Riding Shotgun With Charlie

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #048 Lauren Hartnett Girl's Got A Gun DC Project Thanks to Holly Sullivan, RSWC #036, for asking me to attend the CCDL Banquet in February. That's when and where I met Lauren. She wanted to make sure that I sat at the same table with Lauren. Holly told me that Lauren was in from NYC and sitting at a table by the back of the room. I went to a couple tables, getting out of my comfort zone asking strangers if they were Lauren. But I finally got the correct table. In April, I had some vacation time coming and I messaged Lauren. She was at A Girl And A Gun Conference when I messaged her, but she said she would be in for a ride in the stagecoach. I made a plan and headed to Staten Island. Lauren learned about gun safety from her aunt in upstate New York. Professionally, she's an EMS in NYC. She's out at night, seeing all the things that happen in the biggest city at night. And she wasn't, and isn't, able to carry a firearm for self defense. The training required for a carry permit in NYC

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #047 Steve Merrette Florida Carry   Its the 5th Tuesday of the month and I'm putting out an extra RSWC episode!   RSWC #047 Steve Merrette https://youtu.be/ib06CNc7j1w   You never know when you'll find a new friend or a new guest. When I attended the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Tampa in 2016, I had no idea what kind of ride I was about to go on. At this event, I met many of my firearms 'idols', all the cool "rock stars" of the gun community.  This trip I got to meet so many great people. Steve Merrette was one of them.  He & his wife sat behind me for the conference.  We became friend on Facebook and started following each other.  Steve was one of the people that I wanted to hand out with and get to know better on the Florida Carry trip in February 2019.  Of course, he wanted to come Riding Shotgun! He spends time covering his military experience and handling firearms. He got out of it while his kids were young.  He does have a DUI in his past in New York state, which

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #046 Gianni Russo The Hollywood Godfather!   RSWC #046 Gianni Russo https://youtu.be/4-YzugXV96w   But did you ask? This is going thru my mind. I couldn't let this chance go by. I asked my son if I should give Gianni Russo a business card and ask if I could drive him around. I put a card in my pocket before we went up to the table.  My son and I went to hear Gianni Russo speak in western Massachusetts. Mr Russo is known as the Hollywood Godfather. He played Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather. We were in line waiting to have him autograph his new biography and get a photo with him.  I over heard him say that he was doing a signing the next day at a Barnes & Noble. I figured I could get everything ready and film an interview the next day.  He said "Yes! I should be free from 4 to 7:30 tomorrow." Gianni Russo has one of the most interesting stories.  He used to deliver messages for Frank Costello, an old mafia member. He washed Marilyn Monroe's hair.  He learned to act from Marlo

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #045 Massad Ayoob The Man, The Myth, The Legend! What can I say? He’s been the self defense go to guru since the 1970’s. He’s been influential on instructors, police officer, and authors since he started. He started the Lethal Force Institute in New Hampshire. LFI turned into Massad Ayoob Group and the MAG 20 and MAG 40 courses. Mas has author two dozen books in guns, the effects and aftermath of dealing with a lethal encounter. The Gun Rights Policy Conference in Tampa 2016 is when I first met Mas. I asked him to sign my copy of In The Gravest Extreme. I also mentioned Riding Shotgun With Charlie and I’d love to have him as a passenger. Alan Gottlieb was behind him and he say “Mas, you’ve GOT to to Riding Shotgun With Charlie!”. Mas said “OK, when do we do this?”. I said “Well, I don’t have a car, but if you give me your contact I’ll see what I can set up.”. I was shocked it was “that easy” to ask. I went to New Hampshire in the summer of 2018 to hear Mas speak about suicide preve

