Company: SDS/ JEET KUNE DO
Tape Name: Firearm Disarming Techniques
Tape Cost: $49.95
Length of Tape/Time: Approximately 45
Number of Moves/Techniques: 19
Return Policy: Don't Know
Experiences in dealing with this company: Don't Know
The Instructor: Gary Dill
Company's Address: P.O. Box 3396, Bartlesville, OK 74006
Company's Phone Number:
Web Page: http://www.jkd-garydill.com/
E-Mail: sales@jkd-garydill.com

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Main Grading Criteria

Production/Tape Quality: 9
Instructors demonstrated skill level: 8
Comprehension Score: 9
Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 9
Degree to which we would recommend this product: 8
Score on delivery vs hype: 8
Wasted Time (The higher the number, the less " fluff "):9
Playback Score/Watching it over-and-over again): 8
Would I purchase more of this company's products: 8
Overall grade based on cost vs value: 8

Grand Total: 84 ( Poor = 1 Star )

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Secondary Grading Criteria

Beginners: Poor
Intermediate: Poor
Advanced: Poor
Time to benefit: Tape contains outdated disarming techniques
The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None

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Written Summary:

Any video that purports to teach any type of firearm disarming technique must be objectively compared to the "Gold Standard" of such techniques. The current gold standard for such techniques is either the work of Bob Taylor/ Randy Wanner in a video called "Secrets of Professional Warriors" OR the disarming techniques taught by David James of Vee Arnis Jitsu. Wanner and Taylor discovered (by testing with armor and pellet firing weapons) that whenever a weapon is cleared to the inside, the likelihood of being shot is about 50% EVEN WHEN THE TECHNIQUE IS PERFORMED PERFECTLY. The techniques taught by Shihan James all clear to the outside so I am quite sure that the founder of Vee Arnis Jitsu, Professor Visitacion, was already aware of the risks that were objectively uncovered by Mr. Wanner and Mr. Taylor. If the techniques which use clearing to the inside will not work half the time when done perfectly, what are the chances of them working under the stress of looking down the barrel of a loaded gun? Common sense says that 50% is probably a high estimate with a likelihood probably in the 20-30% range. With this in mind, let's take a look at the techniques shown on this video as taught by Mr. Gary Dill.

Mr. Dill states at the beginning of the video that he has experience teaching police in the use of firearm disarming techniques. I have no doubt that at one time these techniques were probably state of the art and were considered to be effective. In light of current martial art knowledge, I would say that just under half of the techniques shown on this video are extremely risky for anyone to attempt. I counted 19 different disarming scenarios on this video. Of the 19 shown, 8 employ the potentially deadly (to the victim) initial move of clearing to the inside. In other words, 40% of the techniques on this tape put you at much greater risk than necessary. And remember, that is if you can do each move perfectly under the stress of firearm self defense situation. Not good odds.

The remaining 11 techniques are sound firearm disarming moves and are basically the same moves taught by Wanner/Taylor and by Mr. James. The trick, if you haven't been trained or seen the other videos, is to guess which ones are good and which ones are not. Sort of a martial arts version of Russian Roulette. Don't play the game. Check out the videos by Wanner/Taylor and Mr. James before you try to pull off the gun disarms in this video.

There is some good information on this video such as stepping back once a weapon is extracted and the use of body rotation to aid in clearing the line of fire. But we at MAVR cannot recommend any video in which nearly half of the techniques shown are worthless in our opinion. This video might be okay as supplementary material to better videos and systems. But certainly not as a primary source of firearm disarming techniques. If any of the readers are in law enforcement, you owe it to yourselves to evaluate whatever training you may currently be receiving regarding firearm disarms. The other tapes mentioned in this review may very well save your life.

CJ