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It's a wrap - 2012 has just flown by, and SHWAT.com is now a year old!  In that year you've seen SHWAT launch from obscurity and - many thanks to you - grow dramatically.  We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have.  We've been privileged to bring you stories from top names in the industry like Bill Wilson, Founder of the legendary Wilson Combat, Fred Mastison, tactical trainer and founder of Force Options USA, NRA Field Editor Brian McCombie and others. We've reviewed guns and gear, shared stories of hunting, given practical advice and tips on tactical hog hunting, done night vision videos, run silencers and so much more.  

To wrap up the year, we've picked a handful of stories we think you'll be excited to read and put them together here.  Check them out, you'll be glad you did!

As a tactical hog hunter, I am a bit predisposed to improving my shooting skills.  Imagine my excitement when I was recently invited to attend a Defensive Carbine Class by Bushido Tactical owner Wade Rorich.  Wade has a background in the South African military and police forces and experience in maritime security as a private contractor protecting cargo ships from pirates.  He has also worked with some of our own great nation’s most elite warriors to help them be even more effective.

This was an intense class. In this case, it is a three-day class crammed into two days. As suggested by Bushido, I brought two rifles with me for the class. In my case I wanted to try out two completely different rifle setups.  One was an Accurate Armory LE Light with plenty of custom touches, the other a bone stock Daniel Defense M4V1 equipped with standard iron sights.  When you get done with this article, you'll know how they performed, pros and cons the the two set ups, and why you'd probably love taking this class.  I've included a short video as well.

For many the idea of having a tactical mindset for hunting seems a bit of a stretch. For those who work in the warrior realm though, hunting can be as much about training as it is a recreational event.  The tactical points we focus on are pretty clear cut when hunting.  Be it hogs of the four leg or two leg variety.

Let's look at 4 key components to developing the tactical hunting mindset in this article.  We'll start with situational awareness.  Do you want to find hogs? Do you stalk them, or stage an ambush?  Another key is commitment and follow through.  Who knows how many hogs have been lost that shouldn't have been where this principle wasn't correctly applied. Clarity in the moment, or what the Japanese call Mushin, is critical.  There's more going on here than some people realize.  We'll address that.  Finally, we'll look at hunting as training.  These keys can be game changes for tactical training and tactical hog hunting.  Read more to learn more.

Night vision. It may be the holy grail of tactical hog hunting. Ask anyone who has used it extensively though, and they'll tell you there's more to it than meets the eye. Tactical Night Vision Company (TNVC) and Wild River Ranch (WRR) recently teamed up to offer a civilian tactical night vision class culminating in a full on tactical hog hunt. Put this one on your bucket list.

Once restricted to military and law enforcement use, NV gear is now readily available at a broad variety of price points.  According to TNVC, Texas is leading the pack in terms of civilian purchases of NV gear.  Sales are driven by a couple of factors: disaster preparedness (Texas gets both hurricanes and tornados) and, of course, hog hunting.  This trip will be tactical hog hunting a whole different level.

In the minds of many, the hunting world and the tactical world are mutually exclusive. Their purposes, methods and gear are relevant to the field of application. Yet, I would venture to say that on some fundamental levels they both share a very serious theme:  the efficient and effective deployment of a weapon to put down a target. When push comes to shove, triggers are being pressed for the same reason.  Having spent thirty plus years training in CQB / CQD style combatives, I believe there is something to be gained by the tactical shooting community through an occasional hog hunt.