Riding Shotgun With Charlie

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #068 Mark Shean  Instructor & Author   I got a message last summer from an FB friend in New Jersey, John Petrolino, who said he just finished editing a book of gun laws from an instructor in Massachusetts.  He sent me Mark Shean’s info and we had a nice quick conversation. I read Mark’s book before we set up the interview.    Mark started shooting at 7 with his siblings.  He joined the NRA Junior Rifle Team and has his photo in the book they published. But back then they didn’t use eye or ear protection. He’s had ringing ears since then.    He works for a nuclear power plant and the nuclear security officers couldn’t be trained by civilians. He took a week long class on patrol rifle and handgun with plans to be able to train with the police and nuclear security officers, who are considered part of Homeland Security. He also earned several other NRA instructor qualifications.    At 15, Mark’s son wanted to get his firearm identification card (FID), but they couldn’t find instruc

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #067 Michael Sondini Walk The Talk America   You never know what is going to happen or who you’re going to meet at the Gun Rights Policy Conference.  This year, Kerry Slone from We The Female (RSWC #55) approached me and said “You HAVE to have Michael Sodini from WTTA!”  An exchange of info and a few text messages and it’s a done deal.    Michael Sodini had family that worked in the gun industry for 3 generations as an importer.  He says he’s “the most un-gun gun guy” but really enjoyed the people in the industry. After getting a DUI, one of his colleagues thought that he would never be able to work in the firearm industry. Sadly, his friend took his own life thinking there was nothing else for him to do.    Michael eventually founded Walk The Talk America (WTTA).  WTTA focuses on the mental health issues and suicide prevention in the firearm community. It started over a conversation with a woman in New Orleans who asked about what happens when there’s a school shooting.  They agre

Riding Shotgun With Charlie#066 Tomasz Stepien   Tomasz Stepien answered the call when I was looking for passengers at Gun Rights Policy Conference in Phoenix. I was excited to have my first international passenger in the stagecoach. This was quite an education for me and I hope it is for you as well.    Tomasz learned gun safety in school!  Can you believe that?!?! He started shooting .22 LR when he was young, but took some time off for his career.  A few years ago, he made some changes with his career and got back into shooting. In Poland, where he’s from, if you’re going to have a firearm license, you have to use the firearm. So, if you’re getting a gun to hunt, you need to hunt.  If you’re going to have it for sport shooting, you have to sport shoot.    Firearms United, the fastest growing coalition in Europe, has been around and got more involved with fighting back after the Charlie Hebdo and The Baclavan terror attacks. Just like in the United States, after these attacks, the governments make some knee

John Richardson   No Lawyers Only Guns & Money blog Polite Society Podcast    If first met John Richardson & Andrew Gottlieb at Gun Rights Policy Conference 2016 in Tampa.  I was interviewed by John and the cast of hosts of the Polite Society Podcast. This year, while I was prepping the “stagecoach” for some post-GPRC interviews, Andrew was waiting for a ride to the airport.  I offered to take him and be a part of the show.    John’s first gun was a Ruger 10/22 for $50!!  After years of not being very much into firearms, John heard about the so called “assault weapon ban” and decided it was time to get one of those! He got a curio & relics license and then had a number of historic rifles, acquiring a number of Mosin Nagants from around the world.  John started blogging in May 2010. He saw a number of other bloggers at NRAAM and decided that he can write with his liberal arts degree.  So he started his blogging career. He wrote a blog after the McDonald case, Bateman Vs Purdue, which was in North C

RSWC #064 Kevin Dixie No Other Choice Firearms Training Aiming For The Truth Last year at GRPC in Chicago is where I met Kevin Dixie.  He asked right away when I was coming to St Louis to do a show with him. Not yet having to get out to St Louis, he asked me the exact same question in Phoenix when we saw each other at a DC Project event at Pot Of Gold Estate Auctions, owned by Cheryl & Danny Todd (RSWC #060).  We made the time on Saturday morning at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in September.   Kevin talks about this start in firearms is not what you would expect. He and a friend found a gun, figured out how to load it, and fired it. His first thought isn’t what you think it would be. He struggled with depression from 13-30 until he worked his way through the battle with it. After joining the St Louis Police Department, he started stalking the instructors for more information about how a firearm works and gained lots of education. Eventually, he grew by listening and learning then started teaching othe

