the Soapbox segment. Matt's hot take is that the firearms industry needs more transparency, especially honest conversations about why a budget product skips certain steps. That sets off a long exchange about new shooters: guns shipping with a single magazine, salespeople who push what's cool over what a buyer actually needs, and the missing on-ramp for first-time owners. John, drawing on his manufacturing and marketing background, and Kaylee, focused on accessibility and education, both argue the responsibility runs across manufacturers, gun stores, and ranges. Matt closes by introducing the Task Force 70 Foundation (tf70.org), a nonprofit working to ground law enforcement training in constitutional principle, and his new product, the MP field tool.
Questions this episode answers
What is the best prepping tool you can buy for under $20?
Matt names a water filter as the best preparedness tool under $20, pointing to the Sawyer Mini. He says it can filter up to 100,000 gallons and attaches to a smart water bottle, a bladder, or runs on its own.
Why does Matt rank water filtration so high on the preparedness list?
Matt puts water near the top of the survival list, second only to air, because the body needs it more than almost anything else. Having clean water for $20 or less is hard to beat on value.
What experience pushed Matt toward self-reliance and starting Magic Prepper?
While living in California, Matt was held at gunpoint and beaten, which pushed him to take responsibility for his own defense instead of waiting on institutions. He bought his first gun and started the Magic Prepper channel in 2019 after moving to North Dakota.
How restrictive was buying and carrying a firearm in California?
Matt's first firearm was a pistol-grip-only Mossberg 590, and he learned the hard way how restrictive California's laws were. He eventually earned a concealed-carry permit in El Dorado County before moving to North Dakota for more land and freedom.
What is Matt's five-step plan for becoming more prepared?
Matt's framework is to identify your limitations, plan for the basics of food, water, communications, and first aid, then add self-defense, build financial readiness, and finally reinforce and expand what you already have.
Why does Matt think the firearms industry needs more transparency?
Matt's hot take is that the industry should have honest conversations about why a budget product skips certain steps, so buyers understand the tradeoffs. He ties it to better serving new shooters rather than overselling them.
Why is shipping a gun with only one magazine a problem for new owners?
Matt, John, and Kaylee argue that guns shipping with a single magazine, plus salespeople pushing what is cool over what a buyer needs, leaves first-time owners without a real on-ramp. They say the responsibility for education runs across manufacturers, gun stores, and ranges.
What is the Task Force 70 Foundation and what is it trying to change about policing?
The Task Force 70 Foundation (tf70.org) is a nonprofit Matt introduces that works to ground law enforcement training in constitutional principle. He shares it alongside his new product, the MP field tool.
Chapters
- 00:00 — Welcome and introducing Matt from Magic Prepper
- 00:31 — How Matt got from California to North Dakota
- 01:35 — Rapid fire: the best prepping tool under $20
- 05:53 — The attack that woke him up to self-reliance
- 09:37 — Buying a firearm under California's restrictions
- 15:22 — From enthusiast to a passion for the cause
- 17:54 — Why he started a YouTube channel
- 20:53 — Walking the line between guns and prepping
- 23:10 — EDC options when you can't carry a firearm
- 26:06 — The five-step plan to get prepared
- 33:19 — Soapbox: the case for industry transparency
- 36:14 — One magazine, education, and the new-owner on-ramp
- 54:44 — Task Force 70 Foundation and constitutional policing
- 58:31 — Where to find Matt and wrap-up
About the guest
Matt is the creator behind Magic Prepper, a preparedness and firearms YouTube channel he started in 2019 after moving from California to North Dakota. He launched the channel after being held at gunpoint and beaten in California, an experience he says woke him up to the need for self-reliance. His first firearm was a pistol-grip-only Mossberg 590, and he obtained a CCW in El Dorado County, California. He grew up in Florida dealing with hurricane season and was involved in Boy Scouts of America, and he previously worked in the hospitality industry. Before the channel, he co-founded an everyday carry company, Everyday Carry Specialties (EDC Specialties), with business partner Rob Defeo in Gold River, California. He recently got involved with the Task Force 70 Foundation, a police training nonprofit, and launched his first product, the MP field tool. He teaches hundreds of thousands of people online.
Key quotes
"we need water more than just about anything else besides air" — Matt (Magic Prepper)
"if firearms legislation doesn't affect you directly, it's easy to kind of ignore it" — Matt (Magic Prepper)
"if you do need a firearm, you really, really need a firearm" — Matt (Magic Prepper)
"Waiting for it's not really beneficial because things can happen at any moment" — Matt (Magic Prepper)
"we also have to remember we all start somewhere and we have to have a plan for that education" — Kaylee
"the person behind the counter is still a salesperson and they want the sale" — John
Transcripts
Welcome to Gun Owners of America's State of the Second podcast.
Speaker A:I'm Kaylee.
Speaker B:And I'm John.
Speaker B:And today we're joined by Matt from Magic Prepper.
Speaker B:He is a content creator.
Speaker B:He started his company and channel after being attacked by an armed assailant.
Speaker B:And he is.
Speaker B:He shares lessons of self reliance and the second amendment and now teaches hundreds of thousands.
Speaker B:So, Matt, thank you for joining us today.
Speaker C:Of course.
Speaker C:Thanks for having me.
Speaker B:No, thank you.
Speaker B:Is there.
Speaker B:Did I miss anything in that intro?
Speaker C:Well, you know, so the assailant issue actually occurred back when I lived in California and then I moved to North Dakota a while after and started the channel once I had the space and the land and everything else to actually start being a little bit better prepared.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C: And that was in: Speaker C: urse we know what happened in: Speaker B:Awesome.
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Speaker B:Well, we're gonna start off with our first segment which is rapid fire questions.
Speaker B:We're gonna ask you five questions.
Speaker B:You give us the best answer that you can.
Speaker B:So what is the best prepping tool under $20?
Speaker C:I would say that's going to be a water filter most likely.
Speaker C:You know, you could definitely find a good fixed blade knife or something like that for under $20.
Speaker C:That would do well.
Speaker C:But we need water more than just about anything else besides air.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:So right around $20, you can get a Sawyer mini water filter.
Speaker C:It can filter up to, you know, 100,000 gallons of water and it comes with everything you need to attach it to a smart water bottle or use it independently.
Speaker C:You can even set it up in line and a water bladder.
Speaker C:And to be able to get clean water and have access to that for, you know, $20 or less is kind of hard to beat.
Speaker A:What do you consider the most influential social media platform currently?
Speaker C:You know, I think it kind of depends.
Speaker C:If you're talking educational, it seems like that's still YouTube.
Speaker C:But it does seem that TikTok has a very strong influence over especially, you know, certain generation within the country right now.
Speaker C:So I think there's kind of a, a blend there where if you're talking about long form content, I think it's YouTube and if it's short form content, I think it's Tik Tok.