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Ep #044 Open Carry, Fishing, & YouTubing Michael Taylor & Steven Keith Jenkins   RSWC #044 with Soloyaker & Jenkins https://youtu.be/hjB9ZNTY_Z8 You've seen both of these men from Florida, but you're learning their names now.  Michael Taylor is knows as #Soloyaker on YouTube. He's a fisherman who makes videos of his fishing adventures. Until he was arresting for open carrying while fishing. Its totally legal to open carry in Florida while fishing, camping, or hunting, and on the way to and from each of these activities.  Here's Michael's YouTube page.  Soloyaker YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/soloyaker Steven Keith Jenkins is a just a regular guy who into shooting and fishing. He was with Michael when this incident happened.  Both men were open carrying while fishing in Miami on a dock. They were both arrested and currently there is a case going on about it. They're both members of Florida Carry. This propelled both of them into the fight for the Right

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #043 Kevin Sona (& KJ Sona) Open Carry, Camping & Alligators Kevin organized a number of events for Florida Carry. We filmed this after a camping event in Dunnellon, FL, where there were a number of speakers and campers. We met in Tampa at GRPC in 2016. Kevin kept in touch and we struck up a friendship and mutual admiration club. He says he's camera shy and doesn't want to be out front, but he's a great organizer! And we need people like him to make things happen! He's started the America Under Distress Facebook page after he was booted for using his 1st Amendment on some other Facebook pages. Its been successful gaining almost 700 members. This has given him the chance to reach more people and get the freedom message out to more people. His newest venture is City Tavern Talk. They've got a YouTube channel and Facebook page. You should check them out and subscribe to it. We drive to see come alligators, switch seats, and have a lot of laughs. His son, Kevin Jr (KJ in my boo

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #042 Rob Morse I met Rob Morse at the GRPC in Tampa in 2016. I was asked to be on the Polite Society Podcast, where Rob is a co-host. He also does the Self Defense Gun Stories and he writes for Slow Facts as well. His Slow Facts blogs are often posted on other websites like AmmoLand, as well. And he's a reoccurring guest on Bill Frady's Lock N Load Radio. At the GRPC in Chicago this past September, Rob earned the Ray Carter Blogger of the Year award. Besides being a writer and a podcaster, in his 'regular life' he's an design engineer and analyst during the day, and a civil rights activist after hours. He's a very smart man and before he speaks you can see his brain working before the words come out. That keeps him very articulate and on point. I was hoping to get to interview Rob in Chicago, but it worked out in Florida instead. He's one of the great guys that I'm glad to call a friend. He's there with good solid idea, as much as they may be uncomfortable. Rob was coming to the Fl

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #041  Tony Simon The Largest Pound for Pound Firearms Instructor in America I recently spent a day driving to upstate New York for the RSWC with Dan Was (#040), then I headed down to Edison, NJ, to interview "the largest pound for pound firearms instructor in America"....TONY SIMON!! He is one of the busiest instructors in the country!  He's started with Simon Says Train.  Then he started The Diversity Shoot, The Second is for Everyone, The Minuteman Challenge.  He's co-host of the 2A4E podcast, a regular on Self Defense Gun Stories and many other podcasts.  This is a longer episode than usual.  Tony has so much going on and there's so much to talk about with him.  We cover his move from Virginia to New Jersey, getting into training with some friends who became instructors, and how he started the Diversity Shoot, The Minuteman Challenge, 2A4E and everything else that he does.  Please check out the episode on YouTube.   Here's links to many things Tony is involved in.  Simon

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #040 Dan Wos   Author, Advocate, & Ace Frehley   This episode of RSWC is with author & speaker Dan Wos. Dan grew up around firearms but left them when he was a touring musician being Ace Frehley is a KISS tribute band. After an incident leaving a late nite movie, Dan decided it was time to get back into being a gun owner.     He was writing about gun rights when an article was picked up by a number of websites and pushed him into the world of writing about guns.  Jan Morgan loved the article and she wrote the preface to both of his books. He’s spoken around the country talking about how the anti gun activists use the language to twist the meanings to get the non-gun folks on their side.   Please check out this episode as we drive around Saratoga Springs, NY, and talk about writing his books and how we interact with new gun owners.   You can buy Dan’s books, Good Gun, Bad Guy and Good Gun, Bad Guy 2   On amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dan-Wos/e/B00J7NGXR0   Good Gun Bad Guy Y

