Serious about lights, Ghost guns, Training Tips, Shark Attacks, and More

Why one of our own changed his mind about defensive flashlights after having one used against him, a federal judge strikes down key parts of the ghost gun rule, plus how to actually get your money's worth out of your next training class.

This email was sent

August 26, 2026 8:17pm EDT

Is this your brand on Milled? Claim it.

Matte tone:

August 26th, 2026 Edition

Top Stories

I Never Took Defensive Flashlights Seriously. Until One Was Used Against Me.

Mitch Goerdt will be the first to admit he did not think much of flashlights as defensive tools. Then he volunteered to play the bad guy while we filmed Defense After Dark, and Riley hit him with a proper defensive light. He could not see Riley. He could not judge distance. He could not even make out the vehicle directly in front of him. That imbalance is the part most of us never think about.

Read Now »

Federal Judge Rules Biden-Era 'Ghost Gun' Restrictions Unconstitutional

Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled that key portions of ATF's 2022 frame and receiver rule violate both the Second Amendment and the Fifth Amendment. The injunction itself is narrow, covering specific parties and products, so read carefully before you assume anything changed for you. But the constitutional reasoning behind it may end up mattering far more than the scope of the order.

Read Now »

🎧 Featured Podcast Episode

S14E5: Top Ways to Get More Out of Your Next Training Class

Signing up for a class is the easy part. Getting your money's worth out of it is another story. Riley and Jacob break down what to do in the days before you show up, why you should bring double the magazines the instructor asked for, the mindset that makes instruction actually stick, and the step almost everybody skips once class lets out.

Listen / Watch Now »

🎯 Sponsor Messages

Hunting season is coming. When you are miles from the truck, calling for help and getting help are two very different things. Here is how to build a real backcountry medical plan instead of just tossing a first aid kit in your pack.

Junky dummy rounds crack, shed metal shavings, and can damage your firing pin. We tested more than 20 polymer mixes to get ours right. See why Ready Up Gear dummy rounds are trusted by federal agencies and law enforcement.

📰 Other News

18 Recent Shark Attacks Teach One Important Lesson About Tourniquets. We went looking for shark attacks where someone applied a tourniquet and found at least 18. The encouraging part is that bystanders recognized the bleeding needed to be stopped. The discouraging part is that at least half of them had to improvise with a swimsuit, a dog leash, or a surfboard leash. Read Now »

My EDC For Normal Days. What lifesaving emergency tool does Cecil Burch carry on the days he can dress however he wants? Fourteen minutes walking through the everyday carry setup, and the answer is probably not the item you are expecting. Watch Now »

How to Pack a Wound and Apply a Pressure Dressing. Tourniquets only work on arms and legs. Brian "Doc" McLaughlin demonstrates wound packing with compressed gauze and the Bridger Compression Bandage, how to hold pressure, and how to recognize when bleeding is not actually controlled. Watch Now »

Serious about lights, Ghost guns, Training Tips, Shark Attacks, and More

Why one of our own changed his mind about defensive flashlights after having one used against him, a federal judge strikes down key parts of the ghost gun rule, plus how to actually get your money's worth out of your next training class.

Recent emails from Concealed Carry