Speaker C:And I think both of them are very influential when it comes to how people view things.
Speaker B:What is one thing firearms enthusiasts don't pay attention to that they should?
Speaker C:Well, I think one thing that I've learned just from being someone who lived in a place like California and now lives in a place like North Dakota, is that if firearms legislation doesn't affect you directly, it's easy to kind of ignore it.
Speaker C:And I think that even though I'm very comfortable here in North Dakota, with the laws that we have and the access we have, it's easy to forget how our fellow Americans in other states have to deal with a lot of draconian laws, which we might ignore as being a real issue because we don't have to prove personally interact with them.
Speaker C:So I think that's a big thing that people need to always keep in mind, even if they're in a good position.
Speaker A:And the final question that I have in this segment for you is for somebody who left California and is now in North Dakota, how did you go about picking the land that you would live on?
Speaker A:And what are kind of your like 1, 2, 3 step process for anybody who's looking to leave one state and move to another?
Speaker C:So I'll be honest with you.
Speaker C:One of the reasons we ended up here was out of circumstance.
Speaker C:I was in California in kind of like the more East Bay area portion of it, and things were really hard for our family.
Speaker C:We were financially struggling and things were just adding up quickly and there didn't seem to be an end in sight.
Speaker C:So I actually just started looking for jobs within my industry that were willing to pay for relocation.
Speaker C:And the jobs that are willing to do that are in places that are less populated and don't have the workforce.
Speaker C:So I was offered jobs in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.
Speaker C:And so I went and did my research.
Speaker C:I was flown out, had an interview, got to see the area, and eventually decided on North Dakota because it aligned with what I was looking for for my family and it also provided the most opportunity.
Speaker C:So I think if you have the willingness to try to relocate and there are different professions out there that are looking for people like yourself, you just have to find them and they might even help you with that move, which the company I signed up with actually helped us fully move and get my entire family out there and resettled and everything else.
Speaker C:And it was one of the better experiences I've had in, you know, my professional career.
Speaker B:The last question I have is what is one gun that you don't own that you want to buy?
Speaker C:So I think right now I would probably want to pick up maybe like an HK Mr. 556, something along those lines.
Speaker C:Just because I haven't owned any of their rifles before.
Speaker C:And I've always really enjoyed their handguns.
Speaker C:And I think it's just time that I actually see what they're all about in the long gun market, you know,.
Speaker B:That's a great choice.
Speaker B:All right, well, let's go ahead and get into this.
Speaker B:So we kind of touched on the intro on what kind of brought you into this.
Speaker B:What is the full story behind it?
Speaker B:What made you want to get onto YouTube and start sharing your experience and the type of content you make?
Speaker C:Well, I'll say this, I think that the experience I had involving violence was what woke me up to the necessity for being a little bit more self reliant and having the ability to take care of myself and not expect institutions to be able to do that for me.
Speaker C:And basically at the time, you know, I was a young man, I was in my early 20s, I was in good shape.
Speaker C:I'd done martial arts throughout my young life.
Speaker C:And I'm a really relatively bigger guy.
Speaker C:So I always felt pretty confident about myself.
Speaker C:And it wasn't until that particular situation where I was held at gunpoint and then being beaten that I realized that all of that didn't matter in that scenario unless I had a way to respond accordingly.
Speaker C:And so I had two options at that point in time.
Speaker C:And it was to either become a victim and decide to ask for the government to protect me and change things so that that would never happen to me again, which we know can't be guaranteed, or to take things into my own hands and learn and get the tools required to be able to defend myself properly if that were to ever happen again.
Speaker C:So that's the route I decided to go.
Speaker C:Went out, bought my first gun.
Speaker C:It was not the best decision because it was a pistol grip only.
Speaker C:Mossberg 590.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:But I think a lot of us have probably been there.
Speaker C:And of course the guy at the gun store was just like, that one's really cool.
Speaker C:And I was like, yeah, it really is.
Speaker C:But I got that.
Speaker C:And then I started getting into firearms more and then I started learning and started getting involved with my local range and some of the Guys in the community.
Speaker C:Community.
Speaker C:I took some lessons, and then, you know, next thing you know, it just kind of spiraled into a hobby and then an enthusiasm and then eventually a passion.
Speaker C:And through that process of getting more involved with firearms, it also brought out the preparedness side of me more.
Speaker C:Because my young life was growing up in Florida, dealing with hurricane season and constantly having to be prepared for storms and things of that nature.
Speaker C:And Boy Scouts of America were a big part of that as well for me.
Speaker C:And so those two different concepts kind of collided and made me realize that not only do I need to be able to protect myself and have the access to the tools and the skills to be able to do so, but I need to be ready for other possible events that could occur as well that are outside of my control.
Speaker C:So that kind of led me down that path and started kind of pushing that level of importance for me, I guess.
Speaker C:And then once I finally moved to North Dakota and had more freedom in the sense of what I was able to access, the amount of land that I could procure, and just the ability to be a little bit more free to do what I pleased, I found that being prepared became even more important because I was more isolated.
Speaker C:I didn't have as many neighbors or as many municipalities or as many institutions around to make sure that I would be taken care of if something bad happened.
Speaker C:So it kind of just spiraled out from that initial bad interaction, which turned into something much more positive, but was an unfortunate lesson that was required for me to actually get out of my own head and realize that I needed to do more for myself, which concerns me a little bit because I don't want anyone else to ever have to go through that.
Speaker C:But it was what kind of needed to happen for me to finally wake up to why it was so important.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:Before, because I want to dive into this more, but I want to touch on some of the maybe headaches you had being a resident of California to obtain the firearms necessary and the other things necessary to protect yourself.
Speaker B:So can you dive into kind of the process?
Speaker B:Because it is a long.
Speaker B:We don't.
Speaker B:We've never had somebody from California who previously was in California or has been in California on the show.
Speaker B:So if you could dive into that process and go see how restricted.
Speaker B:Because there's a lot of people who are in free states that I don't hear about how, you know, their freedoms are impacted in California.
Speaker B:Kind of want to also walk through that.
Speaker B:That process because you.
Speaker B:You bought something which many of us are like that's cool.
Speaker B:But also can be impractical as well.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:So my experience in California was, you know, first off, when you get into firearms originally, you don't really even know what any of that means.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Like the restrictions and the limitations.
Speaker C:You're just working with what you're being told by the clerk at the counter, basically, or hopefully you have a friend that maybe can help guide you.
Speaker C:And so I've really quickly learned just how restrictive everything was.
Speaker C:I'm like, so what do you mean?
Speaker C:So it has a full size magazine but you can only put 10 rounds in it?
Speaker C:Or what do you mean?
Speaker C:I can't have this type of rifle with a pistol grip on it or a real stock?