Riding Shotgun With Charlie Ep #039 Leyla Pirnie Roommates, rights, and revolvers Leyla Pirnie was put into the news in December 2018. She's a college student who lives near Boston. Her roommates saw her MAGA hat and knowing she was from the south, the decided she was probably a gun owner. They looked thru her closet, under her bed and in her dresser. After they found a locked case and tried to break into it, they had a roommate meeting and they decided she needed to lock everything up and take the firing pin out of the gun. Check out the whole interview and see what happened. Thanks to the gents at Cape Gun Works in Hyannis, MA. They hosted a "Shoot with Leyla Pirnie" event and that's when I was able to get her in the "stagecoach". www.capegunworks.com I mentioned the I'm With ROSCOE. Here's a link to that. www.imwithroscoe.com Baby Its Cold Outside GunGram https://youtu.be/8U0YCFv3K_E Here's a link to the Go Fund Me. I've got people all around the country that would love to get on the stagecoach, but I need

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #038 Greg Hopkins Author, Lawyer, & Christian Greg Hopkins was the first person I met at Gun Rights Policy Conference in Tampa in 2106.  He gave him his book A Time to Kill: The Myth of Christian Pacifism and I gave him an RSWC t-shirt.  He did get the short end of the deal! We got together for this interview in Chicago at GPRC 2018.  Greg is full of information about what the Bible says about self defense and owning weapons and even defending the innocent and our neighbors.  I'd say that the interview was like going to school, but it was more like going to church! You'll learn a lot about self defense and how Christians should view owning a firearm or other self defense tools. You can buy Greg's book on amazon with this link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOJI38K/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Greg's Website Alabama Legal Defense https://www.alabamalegaldefense.com/sales Greg on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bibleselfdefense/

Riding Shotgun With Charlie RSWC #037   Rhonda Ezell Chicago Guns Matter DC Project   Chicago Guns Matter, Distinguished Service, & Boom   All the planets lined up in Chicago!  I spoke at the Gun Rights Policy Conference, made many new friends and passengers, and got to interview Rhonda Ezell in her hometown!   She made the news suing the city of Chicago after the MacDonald SCOTUS ruling. She wanted to be the first one to get a concealed carry permit in Illinois! But the state had other plans in the works.  They made it difficult for Rhonda and other Chicago residents to be able to comply with the new laws by not allowing a shooting range within city limits.   She and her team of lawyers from the Second Amendment Foundation were victorious in defeating Chicago and their unclear, anti-gun laws. So, they’re currently pursuing it again!   In the process, Chicago Guns Matter was also born. And Rhonda was also asked to participate with the DC Project, with others like Cheryl Todd, and RSWC passengers Amanda Su

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #036 Holly Sullivan TIME magazine cover, CCDL, & Animaniacs Join Holly & I as we drive through Hartford, Connecticut, talking about her on the cover of TIME magazine, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, as well as sing a song from the Animaniacs, the DC Project, and what method works well for her to carry concealed.  Connecticut Citizens Defense League ccdl.us The DC Project https://www.pro3gunner.com/dcp/

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #035 Andee Reardon East Coast School of Safety Andee and I drive around York County Maine, talking gun safety for kids, taking women camping and shooting with RSWC Passenger Jeff Zimba Ep #014, and we have to make a few U-turns as well! https://www.eastcoastschoolofsafety.com/ www.facebook.com/AndeeSOS/ Find her on Facebook on both East Coast School of Safety-Andee Reardon and Andee Reardon-East Coast School of Safety She also help with THRIVE New England https://www.thrivenewengland.org/ I met Andee at the York Country Fish & Game Association http://ycfga.org/