Riding Shotgun With Charlie#063 Rob PincusInstructor, Author, Activist   When I started Riding Shotgun, I had no idea what it could turn in to or the journey it would be. I do remember thinking of the names in the firearm industry that I knew of, and Rob Pincus was one of the people I imagined having on the stagecoach. It’s a great honor to have him in the passenger seat.    During the past year or so, I posted some interviews with others and he commented that he wanted to be on the show. When I posted that I was going to be doing shows in Phoenix at GPRC, he messaged me and asked if I had a seat for him.  Of course I do!   We were fresh off GRPC, finishing just an hour before the interview. Rob says we share something similar.  I was Blogger of the Year at GRPC and I don’t have a ‘blog”. And he was NSSF Range of the Year and he didn’t have a range anymore.       Rob shares how he started shooting as a kid, buying his own guns at the age of 10. He gives us some history about Norwich University, the Military U

RSWC #062 Lara Smith National Spokesperson of the Liberal Gun Club I met Lara at GRPC in Chicago in 2018. When I was looking for interviewees this year, she jumped at the chance. Lara Smith grew up anti-gun. She grew up in a well educated, liberal household. But she makes sure that she isn’t labeled as a Democrat. She was nervous and scared about firearms. After being married to a former Marine who often told her she was wrong about the information she was using about firearms, he told her she needed to get educated on firearms. As a lawyer, it's hard to say you’re wrong. She had to break it to her husband about her new hobby. She joined a pro-gun organization, but didn’t quite fit in. So Lara searched for something that is more of her demographic. Googling things like “liberal gun owners”, “women gun owners”, and “unconventional gun owners”, she came across A Girl And A Gun. After talking with, Robyn Sandoval, one of the founders of AGAG and attending their conference, she fit right in! She went out and boug

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #061 Gina Roberts I’ve been running into Gina Roberts for the last few years. I’ve seen her at the Gun Rights Policy Conference, at Heller10, and at the DC Project events. She’s been asking for awhile when is she going to be able to get in the stagecoach for a show. And finally at GPRC in Phoenix, we were able to make it happen. Let’s get this out of the way. Gina is a transgender woman. And she’s now comfortable in her own dresses. She grew up as a man, had a family and raised kids. Seven and a half years ago, she decided that she needs to be herself. She says “I spent most of my life trying to pretend I was somebody I wasn’t” and now she’s her own woman. I think it’s great and I’m proud of and for her and to call her a friend. Gina travels for her work as a consultant for servicing machines she’s designed. She’s always on the go and jet setting across the country, which is one reason why it took some time to set up the interview. I never know where she’s going or when she’s going

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #060 Cheryl & Danny Todd AZ Firearms Gun Freedom Radio Pot of Gold Estate Auctions   This interview is one that I’d been waiting 3 years to conduct.   When I discovered the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) was going to be in Phoenix, I knew that I’d be getting Cheryl & Danny Todd to hop in the stagecoach! I’ve been following AZ Firearms, Gun Freedom Radio,  and Cheryl & Danny since before I knew them. I met them at GRPC in Tampa in 2016. When Cheryl watched a GunGram, she invited me to be on Gun Freedom Radio. Then at SHOT Show 2017, she took me around to introduce me to everyone.  It was a really cool trip!   At GRPC in Tampa, I got a photo of me and Cheryl on stage with Massad Ayoob speaking behind us.  Just when I went to snap the picture, Alan Gottlieb came up and gave me bunny ears. Since then, everytime Cheryl & I are together, we have to get a selfie with bunny ears.    As you’ll hear, Cheryl & Danny have had a long marriage together. They’ve been toge

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #059 Dianna Muller The DC Project Washington DC #DoingSomething #IWillNotComply   For a few years ago, a good friend said I needed to get Dianna Muller in the stagecoach. Our paths finally cross this past summer in Washington DC.  Dianna Muller is a very busy woman! She’s been a police officer for 22 years in Oklahoma before she felt that God was pulling her in a different and new direction, which is what she’s doing now.    Four years ago, she had the idea to get a woman from every state in America to go to DC to talk to legislators about gun rights from the female perspective. That’s how The DC Project was born.  She thought that she could get a competitive shooter from each state, but she got something better. Regular women with their own stories about how and why they own or carry firearms.    The DC Project members all converge on DC in July to in small teams to meet with various legislators from both sides of the isle. Some are pro gun and some are not. Over the years, the pr