Speaker C:I don't understand what's happening.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So you start learning very quickly that everything is highly scrutinized and highly limited and you have tons of paperwork to do and then there's a waiting period.
Speaker C:So, you know, I buy my first gun because I was held at gunpoint and basically, you know, afraid that something like that might happen again.
Speaker C:And then there's this 10 day waiting period where I suddenly just, you know, I bought the gun, but now I just don't have it, I guess.
Speaker C:And so, you know, it's a big wake up call to say, is this how it is supposed to work?
Speaker C:Like, this doesn't really necessarily seem correct.
Speaker C:And the more I involved myself with firearms while still living in California, the more I learned about the restrictions and even some of the loopholes that were there for us to be able to get some of the things that were difficult to deal with otherwise.
Speaker C:But it also demonstrated how absurd all of it was because you could still get a lot of the things that were restricted, but you had to do a silly dance in order to make it work.
Speaker C:So, yeah, I mean, I got to the point in California where, yeah, I had a featureless AR15.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Like, that's a ridiculous concept that shouldn't exist, but it, it is what it is.
Speaker C:And I, I actually obtained a CCW there as well in El Dorado County.
Speaker C:So, you know, I was one of the few people in California that could carry a firearm legally.
Speaker C:But then even that process was ridiculous.
Speaker C:It was arduous, relatively expensive, and I had to then, you know, qualify, take all this training.
Speaker C:I, I had to tell the sheriff's department which guns I was gonna carry and which ones I, I wasn't, you know, depending on, like, how I felt, I guess, at that time of year.
Speaker C:So everything was just one layer after another of hurdles and Obstacles and difficulties that in my opinion, creates a barrier to entry for anyone in California trying to get involved with firearms.
Speaker C:And obviously, I think we can agree that that's done on purpose to try to prevent more gun owners from getting involved with, you know, their firearms rights.
Speaker C:And it just, it showed me that the government there isn't, you know, isn't a friend of their constituents.
Speaker C:They're there to try to control you and ensure that only the people they think are, you know, like, capable of owning a firearm are allowed to.
Speaker C:And obviously that's not how it's supposed to work.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, you know, we, we have Gun Owners of California that's part of our, I guess, umbrella of organizations.
Speaker A:And so we hear often from that group just how bad it is.
Speaker A:And so I first want to say it's very commendable of you to have gone through an assault and not follow the narrative that was almost culturally demanded of you in California.
Speaker A:And I think that that ability to register for yourself and say, you know what, I need a way to protect myself.
Speaker A:I need a way to protect my family.
Speaker A:And oh yeah, those, those childhood lessons that I learned of preparedness, those, those skills didn't leave me and now I'm going to go revisit that and make sure that this doesn't happen again.
Speaker A:That's, that is beyond commendable.
Speaker A:And I think speaks highly of your upbringing in many ways.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:You know, I definitely attribute a lot of that to how I was raised by my parents to be very independent and be a self starter.
Speaker C:You know, I've had a job since I was 14 years old, riding my bike to the grocery store to be a bag boy.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So I've always tried to do things on my own and that particular moment just demonstrated how important that really was.
Speaker C:And I learned a lot of other things during that time too, about myself, how I was a little bit impulsive and I could have handled the situation much better.
Speaker C:And now being more mature, you recognize that no, if there is a possibility for a confrontation, it's better to retreat and just call the police and try to do what you can to avert the situation rather than getting involved.
Speaker C:But at the time, you just wouldn't have thought someone would be willing to pull a gun out on you when you're an unarmed person on their own property, you know, so it was, it was definitely a life changing moment, but one that I think almost happened on purpose.
Speaker C:And when I say that, what I mean is like, you know, divinely, in order to push me on the trajectory, I'M currently on in order and be in a position now where I can take better care of myself and my family and help other people around me to a higher degree, which I just wouldn't have been capable of before.
Speaker A:So you talked about going from a gun owner to a gun enthusiast.
Speaker A:But walk us through the critical moments for you that took you from an enthusiast to a passionate purveyor of truth.
Speaker C:So I think it's stemmed from constantly seeing overreach from the federal government and from state governments as well.
Speaker C:And one of the things of being a California refugee, as people like to refer to them as now, is that I had that experience personally.
Speaker C:And it's very much like what you see when someone comes into our country from a place like North Korea and they explain how great it is here and how everyone should be so appreciative of what we have because of what their experience was back there.
Speaker C:Under communist control.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And so you can feel similarly by just being under the control of a state government that has a similar, similar level of authority and tries to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights as well as other rights on a consistent basis.
Speaker C:So I think that experience helps a lot with trying to understand where that passion comes from.
Speaker C:Because you realize that not only do I think I need these tools in order to protect myself and protect my family and possibly my community to a certain degree, but there's also people that are consistently and constantly working against my ability to have these tools that are in our government that are literally making money off of the tax dollars I'm paying when I buy these things that I find to be highly important.
Speaker C:So it kind of just gradually became more of a passion from the fact that I understood that the things that I deemed to be necessary were being attacked on a regular basis and that my ability to own these items or possess them at all might be in jeopardy.
Speaker C:I think that really helped push it forward.
Speaker C:Especially when you have federal administration in place that is anti gun and constantly trying to regulate what we're allowed to do in the sense of Second Amendment rights.
Speaker C:It definitely pushes you to realize how quickly those things can fall.
Speaker C:Fall apart.
Speaker C:So I think that's a big part of it.
Speaker C:And my entire life I've been very skeptical of authority and kind of always had this side eye of whoever's in power and what decisions they're making.
Speaker C:And so I think as a gun owner, you feel that more heavily than just about any other type of civilian here in this country right now.
Speaker C:Because I don't feel like any other Group is consistently attacked as often as we are.
Speaker B:So you, you've, you've moved at this point, you've, you've become this enthusiast, you've taken the next step.
Speaker B:What made you then take the steps to go, okay, well now I want to share my experience and my knowledge with others on the Internet, especially when it comes to YouTube.
Speaker B:You know, that can be a very daunting and kind of like, oh, is actually people actually going to like this, this style of content?
Speaker B:So what made you decide?
Speaker B:Like, hey, I'm, I'm loving this.
Speaker B:I want to share my experience.
Speaker B:I want to go out and find not only more like minded people, but also reach people who may have had a similar experience as myself.
Speaker C:Well, so one thing that predicated all of this is that back when I lived in California, I actually started a company called Everyday Carry Specialties or EDC Specialties with my business partner Rob Defeo.
Speaker C:And it was a company we started from the ground up that to this day still operates in Gold River, California which is basically a subdivision of Sacramento.
Speaker C:And everything the store sells is related to Everyday Carry and everything is made in the usa.
Speaker C:And that was like the big driver of what we were trying to do.
