Barry Mills - USCCA Training Counselor

09/25/2026

The 2026 version of William English’s National Fi****ms Survey is out and just like the 2021 version, it has some interesting implications for the armed citizen.

• 32.7% of U.S. adults (at a minimum) own guns.
• 14.4% of those gun owners say they often carry a defensive fi***rm.
• Guns are used defensively by fi****ms owners in approximately 2.2 million incidents per year.
• The 2026 survey showed that no shots were fired in 76.3% of those encounters versus 81.9% of the time in the 2021 survey.
• 50.8% of gun owners surveyed encountered more than one assailant, 32.9% had two and 17.9% had three or more.

Let’s unpack what this means for everyone who practices armed self defense.

That 32.7 percent of the adult population number translates into 88 million gun owners, of which 45.7% — 40 million — are female. Companies like SIG SAUER and organizations like Armed Women of America are doing a great job integrating those female gun owners into the larger fi****ms market, but with women making up almost half the gun-owning population these days, there’s obviously a need for more.

Again, 14.4 percent of gun owners say they carry a fi***rm with them on a regular basis. Whether that means “I’ll toss a pistol in the center console of my truck” versus actually taking the time to find a holster that works for them and have it on their person isn’t clear, but at least some effort is being made to carry a gun with them in case they might need it.

That 14.4 percent, however, means that at any given moment, there are almost 13 million people out there carrying a legal defensive fi***rm with them, a figure which absolutely swamps the estimated 750,000 law enforcement officers in the U.S.

A well-regulated militia, indeed.

That brings us to the next statistic…2.2 million defensive gun uses every year, the great majority of which (70.6 percent, or 1.55 million incidents) are not reported to the police. In those encounters, over three quarters of the time, (76.3 percent), no shots were needed to resolve the encounter in the favor of the armed citizen.

Let’s pause for a moment to consider that last statistic in more depth. The only way you get to be a part of that successful outcome group is if you have a fi***rm nearby when you need it. No gun, and you become the victim of a violent crime rather than someone who’s able to stand up to a predator. This, in turn, elevates the need to have a gun on you, not near you, which in turn increases the need to find a good holster and a belt or some other safe method to carry a gun.

It also implies that the fi***rm you carry is enough to give your opponent a good reason to leave you alone, just by seeing what’s in your hand. A two-shot .22LR derringer is definitely easy to carry, but I’m not sure it would cause a bad guy to question his choice of intended victim like a compact 9mm or .38 snubby would.

Speaking of which, slightly over 50 percent of attacks were carried out by one person, with almost 18 percent having three or more. Maybe that snub-nosed .38 should be left at home in favor of something that’s about the same size, like a micro-compact 9mm semi-automatic.

There are a lot of myths and legends surrounding defensive fi****ms use, so when something like English’s recent survey drops, we should study it closely, learn from it, and use it to guide our gear choices rather than relying on rampant online folklore and comment section bloviating.

– Kevin Creighton, Shooting News Weekly

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09/17/2026

While our NH Senators got D's, our two Congress members earned themselves F's on protecting our Second Amendment rights, guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. If they can't protect our basic civil rights, what else will they give away for money?

We can do better...

NSSF graded each Senator and House Member on a combination of key votes, leadership on industry-related issues, public statements and other related criteria.

09/14/2026

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/fi****ms-training/instructors/new-hampshire-instructors/barry-mills-uscca-training-counselor-497829/class-pelham-nh-womens-instructional-shooting-clinic-559d1/

HER RANGE. HER CHOICE. - A PEARLS Shooting Sports Experience taught by New England Fi****ms Safety Training at 96 Simpson Mill Rd Pelham, NH on Sat, Oct. 31, 2026, 8:30 AM

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

Ladies Only
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573306306120

Pelham PEARLS is a community for women centered on safety, education, encouragement, responsible ownership, and lifelong skill growth.

PFG is more than a range, it’s a welcoming home for families, friends and neighbors to come together.

08/26/2026

How to Tell You’re in a Fi****ms Training “Diploma Mill”

AND WHY TO AVOID!!!

Not every fi****ms training class that awards a certificate provides meaningful training. For people seeking a basic fi****ms safety, handling, or qualification certificate, the important question is not simply whether the instructor can issue a certificate. It is whether the instructor has the experience, knowledge, teaching ability, and time necessary to provide competent instruction and evaluate each student.

Some programs can begin to resemble a “diploma mill” when the emphasis is on putting large numbers of students through a class and issuing certificates rather than providing meaningful education.

Look Beyond the Instructor’s Single Certification

One of the first things to examine is the instructor's background.

An instructor may hold a legitimate certification, but one certificate obtained at one point in time does not, by itself, establish the instructor's overall experience or current competence.

Consider when the certification was obtained. An instructor who received a certification very recently may have current credentials but little experience actually teaching fi****ms students. On the other hand, a certification earned many years ago may demonstrate experience, but it is reasonable to ask what the instructor has done since then to maintain and improve their knowledge.

Look for evidence of continuing education, additional training, relevant experience, regular teaching, and professional development. Fi****ms education should not be treated as something an instructor learned once and never revisited.

The question is not simply, “Are you certified?”

A better question is: “What experience and continuing education do you have that qualifies you to teach this class today?”

Overcrowded Classes Are a Warning Sign

Large classes may be profitable, but they can create serious problems for basic fi****ms instruction.