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #034 Jon Green Director of Education, Gun Owners Action League Here''s a bonus episode of Riding Shotgun With Charlie. Jon is a great friend and my gun guru. I had the idea for my show with getting to hang out with Jon & do some talking. Jon & I have an afternoon drive and just talk about hunting, some teaching stories of things that were maybe a little unusual. And as always, we have lots of laughs. I'm impressed that he remembered that I said "We don't raise kids to be good kids, we raise them to be good adults" Jon is the Director of Education at Gun Owners Action League http://goal.org You contact Jon at jon@goal.org. I have a Go Fund Me account. If you enjoy the show, please consider donating at https://www.gofundme.com/manage/rswc-travel-funds Check out the Self Defense Radio Network Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/selfdefenseradio/

RSWC #033 Derek LeBlanc Kids S.A.F.E., GPRC, & Rob Pincus Fanboying Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation Derek LeBlanc and I were roommates in Chicago for the Gun Rights Policy Conference 2018. It was incredible weekend for both of us! Derek connected with many people in the gun community. But when he met Rob Pincus, he turned into a big fan boy! While we were videotaping my interview, Derek was also doing a Facebook live on Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation Facebook page. And Rob Pincus tunes in. You can find Derek at the following places. Website: kidssafefoundation.org Instagram: @KidsSAFEFpundation Facebook: facebook.com/KidsSAFEFoundation/ Please subscribe to the Riding Shotgun With Charlie YouTube page and podcast! Share this video with all of your friends. And you can support the show by donating at the Go Fund Me page. Let’s get the stagecoach across America! https://www.gofundme.com/rswc-travel-funds

Rick Ector. Legally Armed In Detroit.  Detroit CCW.   This interview has been 2 years in the making. I met Rick Ector in Tampa at Gun Rights Policy Conference in 2016.  He couldn't stop laughing when I told him about GunGrams and Riding Shotgun With Charlie.  And he said he'd love to be a passenger.    In February 2017, I had plans to interview Rick in Detroit after the concealed carry fashion in show in Cleveland with Rob & Amanda from Eye On The Target Radio. But Rick wasn't able to make it.     We've had a lot of back and forth about when we were going to be able to do this and did the other person really want to do the interview.   We didn't make it happen in Detroit February 2017.  Then we were going to again in Dallas September 2017.  But it didn't happen again.    FINALLY!!!!  In Chicago September 2018, we got in the car for an interview!   Rick was robbed at gun point by 2 individuals on his own property!  He has since became a licensed gun owner, then firearm instructor, then firearm training cou

Tammy Mihm has a unique side hustle:  She makes jewelry from spent brass cases. She started making jewelry from her first .45 brass case.  She turned it into a necklace charm.  Then another and another.  She eventually started Shots Fired Jewelry. 

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #030 Jon Green Director of Education, Gun Owners Action League Jon is a great friend and my gun guru. I had the idea for my show with getting to hang out with Jon & do some talking. We take some time to grab a Dunkin Donuts, and talk about how Jon went for mechanics to firearm sales, how he got his job with GOAL, and how he almost didn't get certified as an instructor. Jon is the Director of Education at Gun Owners Action League http://goal.org You contact Jon at jon@goal.org. I have a Go Fund Me account. If you enjoy the show, please consider donating at https://www.gofundme.com/manage/rswc-travel-funds Check out the Self Defense Radio Network Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/selfdefenseradio/

On this episode of Riding Shotgun With Charlie, my passenger is former Marine, former police officer, former executive protection, firearm instructor at Tactical Edge Institute, Bob Steadman.   Bob has done a little bit of everything.  He's went into the Marines, worked as campus security while in college, worked as a police officer, executive protection for some big name actors and musicians, then started his own business Tactical Edge Institute.    His home in now in Virginia, but he's lived and worked in California and Texas.  Bob shares his stories, which he's been telling since we became friend on Facebook.  He's pulled over Sylvester Stallone's (empty) limo, walked James Garner around, and had to wake up Dizzy Gillespie.   Bob and I took a drive around Herndon, VA, his newest hometown and have a good conversation about a lot of his good stories. He does steer me by a secret CIA building that everyone seems to know about.  Please check out the video and podcast with Bob.     Tactical Edge Institute on