Speaker C:And so I had that experience of starting a business and trying to promote the things that I cared about in a way that wasn't just me talking about it with my friends, trying to do things more publicly and created an environment where, you know, others that shared in that same passion could express it.
Speaker C:And so circumstance occurred where I was getting, you know, promotions within my work, which was in the hospitality industry.
Speaker C:So that's what I did, you know, prior to all of this.
Speaker C:But I was getting promotions and then being requested to make moves and then I had to make decisions based on what was best for my young family at the time.
Speaker C:And so I had to eventually separate from that concept because I could no longer be personally involved.
Speaker C:So that kind of started everything with understanding like how to build things from the ground up and how to get something new out there that kind of presents this particular topic.
Speaker C:And then once I got to North Dakota and was doing the work that I was doing, I just had this desire to do more with firearms and preparedness and interacting with like minded people that I just wasn't able to do in my professional career because it was surrounding, you know, hospitality versus the things that I personally and truly cared about.
Speaker C:So I created the channel as a way to not only promote the concepts and share information and try to get involved in a particular community, but to give Myself an outlet for those things that I was missing out on because I no longer had access to anything similar.
Speaker C:And a big part of my driving of starting a YouTube channel was watching others and watching other channels and listening to other people and recognizing that I didn't want to just be an audience member.
Speaker C:I wanted to be part of that community.
Speaker C:I wanted to be someone who was contributing, and that really is what spawned it all.
Speaker A:So how do you walk the line between that traditional gun tuber and the preparedness side?
Speaker A:Because there's a lot of people in this space that won't talk about preparedness or they don't want to go too firearm heavy.
Speaker A:And you're heavily involved with.
Speaker A:With both sides of the coin.
Speaker C:Yeah, sometimes to my detriment, actually.
Speaker C:So, yes, there it's.
Speaker C:It's a difficult line to walk because the firearms aspect of preparedness is important, and I think we can agree on that.
Speaker C:But we also know it's generally not the top priority.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:In most emergencies and natural disasters, you need food, you need water, you need communications, you need first aid.
Speaker C:There's a lot of things that are generally more important and more useful during those situations.
Speaker C:However, if you do need a firearm, you really, really need a firearm.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And so my passion for.
Speaker C:For guns is part of what drove the channel.
Speaker C:So even though it's a preparedness channel, I've always had firearms content.
Speaker C:I've always focused on that, not just because I think it's important, but because I like it.
Speaker C:And I.
Speaker C:It's just something I want to do.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And even my very first video on the channel is an everyday carry pocket dump where I show a pistol.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Which was a P320, interestingly enough.
Speaker C:But I am, you know, in a situation where, yeah, I do firearms content.
Speaker C:And there's like, I think there's a group of people out there that are like, oh, yeah, you know, you're a gun tuber.
Speaker C:And I'm like, am I?
Speaker C:You know, and then there's another group of people out there that are like, oh, you're just that fringe prepper weirdo guy.
Speaker C:So it's a really interesting position to be in.
Speaker C:And there are great companies out there that I work with that have been very supportive because they feel that not only are firearms important, but the preparedness aspect of it is also very important.
Speaker C:So I can appreciate that.
Speaker C:But there are also companies that don't want to work with me because I'm a weird prepper guy who talks about current events and other things that might be a little bit Inflammatory.
Speaker C:So it is, it is kind of a weird line to walk, but I try to do the best I can and I try to keep it relatively balanced so that I'm not overemphasizing firearms in the sense of preparedness, but just demonstrating different ideas and concepts in order to get people more interested.
Speaker B:Now I do have kind of an off topic question, but on topic question.
Speaker B:You, you mentioned the EDC company as somebody who lived in California and, and other places that are.
Speaker B:For other viewers who are in restrictive states.
Speaker B:What are the top EDC gear that they can have if they cannot have a firearm?
Speaker C:And that's the problem too.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So in California there's a lot of restrictions around that.
Speaker C:And so I haven't lived there for seven years now, so I might be out of date when it comes to some of these concepts or ideas.
Speaker C:But at the time I know that you couldn't just by an automatic knife, you know, and like stuff like that that's mundane and doesn't really have any real reason for being restricted, was restricted even in the sense of like a knife, a pocket knife.
Speaker C:So there's always a lot of issues there.
Speaker C:So in California you get a lot of people because of the restrictions on guns and because of the inability to carry them legally without going through an arduous process.
Speaker C:A lot of people were looking for your basic, you know, less lethal options.
Speaker C:So people would be looking for mace, they'd be looking for tasers, they're looking for asps or batons or things like that.
Speaker C:And, and often looking for some of those more obscure products that people in a free state might not even consider because they have access to everything.
Speaker C:That's reasonable already.
Speaker C:But in California, every so often, you know, people would be interested in.
Speaker C:For example, I think K Bar makes a fully polymer knife that's like a neck knife that you can wear in like a little lanyard.
Speaker C:And it's like, why do they need a fully polymer knife?
Speaker C:Like, that's not a question I need to ask, but that's something that they're looking for because here we are in California where things are weird, I guess.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So it's just every obscure thing that you can think of is what people would be looking for.
Speaker C:And then when I moved out here in North Dakota, everyone's just buying the usual things like, oh, a pro tech automatic knife.
Speaker C:Yeah, it's right here on the counter.
Speaker C:Buy it if you want.
Speaker C:There's no restriction or anything like that on these very, you know, mundane and very old objects.
Speaker C:And you know, I Think that's something that especially people who don't know about guns or don't even know about, you know, knives or things of that nature is that some of these designs that we're so concerned about and so worked up about in the sense of being dangerous are over a century old and yet we're talking about them as if like they've only just now existed.
Speaker C:And because of this we have a lot of problems.
Speaker C: tic knives and you know, know: Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I do want to get into some of the questions that I know a lot of people have asked, you know, over, I guess over the few last few months, I think at a greater rate than we've seen some since we've kind of moved into the post Covid era.
Speaker A:So if you were to give somebody a five step plan to become more prepared in their, in their own life, what are those five things that are essential?
Speaker C:Okay, well, first off, you have to identify your limitations, right?
Speaker C:So the first thing you would want to do is understand your particular situation and just work with that.
Speaker C:Instead of always wishing for more or dreaming about what could be, you just have to live within the limitations you have.
Speaker C:So if you're in an apartment, you have to just work with that instead of just saying, well, I can't do anything because I'm in an apartment, right.
Speaker C:Or I want to, you know, start preparing, but I'm not going to until I get my house because then I'll have the ability to do that.
Speaker C:Waiting for it's not really beneficial because things can happen at any moment.
Speaker C:So the very first thing you're going to do is evaluate your situation and the second thing you're going to do is start planning things about that situation in regards to like the basics of survival.
Speaker C:So I know I'm going to need some food, I know I'm going to need some water.