An instructor has to do more than stand in front of a room and deliver information. Students may have different levels of experience, different questions, and different areas where they need correction or additional explanation.

When a class becomes too large, there may be no meaningful way for the instructor to evaluate every student individually.

The instructor may not be able to determine whether each student understands the material, is performing required tasks correctly, or has developed unsafe habits that need immediate correction.

This is particularly concerning when the class provides a certificate intended to demonstrate that the student has successfully completed fi****ms training. If the instructor has not had enough opportunity to observe and evaluate the student, what exactly does the certificate establish?

Too Many Hands, Too Few Eyes

Overcrowding also creates a separate safety concern.

Basic fi****ms training can involve students handling fi****ms and participating in practical exercises. Effective supervision requires instructors to maintain awareness of what students are doing—not merely assume that everyone is following instructions.

When there are too many students and too few qualified instructors, there can be too many hands and too few eyes watching.

Even an excellent instructor cannot simultaneously observe every student. If something unexpected happens, a crowded class can make it harder to identify and correct a problem immediately.

A responsible training provider should consider class size and instructor-to-student ratios as part of its safety system, not simply as a business decision.

Does the Certificate Represent Competence?

A legitimate certificate should have meaning.

Students should know what they are expected to learn, what standards they must meet, and how the instructor determines whether those standards have been met.

Be cautious when:

virtually everyone passes regardless of performance;
there is little or no individual evaluation;
the assessment consists primarily of attendance;
students receive certificates without demonstrating understanding of the material;
the instructor cannot explain the standards used to determine competency; or
the organization appears more concerned with issuing certificates than with correcting deficiencies.

A certificate should not merely say, “This person was here.”

It should provide reasonable assurance that the student actually completed the required training and met the applicable standards.

Beware of the “Fast Certificate”

Another warning sign is excessive emphasis on speed and convenience.

A short basic fi****ms course can certainly be appropriate when its scope is clearly defined. The problem arises when an organization suggests that a few hours automatically make someone highly knowledgeable or competent without meaningful instruction and evaluation.

Ask what the course actually covers, how students are evaluated, how much individual attention is provided, and what the certificate represents.

If the answer is essentially “Attend the class, pass a simple test, and receive your certificate,” the quality of the underlying education deserves closer examination.

Credentials and Claims Should Be Verifiable

Be skeptical of impressive-sounding titles and claims that cannot be independently verified.

A reputable instructor should be able to clearly identify the organization or organizations that provided their credentials and explain the scope of those credentials. Likewise, a training provider should be honest about what its certificate does—and does not—qualify the student to do.

A basic fi****ms training certificate is not automatically evidence of advanced expertise, professional qualification, or universal recognition.

The Bottom Line

The best basic fi****ms training is not necessarily the class with the most impressive certificate or the largest number of students.

Look for an instructor who has relevant experience, current knowledge, continuing education, sound teaching practices, reasonable class sizes, adequate supervision, and a meaningful method of evaluating students.

If an instructor has one old or newly acquired certification, little demonstrated continuing education, minimal teaching experience, overcrowded classes, and no realistic way to individually evaluate students, the certificate may tell you very little about the quality of the training.

Ultimately, the warning sign is a program where the certificate appears to be the product and the training is merely the process used to sell it.

In fi****ms education, that distinction matters. A piece of paper is easy to issue. Meaningful competence requires qualified instruction, adequate supervision, individual evaluation, and a commitment to continuing education.

08/21/2026

GOT YOU LTC? WHAT'S NEXT?

Handgun Marksmanship Simplified Lesson 101 taught by New England Fi****ms Safety Training at 343 S Broadway, Rte 28 Salem, NH on Sat, Sep. 12, 2026, 1:00 PM

08/21/2026

HER RANGE. HER CHOICE.
A PEARLS Shooting Sports Experience
Explore • Experience • Enjoy

On Saturday, October 31st, women of all experience levels are invited to Pelham Fish & Game Club for a full day designed around learning, exploring, trying something new, and having fun in a welcoming women-focused environment.

Never fired a gun before? Perfect.

Already have experience and want to try something different? We have plenty waiting for you.

The day begins with fi***rm safety and the NRA Women on Target instructional program before moving to the ranges, where participants will have opportunities to experience a wide variety of shooting sports.

You'll be supported throughout the day by a large team of experienced Certified Instructors and Range Safety Officers.

Expect much more than simply standing at a firing line. We're creating opportunities to explore different fi****ms, different shooting disciplines, new equipment and additional paths within the shooting sports community.

And we're taking care of the details, too:
Continental breakfast • Lunch • Snacks • Beverages • Equipment • Am******on • Goody Bags — all included.

Saturday, October 31, 2026 | 8:30 AM–3:30 PM
Pelham Fish & Game Club
96 Simpson Mill Road, Pelham, NH

Come by yourself. Come with a friend. Come curious.

You don't need to already be a shooter.
That's what the day is for.

Connecting Women. Creating Opportunities and Paths Forward.

HER RANGE. HER CHOICE. - A PEARLS Shooting Sports Experience taught by New England Fi****ms Safety Training at 90 Simpson Mill Rd Pelham, NH on Sat, Oct. 31, 2026, 8:30 AM

08/15/2026

Details Coming.....

A Women's Only Shooting Experience.