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #058 Chris Dover CloverTac I was on CloverTac's podcast earlier this year. I was excited to hear he was coming to Gun Rights Policy Conference in Phoenix, AZ, on September 21 & 22. He was also at AMMcon on September 20. He is busing his green tail getting shows out in all platforms. Videos on YouTube and GunStreamer. Audio podcasts on all the podcast outlets. He's busting it! Anyway... this starts with him running in front of the stagecoach just after I finished filming a show. I told him to hop in and we were going to do an impromptu show. Its a quick one, but we have several laughs, regardless. Check out CloverTac at: Website: http://clovertac.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clovertac Instagram https://www.instagram.com/clovertac/ Help support his show at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/clovertac

This summer, I headed to DC to hang out and get some shows with women from the DC Project.  You’ll be seeing and hearing from of those shows.    I met Lori Blackwell at GPRC 2018 in Chicago. She’s a lawyer with became an avid shooter and instructor. Going to pick up Lori, Susan Hansen decided to also join us.  She’s a 3 gunning nana who created CrittEar, ear plugs for animals.    I drove the ladies from one hotel to another.  We have only a few driving fiascoes, which they said is normal while they’re in DC.     Lori talks about joining The Well Armed Woman and starting her own instructing business, FOMO Training.    They both share stories of how they got involved in shooting sports and instructing.  Susan tells us what inspired her to start CrittEar. And Lori helped her as well.  Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/b5h9QSSOLs0 RSWC Susan Hansen & Lori Blackwell CrittEar Website www.crittear.com   The Well Armed Woman https://thewellarmedwoman.com/   The Well Armed Woman Local Chapters https://twaws

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #056 Kelly Pidgeon ARMED and Feminine RSWC #056 Kelly Pidgeon on YouTube Imitation is the sincerest from of flattery. Don't believe me check out this video. Riding Shotgun WITHOUT Charlie   Kelly Pidgeon and Amanda Suffecool took it upon themselves to imitate Riding Shotgun With Charlie on a road trip from western Pennsylvania to Washington DC!  They even TRIED a GunGram.  I emphasis the word TRIED!   Kelly started ARMED and Feminine after being involved with her local emergency response team.  Her local police encouraged her to get her carry permit.  She ended up becoming an instructor and starting an instructing business. Then she started making videos to help her students so they were able to go back and revisit what she covers in her courses.  That became her YouTube Channel ARMED and Feminine, LLC.    She's been on NRATV, Eye On The Target Radio (with Amanda Suffecool) and several other programs and podcasts.  She's also part of the DC Project. The DC Project visits pol

Riding Shotgun With Charlie  #055 Kerry Slone   This was one of the most fun interviews to conduct!   Kerry Slone is from Washington state.  She’s a domestic violence survivor. She’s been an entrepreneur for years. And in the last year, she’s taken the 2A community by storm.    Kerry was in Washington DC to meet with Cheryl Todd,  from Gun Freedom Radio, to talk about women’s issues, firearms, and activism. I was able to catch her in Philadelphia on my way to meet up with some of the DC Project women.    We cover lots of topics! From her grandfather’s entrepreneur spirit, to starting her own business as a nail technician, starting a non-profit We The Female, a phone call from Amy Dillon while she was in DC, to the work she’s doing with Maj Toure.    Of course, we DID stop at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and we ran up the Rocky stairs after the show!   She has really been shaking up with firearm community with new eyes on what we’re doing and how we may be able to attract more females.  For sure, she’s not w

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #054 Shaky Dave Smith Parkinson's Shooter I got to have breakfast with one of the most humble people you could ever meet. Shaky Dave Smith.  He's had Parkinson's Disease for about 8 years.  He's gone from being a regular 'able bodied' person to completely disabled with the disease.  But he didn't let that stop him.  He discovered "gun therapy".   Shooting for Dave raises the dopamine levels that are lost when someone has Parkinson's. This is how he uses shooting as a means of dealing with his disease. I watched another interview with him.  When he holds a rifle, made by F-1 Firearms, his shaking stops.  Its pretty incredible.  I was able to talk with Dave and ask how he became knows as Parkinson's Shooter. He really takes it to heart.  As a matter of fact, he spent the last week in Sweden competing at the Rifle World Shoot.  He was speaking at the DC Project in Washington when I caught up with him. I only spent a couple days with the ladies, but he spent the whole week wit