Speaker C:I know I might need first aid and I know I might need a way to communicate with people.
Speaker C:So how do I make sure I can do those things based on my circumstances?
Speaker C:So if I'm in an apartment, there's a lot of options for people when it comes to water storage, even though that's one of the biggest difficulties because it's, it's heavy and it's big and it takes up a lot of space and there's things like a water bob, which is something you put in your bathtub and you can fill up like right before or during an emergency and Suddenly you have 60 some gallons of water in your bathtub.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So there's like a lot of different ways you can approach it, but you have to do it within the framework of what you have to work with.
Speaker C:So once you figure out that we need these things, then we know, okay, we got to get food, we got to get water, we got to have communications of some kind of, and we got to have first aid.
Speaker C:And the communications thing doesn't mean, hey, you need to be a ham radio operator or anything like that.
Speaker C:It means you need to be able to maintain communication, which generally means you need to have a way to keep your phone up and running and powered.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:So like these are super basic things, but it's just really important.
Speaker C:And then once you have those things figured out, step number three would be to start concerning yourself with what could occur if I'm actually at the point of using these things.
Speaker C:So if I'm using my water storage, my food, if I'm having to use a backup power supply of some kind to keep my phone up and running, and I'm trying to avoid using first aid, but maybe I know it's really important at this moment, if I'm in a circumstance where that's occurring, what are some of the other possibilities that I should consider in this potential scenario?
Speaker C:And then that's where by number three, you start thinking about self defense.
Speaker C:And you start thinking, okay, well if we're using these supplies, I might need to defend my family because these supplies are going to become valuable.
Speaker C:Because if I'm using these things, there's a high chance that everybody else might need to as well and an even higher chance that most people don't have any of these supplies ready to go.
Speaker C:So you create a situation where you somewhat become a target.
Speaker C:As long as, you know, you're careful and safe about, you know, who you talk to or how you broadcast yourself, it's a good chance people might not be aware, but people pay attention and they might recognize, hey, why has that family just stayed inside this whole time when everybody else is out here trying to collect water or figure out where to get food or whatever it is.
Speaker C:So there's a lot of things that occur and that third step is saying, hey, these bad things could potentially happen.
Speaker C:So how do I ensure I can deal with them if they occur?
Speaker C:And that's, you know, that's where the firearms come in and the training, that's where, you know, being able to create an escape route or a plan for how you would leave, or creating an if and then scenario checklist of, like, if these events occur, then we will have to take these steps.
Speaker C:So that would be like the third thing.
Speaker C:And then the fourth thing would be.
Speaker C:And this is because, just to kind of build context, this is because all of these things are related to if something bad happens that's out of your control, which could happen at any moment.
Speaker C:So that's why these things are important.
Speaker C:Now, by step number four, we're saying, okay, so now that we have the basics covered, what should we also prepare for that's practical and normal for people to deal with in everyday life?
Speaker C:And that's where, you know, you need to really ensure you have plans for how to deal with a sudden loss of financial resources or how to deal with a sudden loss of a family member that wasn't planned for things of that nature.
Speaker C:Where an emergency occurs and you're living paycheck to paycheck, and now suddenly you can't go get a paycheck because you're not allowed to leave your building.
Speaker C:Things get very hard very quickly.
Speaker C:But don't be surprised if the banks are still asking for their bills to be paid.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:So that's the fourth step in the sense of taking the first three and then saying, all right, we can move past that a little bit and ensure we have the basics of living in modern society covered in case something happens suddenly.
Speaker C:And then the fifth step is then to reinforce all the steps beforehand and say, okay, so, like, I know what my limitations are based on my situation.
Speaker C:I know what I need on the basic level of survival in order to get through an emergency that I can actually have and store here in my location.
Speaker C:And then, you know, I also now have the ability to defend myself and have some plans about what to do if things get really bad.
Speaker C:I also have some money set aside or at least some kind of thought process as to how I'll handle the fact that this emergency could create a financial catastrophe for me.
Speaker C:And then now I'm just going to go back and start reinforcing.
Speaker C:And then that's where you would start making your plans for, hey, maybe relocation, maybe we want to get a bigger house, or maybe we want to move to a safer state or whatever it might be.
Speaker C:And that's also where you would start planning on, okay, I've got a month of food now.
Speaker C:I'd like to have six months worth of food.
Speaker C:But you still need to start with the basics and have at least something to get going with because there's no predictive clock that we have that tells us exactly when a catastrophe might occur.
Speaker C:And by having nothing because we don't want to do anything until we get to step number five is a bad way to approach it.
Speaker C:And so that's the five steps that I would do.
Speaker C:And hopefully I conveyed that in a way that was understandable.
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Speaker A: atriot mobile.com goa or call: Speaker A:All right, so now it's time for our segment from the Soapbox, the spicier side of the conversation where we take on the topics that can get a little out of hand from time to time.
Speaker A:So are there any hot takes that you have for the firearms community at large?
Speaker C:So here's one of my hot takes and I don't know if it's going to be a popular one or not, but that's what we're doing.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:But I think that a level of transparency that wouldn't be detrimental to overall design or business structure would be very beneficial in the firearms industry at this point in time.
Speaker C:This is just my opinion, but a lot of companies have been operating on off of the older model where a majority of their customer base wasn't as informed as they are now.
Speaker C:And things were much different, you know, even just 10 years ago.
Speaker C:And a lot of these companies haven't necessarily updated their strategy with that understanding.
Speaker C:And so I think that having some Transparency and just explaining why things are the way they are could be really beneficial.
Speaker C:But a lot of times all we get is that, hey, here's a product and there you go.
Speaker C:And then we're not told about any, you know, generational upgrades or any design changes or any potential expectations based on the level of design that they're producing.
Speaker C:So when I say that, what I mean is if something's really inexpensive, that's okay because we have a market for that and there are people who need access to budget friendly equipment and that's, that's a good thing for us to have.
Speaker C:However, we should also be willing to have an honest conversation to say, hey, the only way we can create this product at this price point is by skipping some steps because it's just impossible otherwise.
Speaker C:And so because of that, there are some things you might need to do or check or ensure work properly.
Speaker C:And of course, if they don't, we'll take care of you.
Speaker C:But there's not that conversation occurring right now from a lot of companies.
Speaker C:And the unfortunate side of that is that people are buying things without a certain level of knowledge or insight with the understanding that no matter what, because a company sold it as what it is, therefore it should just do exactly what it's supposed to do.
Speaker C:And they don't have the skills, the troubleshooting or the know how to determine why it is that the thing they purchase doesn't do what it's supposed to do.
Speaker C:And so that's just one of the things that I've been kind of, you know, concerned about, I guess, in the sense of what if I had some control over like maybe, you know, marketing or something of some of these larger manufacturers.
