RSWC #132 Grant Gallagher – Riding Shotgun With Charlie

Riding Shotgun With Charlie
#132
Grant Gallagher
ScotShot
NRA & USCCA Training Counselor

It’s great to have a product like RSWC. While visiting a friend in New Jersey, I was wondering who I could have from New Jersey on the show. He asked “what about Grant Gallagher from ScotShot?” I asked if he was a regular co-host on The Polite Society Podcast. And he was. My friend also said he was an NRA & USCCA Training Counselor and he took training with Grant. After some messages back and forth, we all had a bite to eat before filming the shows.

Grant was raised in Scotland, like ScotShot would make you believe. His real job is a scientist and he’s been a professor at a college in New Jersey since 2001, just before September 11. His only experience shooting in Scotland was with a friend’s dad, who hunted. Since the massacre at a school in Dunblane, civilian access to handguns were removed. So even the Olympic shooters had to leave the country to train and practice.

In the UK, a handgun is defined by its barrel length. If the length of the barrel is less than 16 inches, it’s considered a handgun. The whole length of the gun has to do with concealability. Another difference between here and the UK is that shooting WITHOUT a suppressor is considered to be ‘bad manners’. If you’re approved for a handgun, then getting a suppressor is a minimal amount of paperwork.

After a colleague suggested that Grant and his wife go shooting, they really enjoyed it. Around 2008, they got their first handguns. Grant did some self training and found out that he really likes the Sig Sauers. This past year, I did some training at the Sig Academy in New Hampshire, which Grant hasn’t been to. Yet!

Like many new shooters and instructors, Grant thought the “NRA way” was the way to go. He took several NRA classes at Gun For Hire from Anthony Colandro (RSWC #003 & #025). Then he took instructor level classes from Chet Wilson, from SHOOTNJ. I share a funny story about meeting Chet at SHOT in 2017. After taking courses with SHOOTNJ, Chet asked Grant to join him as an instructor. Chet was a big influence on Grant and getting some class time in and starting instructing as a profession and starting ScotShot.

Grant is a training counselor for both the NRA & the USCCA. He credits Klint Macro (RSWC #069) for introducing him to the USCCA and their offerings. We talk about some of the differences and how one compliments the other. Ultimately, they both talk about responsibly armed Americans. We also talk about some of the skills that Jeff Cooper taught and how those are still important for someone to have. Besides Cooper, Grant talks about the advantage of having a SIRT Pistol (Mike Hughes & Britt Lentz, RSWC #074) and practicing while you’re at home while you’re watching TV.

I’m glad that I asked Grant to hop in the stagecoach. He’s a great guy with lots of knowledge and he’s willing to share it with his clients. I really like that my network of friends is growing and crossing with people like Grant.

Favorite quotes:

“In the UK it’s considered bad manners to shoot without a suppressor.”

“A lot more people have guns that admit to it.”

“You’ve got ScotShot Grant, so ScotShot can pay for everything.”

“ScotShot was formed in 2013 and then all bets were off. Now you’re out there having to do it for your actual self.”

“One of the great things about the NRA is that the curriculum is the same all across the country.”

“You can’t force people to take training they don’t want to take.”

“If you’re going to have a gun that’s part of your home defense plan, then you’ve got to have a home defense plan.”

ScotShot Scott

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ScotShot LLC

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