Firearms and Self-Defense: Expert Insights from Trigger Talk Tuesday - April 15th, 2025

On April 15, Clint Gage welcomed listeners to “Ask the Experts” on WPM/WCST, presented by Green Monster Firearms and friends from Shadow Hawk Defense. After a lighthearted Easter-themed intro—imagining Easter eggs filled with bullets—Clint and Randy dove into Colorado’s upcoming Senate Bill 3: a sweeping ban on semi-autos with detachable magazines, tactical shotguns, certain handguns, and “rapid-fire” devices like bump stocks, effective August 2026. While both hosts applauded the law’s emphasis on mandatory firearms training (up to 80 hours plus a safety-course eligibility card vetted by county sheriffs), they criticized its overreach, arguing that regulating training—rather than banning popular platforms—better preserves public safety and individual rights.

Next, they reviewed the April training schedule at Shadow Hawk and Green Monster:

• April 19: Concealed Carry Level 1

• April 20: Extreme Close-Quarters Shooting (dynamic drills from 0–5 yards, ground recovery, barricade work)

• April 26: Shooting from Vehicles

• April 27: Carbine Level 1 (iron-sights fundamentals before optics)

They confirmed private youth lessons are available—with parental supervision—so young enthusiasts learn solid fundamentals rather than relying on unqualified helpers. Clint also plugged April’s competition calendar: USPSA/PCSL matches on the 19th–20th, Steel Challenge on the 26th–27th, and the Delmarva Section Championship (free spectator event with top national and local shooters).

Looking ahead, Green Monster and Shadow Hawk are co-hosting an AR Assembly & Carbine Class—participants assemble their own AR-style rifles and immediately train with them, a unique hands-on Father’s Day experience. Finally, they highlighted Green Monster’s “smokeless” virtual range, a large-screen, laser-based simulator that lets newcomers sample steel-challenge and USPSA stages before stepping onto the live-fire line.

Throughout, Clint and Randy underscored that professional training is the cornerstone of safe, effective gun ownership—whether in Colorado, Maryland, or beyond—and that responsible enthusiasts should focus on mastering skills rather than merely acquiring hardware.