Speaker C:I think that having these honest conversations would just build credibility and make the people who most likely already feel like they're above and beyond some of the products that would be affected by this actually have additional respect and say, you know what, I can appreciate that they're willing to just tell us how it is.
Speaker C:And that makes me more willing to not only purchase but possibly even promote some of these items because I know exactly what the company is doing and what they're thinking.
Speaker C:And I think that a lot of manufacturers would do good to kind of update to that newer model.
Speaker B:I got to be careful what I say.
Speaker B:I 100% agree with this.
Speaker B:Being with the manufacturing background, I understand why some of the times they don't do those things just for the fear of pushback and the fear of losing out on sales, but at the same time doing things the Old way is not the way you should be doing anymore.
Speaker B:And a great example, I'm not going to say company names, but there's a company that has done launch a product, consumer test it doesn't do what it's supposed to do, makes rolling changes, doesn't say anything about the rolling changes, and then you're just supposed to know that it's fixed because nobody else is having the problems.
Speaker B:To open up to transparency and letting the consumer know what's going on is a huge thing.
Speaker B:Especially like you said, in today's day and age, consumers are more informed.
Speaker B:Long gone are the days of.
Speaker B:You've got six print articles out on the item right now.
Speaker B:I can watch 28 YouTube videos, read 25 articles, go listen to 23 podcasts.
Speaker B:It's numbers of 20 for some reason.
Speaker B:But, but there's so much more you can do as a consumer, which is great from the consumer side.
Speaker B:There is also, and I, and I, I get where you're coming from with the, the lower cost items.
Speaker B:I also understand because I've been on the manufacturing side, I can see the differences of, of what.
Speaker B:And it's, and it's always the small things that you don't that the normal consumer wouldn't catch on to.
Speaker B:Like I'm not gonna again, I can't name names, but if you look on the inside of a slide and you see tool marks, well, that means that they didn't take the time to sandblast the tool marks off because it costs XYZ number of dollars and they have to do it.
Speaker B:So it's not a functional part of the gun.
Speaker B:It doesn't cause any function issues.
Speaker B:But if I am as a consumer go buy my brand new gun and I go in and there's tool marks on the inside, I'm going to instantly go, well, why are there tool marks on the inside of this slide where if I compare it to my buddy's gun who may, which may be 2, $300 more.
Speaker B:I don't see those things.
Speaker B:It all comes down to, hey, this is why we did what we did.
Speaker B:Same thing.
Speaker B:And I'm gonna get on my high horse on this one.
Speaker B:Same thing with magazines.
Speaker B:One magazine is not, should not be.
Speaker B:That's a bare minimum.
Speaker B:That's something that should be the standard.
Speaker B:Standard should be 3, 2.
Speaker B:Great.
Speaker B:But it's the same thing.
Speaker B:Hey, you're only getting one magazine.
Speaker B:Well, tell me why I'm getting only one magazine.
Speaker B:I should be getting, getting the, the number of magazines that two magazines is what you should Be carrying.
Speaker B:If you've gotten training, you should know better.
Speaker B:But tell me why.
Speaker B:Okay, well, our magazines cost us $38.
Speaker B:So either we charge you $60 more because we have to make money off of this, or we save you $60 by not including it.
Speaker B:So I just went on my tangent.
Speaker B:So thank you for coming to my TED talk, but I'm 100% agrees with you, being somebody who's worked on the marketing side for firearms manufacturers.
Speaker B:Just, it's always, I'm going to break the fourth wall.
Speaker B:It's always the higher ups.
Speaker B:It's never the marketing team.
Speaker B:I'm just letting everybody know this.
Speaker B:It's always the higher ups that are telling you not to say these things.
Speaker B:Now my rant is over.
Speaker C:Yeah, well, and you know, I, especially the magazine thing, the craziest part about that for me is they're the number one reason for a malfunction in a semiautomatic firearm.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And yet you're going to give me one of them.
Speaker C:So if that one magazine is not up to, up to par, we're in trouble.
Speaker C:You know, and so it's, it's a very interesting thing that you see especially with some, even some very expensive firearms are shipping with one magazine.
Speaker C: And I just think that in: Speaker B:No, I agree.
Speaker B:And, and I always love the age old argument.
Speaker B:Well, magazines are cheap.
Speaker B:They're not cheap there.
Speaker B:I mean, if I'm spending in the total overall cost of a gun, if you're talking about budgeting for a gun, If I'm spending $500 on a gun and you give me one magazine, you go, well, the magazines are cheap.
Speaker B:Well, they're for 20 depending on the platform, 20 to $60.
Speaker B:You know, that's 20 or $60 worth of ammo I could be using to train with my firearm instead of having to buy an extra accessory that I didn't need, which should come standard from the factory.
Speaker B:And I'm going to keep going if I don't stop now.
Speaker A:So I always take a slightly different approach than you because I always take the approach of what would a first time gun owner know or understand?
Speaker A:And I think this is where I'm a big person on like, how do we build a better on ramp?
Speaker A:How do we build a better on ramp for people to get into the shooting sports?
Speaker A:How do we build a better on ramp for them to join the second amendment community?
Speaker A:How many people have gone into a gun store, purchased a firearm with only one magazine and the person that is behind the counter has never even uttered the word, you may need an, you need an extra magazine and here's why.
Speaker A:Or you need a holster.
Speaker A:I have heard so many people, so many people that have gone to purchase a firearm because they were wanting to be able to defend themselves and they know nothing.
Speaker A:They are totally reliant on the person behind the counter and, and they really did think that they could just drop it into their bag or put it in their backpack or, or, or have the gun in and in their purse or whatever.
Speaker A:And I've heard this from men too.
Speaker A:So it's not just a women problem where people are like, well, I spent all of my money on the ammo and the gun and no one had a conversation with them.
Speaker A:No one took the first step to educate them.
Speaker A:No one directed them to a person to get training.
Speaker A:And that's incumbent upon the people behind the counter.
Speaker A:It's incumbent upon the manufacturers to make sure that it doesn't matter if they're a seasoned pro or a first time gun owner, they have what they need to succeed and that they're given the education to succeed and have a pleasant experience with the firearm of their choosing.
Speaker B:No, I don't disagree.
Speaker B:It's the education component from the, from the guys behind the counter.
Speaker B:And just to bounce off your.
Speaker B:Or go back into this and go.
Speaker B:I mean, Matt had the same experience where well, this thing's cool, you should buy it.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:And that is that it has a lot to do with.
Speaker B:At the end of the day, the person behind the counter is still a salesperson and they want the sale.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:But I think they, again, they need to be.
Speaker B:The person behind the counter should and is assumed to be a subject matter expert and most of them just don't want to take the time or the effort to go into it.
Speaker B:There's a lot that have.
