Episodes

4 hours ago
4 hours ago
CCW Safe President Kent Brown talks with Luke McCoy from USACarry.com about traveling with firearms.

Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Armed Defender's Dilemma Lesson 7: Don’t Shoot After the Threat Is Over
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Don West and Steve Moses join Shawn Vincent to talk about the "armed defender’s dilemma" regarding the "window of justification," specifically focusing on the danger of shooting after a threat has ended.

Monday Mar 30, 2026
Armed Defender's Dilemma Lesson 6: Don’t Shoot Before the Threat is Imminent
Monday Mar 30, 2026
Monday Mar 30, 2026
Don West and Steve Moses join Shawn Vincent to talk about the concept of the “window of justification” and to explore the legal perils for armed defenders who shoot before the threat of great bodily harm or death is imminent.

Monday Mar 02, 2026
Monday Mar 02, 2026
In self-defense law, it’s not enough that you feared an attacher—what ultimately matters is whether a jury will decide that your belief in imminent great bodily harm or death was objectively and subjectively reasonable under the totality of the circumstances..

Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Armed Defender's Dilemma Lesson 4: The Threat Must Be Imminent and Serious
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Criminal defense attorney Don West explains the core legal standard for the justifiable use of deadly force in self-defense, and firearms instructor Steve Moses provides a nuts-and-bolts tactical translation of the law to help inform armed defenders’ decision-making in a self-defense scenario.

Monday Jan 05, 2026
Armed Defender's Dilemma Lesson 3: Understand the Legal Consequences
Monday Jan 05, 2026
Monday Jan 05, 2026
Shawn Vincent talks with attorney Don West about the legal consequences of self-defense, including a discussion of the potential charges an armed defender could face in the wake of a self-defense shooting, and a candid exploration of the realities of enduring a criminal prosecution.

Monday Nov 24, 2025
Armed Defender's Dilemma Lesson 2: Get Training
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Steve Moses talks to Don West and Shawn Vincent about how proper self-defense training from qualified, credentialed instructors gives armed defenders the competence and confidence to make smart decisions in a dynamic self-defense scenario.

Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Lesson 1: The Goal of Self-Defense Is to Break Contact Breaking contact with an aggressor can mean using deadly force when justified, or simply walking away—with a range of actions in between, including verbal de-escalation techniques and less-lethal force options. By adopting a “break contact” self-defense mindset, armed defenders give themselves more tactical options while reducing the legal jeopardy resulting from a potential use-of-force event.

Thursday Aug 28, 2025
In Self-Defense Podcast 138: Defensive Display Done Right
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Thursday Aug 28, 2025

Firearms trainer Erick Gelhaus joins the podcast to talk about the tactical and legal benefits of a low-ready defensive display when a threat justifies the potential use of deadly force.

Tuesday Jul 15, 2025
Tuesday Jul 15, 2025

After more than 25 years in law enforcement, Doug Deaton became a consulting and testifying expert witness for defense attorneys and armed defenders in self-defense cases. True self-defense trials are relatively rare, and sometimes the prosecutor and judge – and especially the jury – aren't aware of all the nuances of self-defense law. That’s when having a good consulting expert like Doug Deaton can make the difference.