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #053 Chris Doherty Chris was modeling tactical kilt at the Gun Owners Action League’s Concealed Carry Fashion Show. Not quite something you see everyday in the firearm world. I was emceeing the show and he was one of the models. He did the first fashion show and was automatically (maybe fully semi automatically) signed up for the tactical kilt for the second year. He’s an instructor at Mass Firearms School http://www.massfirearmsschool.com/ in Holliston, MA. His wife had her firearm license and it was about to expire, so she suggested they go shooting. They took a Learn To Shoot course at MFS, which turned into a License To Carry course. And his wife realized that this was going to be an expensive hobby. Chris took all the courses MFS had to offer, then he pursued becoming an instructor with the NRA, the MA State Police, the Utah BCI, and SABRE Pepper Spray. He’s currently teaching a number of the courses at MFS. Join in the stagecoach while we talk about getting into firearms, get

Riding Shotgun With Charlie#052 Tatiana WhitlockThe Tactical Pixie I’ve been following Tatiana Whitlock on social media for sometime before I reached out to have her as a passenger. When I messaged her and asked her to hop in the stagecoach, she gave me an excited YES! When she was young she treasured the time bird hunting with her family. She only handled a shotgun when she took an NRA Women On Target course and learned about pistols and rifles.  Tatiana has only been in the firearm world for about 8 years. She went to college for design but when she started to get into firearms and training, she went all in!  Her attitude is that she has these tools for defensive reasons to protect her family. She’s been on TriggerTime TV. She’s the lead instructor at A Girl And A Gun. She’s co-host on Civilian Carry Radio.  We met at Fort Williams Park in Portland, Maine. Got selfie in front of the lighthouse then headed out for the show. The conversation went really well.  It was a bit of a rainy day. The dash cam didn’t

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #051 Jared Yanis Guns & Gadgets I met Jared in November 2017. I just came back from the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Dallas. I heard about the 2A Capital Rallys. Every state was putting on a rally at the state house in every state capital. I reached out, asking to speak, and I heard back from Jared Yanis. He was the man that was organizing everything. He’s started a YouTube channel reviewing guns and gadgets, hence the name, then the format turned. Guns & Gadgets is now “YOUR Source for 2A News!!”. He covers lots of laws that are coming down the pike from ERPO laws to magazine capacity bans to everything in between. Jared has been doing the channel on YouTube for several years. He’s got all the social media outlets and stays on top of them like you wouldn’t believe. He, too, didn’t start out wanting to be a “YouTuber”, but its been going well for his channel with over 95,000 subscribers. You, too, should follow the link below and subscribe to it. Jared and I head to the

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #050 Mary Schuster-Callison DC Project, TIME cover, & Goats! I picked Mary Shuster-Callison up on West Randolph in Chicago. I had a parking spot and she was going to take it and we were going to take my rental car. As I'm waiting, I see a woman wave to me and slow down. The car behind her honked and she yelled at the driver. I knew that was going to be fun! Mary started as an activist after Newtown and the One Million Moms for Gun Control. She started 1 Million Moms Against Gun Control. Now I understand why she was yelling at the other driver! Hehe! She was going along with 1MMACG then she had the unthinkable happened to her sister. She was stabbed, beaten, sexually assaulted. That’s when Mary really doubled down and activism. She got involved with the DC Project as a side person with the likes of Rhonda Ezell (RSWC #037). Mary took her sister’s story to DC to let Congress know that not all gun owners are middle aged, overweight white guys like me. Mary also shares a bunch of

RSWC #049 David “Rosey” Rosenthal Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners   I got to meet David “Rosey” Rosenthal at the NJSAFECON back in 2017.  I was a speaker on a panel with Tony Simon, Anthony Colandro, & Maj Toure. After the conference, I went for dinner with Tony and some others.  One of the people I got to meet was Rosey.   I’d heard him a number of times on Gun For Hire Radio Podcast a number of times. It was a lot of fun talking with him and everyone else. I knew then that I needed to interview him on the stagecoach.   I met Rosey at Harold’s New York Deli in Edison, NJ. We had a HUGE roast beef sandwich. (You’ll see it in the show)  After lunch, we headed out in the stagecoach.   Rosey shared stories about buying a brick of .22 ammo for $3.99 (plus tax) and achieving Distinguished Expert in Muzzleloader when he was young. We talk about the start of the CNJFO (Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners) and the fundraising events they host.  We also talk about how we got our children into shooting an