Speaker B:And if you are one of them, I applaud you.
Speaker B:But they need to go in and be that subject matter expert and help the, the person learn more about it.
Speaker B:And I guess the best way to put it is that the people, some people behind the counter are just jaded and just mad that they're stuck behind the counter, I guess.
Speaker A:Or it's that.
Speaker A:Go ahead.
Speaker C:I'm sorry, I was just going to say that it's, it's actually.
Speaker C:And it comes from both sides.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So if the manufacturers were at least including a second magazine, a brand new gun owner would not have to suddenly wonder if they need one or not.
Speaker C:It would be there and it would say Hey, I must need at least two magazines.
Speaker C:And now maybe there's a question for me to ask as to why, which is a good segue, right.
Speaker C:To kind of begin the conversation.
Speaker C:And then you also have the salesperson who is detrimental to the performance of their store.
Speaker C:Because if we all know, a lot of small gun shops have gone under recently.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And it's been.
Speaker C:It's been really rough out there.
Speaker C:And a lot of that could be, you know, possibly blamed on the fact that some of these salespeople are just selling the gun.
Speaker C:And then that's it.
Speaker C:When they have this great opportunity to say, you know, here's a holster for it, here's another magazine, or, you know, this is some of the other accessories that I like to have with my firearms.
Speaker C:Because gun stores don't make money off of selling guns.
Speaker C:Like.
Speaker C:Like those margins aren't how they pay their bills.
Speaker C:They make money off of accessories, ammunition, and all the other accoutrements.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:So there's an opportunity there for manufacturers to ensure that new gun owners have more of what they need without having to be told six months later when they've just had one magazine and no holster or whatever it is.
Speaker C:And at the same time, these gun stores could be doing much better for themselves and possibly avoid having to go under if their staff is better trained and to understand that, you know, what's actually important for the store to sell, rather than just putting someone behind the counter and just hoping they'll just do whatever a customer asks for, you know?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I guess this is.
Speaker B:I will encourage the manufacturers who may be listening to this to.
Speaker B:And you brought up a great point.
Speaker B:Encourage them to maybe make some video content not only for the person behind the counter, but also for the new gun owners of, hey, this is what you may want with your new gun.
Speaker B:This is what you need.
Speaker B:These are some of the.
Speaker B:The accessories and the things and.
Speaker B:And things to talk about.
Speaker B: guns, and this is way back in: Speaker B:You bought something, and then your first holster choice, because it's what was on the counter or behind the counter, was always Uncle Mike's, which.
Speaker B:Which I won't go into, but it is.
Speaker B:I did not know any better.
Speaker B:And as I educated myself and became more into it, and again, thanks to a lot of YouTube content and things like that, you learn, okay, well, this holster is not going to do what I want it to do or even there.
Speaker B:There's another brand, and I won't name it, that has the little safety where your finger needs to go to release the gun.
Speaker B:Again, those are the reason why they're banned.
Speaker B:But to the education part should not only fall on the person behind the gun counter or maybe even the trainer, but should also, I guess this is my experience, is also should fall on the manufacturers and the.
Speaker B:To not only put out content for new gun owners, but also to put out content and things and maybe even training modules and things to the gun store employees to get them more trained up, if that makes sense.
Speaker A:Well, I think that, you know, we are in an industry and in a community that not only requires personal responsibility, but demands it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So our mind often goes to, well, they should just know because they're taking personal responsibility for the firearm.
Speaker A:And yes, there is a degree in which they should know, but we also have to remember we all start somewhere and we have to have a plan for that education.
Speaker A:We have to have a plan to understand that if we want to grow the Second Amendment community, whether someone is going to your website or going up to a gun store counter or going to the range the first time just to talk to people who are involved because maybe they haven't had the opportunity to save up for a firearm yet, that we make it as accessible as possible and really start someone off on the right foot.
Speaker A:So this way they're not that shrinking violet when they go into their first class, but they have confidence and can carry themselves with confidence to learn something new so that they can protect themselves and their family.
Speaker A:And because most likely the people who are joining the Second Amendment community are not surrounded by people who are heavily involved in the second amendment community.
Speaker A:They are going to bring in a different set of people and continue to grow and allow the community as a whole to flourish.
Speaker A:But it's incumbent upon us to see the potential pitfalls and, and to fill as many of those as possible as an entirety, from manufacturers to gun stores to ranges and even as individuals.
Speaker B:Agreed.
Speaker A:Yeah, this is a very high soapbox.
Speaker B:I mean, listen, we just kept building.
Speaker B:You get me on this topic.
Speaker B:I get.
Speaker B:And I guess it's funny because I've caught myself lately, as somebody who has been doing this for a very, very, very, very long time, I've caught myself late lately.
Speaker B:Somebody asked me about a gun holster, options for a gun.
Speaker B:And he's like, I can't find any holsters.
Speaker B:And my first thought was, Google, search it.
Speaker B:And then I was like, you know what?
Speaker B:Probably doesn't know what to Google search.
Speaker B:Let me do it real quick.
Speaker B:Hey, here are the five companies that I found that have holster posters for this gun.
Speaker B:Here's where you can get.
Speaker B:Find them.
Speaker B:Instead of.
Speaker B:My first instinct was like, you're dumb.
Speaker B:You can Google search it.
Speaker B:No, it.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:And that, that really.
Speaker B:I guess that's part of the, Part of the being part of this community is somebody is reaching out to you with a question that in your mind is probably the dumbest question that you've ever heard.
Speaker B:Because it's.
Speaker B:It normally is.
Speaker B:But you.
Speaker B:You have to go about it in a different mindset and go in and go, okay, this is why.
Speaker B:And again, we had.
Speaker B:I had somebody argue with me about one magazine the other day, and I was like, well, this is the reason.
Speaker B:Instead of going on a rant for 20 minutes about why it's important to have a second magazine, here's my recommendation to you.
Speaker B:Go take a training class.
Speaker B:Because it clearly to me, you haven't taken the next step.
Speaker B:Go take a training class and that will teach you why that is important.
Speaker B:And then now you're taking a better step in the community and now you're educating them instead of ranting at them.
Speaker A:And I, like we just did for however many minutes I'm allowed to rant.
Speaker B:I get one.
Speaker B:One rant a year, an episode.
Speaker B:I haven't ranted like that in a long time.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:But it is, it is one of those things where as a community we've come at some point you become, I guess not jaded, but like the old mantra, like the.
Speaker B:And again, I, I bashed on the gun store employees, which I don't normally do.
Speaker B: ing, all you need, sonny is a: Speaker B:Or they would look at you and be.
Speaker B:And be rude and, and not welcoming.
Speaker B:And we've seen a kind of a shift that they're more welcoming, but again, it's that education standpoint.
Speaker B:And same thing as people who've been doing this for a long time.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:There are new people getting into this and they're trying to reach out and you're trying to build a community.
Speaker B:And by going in there, in with a nice positive mindset instead of coming back, like, you should know this.
Speaker B:This is gun 101.
Speaker B:Well, maybe they don't.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker C:Yeah, well, you know, I remember years ago, my wife walked into one of the big box stores, we'll just say, and went up to the counter and the employee literally said, well, the shoes are actually that way.
Speaker C:And, and so we've had a pretty big shift from that, luckily, you know.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Yeah, because that's obviously that stuck around because like she still brings it up, which I get, you know, but it is something that, you know, nowadays, like people are more welcoming and I think that's because even on the employee level of a gun shop, they're more informed than they used to be as well.
Speaker C:Just like, you know, the clientele, just like the customer base, everybody has access to more knowledge, everybody has more access to information regarding firearms.
Speaker C:And so even those people are, are actually better informed.
Speaker C:And so I think we're in a good place, but we just need to keep pushing a little bit in order to get everything in line where it's the most benefit it can be for a new gun owner or even for those of us who've been around for a while.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:So do you wanna.
Speaker A:We're at time, so do you want to go ahead and wrap it?
Speaker B:Yeah, we can go ahead and wrap.
Speaker B:Sorry, we went on a very long rant.
Speaker C:Oh, you're good.
Speaker C:You know, I was going to ask like if I could, because I meant to bring this up when it made sense in the conversation, but I don't think we got there, so.
Speaker C:But I did just recently get involved with a police training organization where we're trying our best to instill constitutional principle within law enforcement training.
Speaker C:And I just wanted to kind of throw something out there regarding that that I've learned here recently that might be applicable to the Second Amendment and law enforcement.
Speaker C:And one of the biggest concerns we have in this community because there's such a disparity between, you know, the knowledge that our police officers have regarding like what's legal, what's not, or what is considered breaking the law versus what we as citizens are aware of because of the fact that we actually look into these different rules and restrictions meticulously since they're placed upon us on a regular basis.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:And it's kind of called the Task Force 70 Foundation.
Speaker C:It's a really well put together non profit organization.
Speaker C:We don't take any money from NGOs or any government money at all because they don't like the part we're teaching regarding the Constitution.
Speaker C:But a big kind of profound lesson that I just recently learned here is that police right now, when it involves somebody's Second Amendment rights or having a gun, they approach the situation as is this gun legal right?
Speaker C:And that's the first thing that they ask when they find out somebody's carrying a firearm.
Speaker C:It doesn't matter if they're in a state like mine where there's constitutional carry.
Speaker C:It doesn't matter if they're in California or wherever they are.
Speaker C:Like, that's one of the first things they're taught.
Speaker C:There's a gun.
Speaker C:Is that legal?
Speaker C:And what needs to be happening and what our foundation is trying to promote is the more constitutionally based concept of reaching out and understanding, like what the citizens rights are and then saying, instead of, is this gun legal?
Speaker C:Okay, they have a gun.
Speaker C:Is it currently disturbing the domestic tranquility?
Speaker C:And if the answer is no, then the investigation's over.
Speaker C:Because it's a very straightforward thing.
Speaker C:We have a second amendment right to protect ourselves.
Speaker C:We have a second amendment right to carry firearms.
Speaker C:And unfortunately, a large amount of police out there in the country are literally taught to approach someone like myself carrying a gun as whether or not it's legal before anything else.
Speaker C:And so I just wanted to bring that up because it's something I learned here recently.
Speaker C:I've been working with some really great people trying to figure out ways to improve that situation.
Speaker C:And that's what we're doing as a foundation.
Speaker C:And I. I just think it's.
Speaker C:It's important work because, you know, the Constitution is what protects us in the sense of having access to these rights.
Speaker C:And it's something that needs to be studied and educated more when it comes to the people that are out there enforcing the laws which the Constitution basically governs, you know?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker B:I love that because I don't know if you've ever seen the episode.
Speaker B:There's an episode of.
Speaker B:I think it's live PD Cops.
Speaker B:It's one of the two.
Speaker B:It was hilarious.
Speaker B:The guy's like, he's got an illegal SBR machine gun.
Speaker B:It was an AR pistol.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:And I laughed.
Speaker B:I'm like, I know what that is.
Speaker B:Just looking at it, and you're calling it an illegal SBR machine gun.
Speaker B:But that is an AR pistol, my friend.
Speaker B:Is no, not a machine gun, nor is it an sbr.
Speaker B:So, yeah, and that's.
Speaker C:And that's the problem is the police officer's mind went directly to is this illegal?
Speaker C:Is this not something you're allowed to have versus just is this gun important with the context of what it is we're dealing with right now?
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And where can people find out information for that organization?
Speaker C:It's the Task Force 70 Foundation.
Speaker C:The website's tf70.org and it is relatively new.
Speaker C:We launched back in June.
Speaker C:We have some great partners like Bravo Company Manufacturing Blue Force Gear, some other great companies as well.
Speaker C:And we are just trying our best to get out there and help solve this problem that's not being solved by the government itself.
Speaker B:Awesome.
Speaker B:Well, while we're at it, where can.
Speaker C:People find do so on YouTube as Magic Prepper, you can find me on Instagram and X as well.
Speaker C:And of course, I do have a website, magicprepper.com and on there you can get all the other information you might need as well as a way to contact me and find my product, the MP field tool, which is something I launched earlier this summer and first thing I've ever made and sold.
Speaker C:So I'm excited about it, but it's new for me.
Speaker C:So here we are.
Speaker A:Well, congratulations on both of those.
Speaker A:Those projects that have started this year.
Speaker A: I mean,: Speaker A:It sounds like it has.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I will say that my trip to Goals was actually very eye opening.
Speaker C:It was an excellent event, very welcoming.
Speaker C:Everybody was like, extremely good at ensuring everybody had what they needed or was, you know, comfortable or whatever it was.
Speaker C:And I don't get to go to a lot of big conventions or anything along those lines.
Speaker C:And that was the first large one I got to go to, in all honesty.
Speaker C:And it really helped kind of reinforce that I needed to do more of that.
Speaker C:And it also reinforced that I wanted to get more involved where I could to try to improve things because it's clear that there's a need for it.
Speaker C:And hopefully I can do what little I can in the sense of offering some support.
Speaker C:Because I think it's important what GOA is doing.
Speaker C:And I think we know, especially as someone from California originally, that we need people protecting our 2A rights or else they're just not going to exist anymore.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Well, thank you for being on the podcast and thank you guys for watching this week's episode.
Speaker A:Be sure to, like, share and subscribe.
Speaker A: have not registered for Goals: Speaker A:I highly encourage you to get your tickets today, book that hotel room, you will not want to miss it, and we will see you next week.
