116: Firearms Training, Product Development, Gun Rights and more with Rachel Maloney

“Don’t look for a cheat code. Do the Work.”
Episode Summary

We welcome Rachel Maloney back to The Gun Experiment for a wide-ranging conversation about firearms training, product development, the firearms industry, New York gun laws, voting, privacy, and technology.

Rachel shares how she balances her work as co-owner of Onsite Firearms Training with her marketing role in the night-vision industry. We discuss the importance of torture-testing new products across different environments, hand sizes, ammunition types, firearms, and altitudes before releasing them 18:47.

We also explore the training gap between shooting for accuracy and handling a firearm efficiently. Rachel makes the case for short, low-pressure dry-fire classes focused on reloads, draws, garment clearance, malfunction drills, and safe gun handling 22:20.

The conversation turns to how firearm manufacturers respond to customer demand. Rachel compares Glock’s reliability-first approach with companies such as Canik, Smith & Wesson, and Walther, which are increasingly shipping firearms with optics, compensators, night sights, and other aftermarket features already installed 28:02.

We also discuss New York’s restrictions on suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs, the limits of federal changes in states with stricter laws, and why shorter firearms can be practical for smaller shooters 49:35.

Finally, we talk about voting, local government, Flock cameras, privacy concerns surrounding Meta smart glasses, and how video can improve firearms training by showing exactly how a shooter moves through a drill or stage.

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Show Sponsors

  • HSM Ammunition: Check out great ammon from aa great American Company 16:54.

  • Spartan Armor Systems: We discuss the importance of researching armor, plates, carriers, weight, and protection levels before making a purchase 48:00.

Key Takeaways

  • Dry-fire training can address gun-handling problems before adding the pressure and expense of live ammunition.

  • Shooters often focus on accuracy while struggling with basic tasks such as drawing, clearing garments, reloading, and clearing malfunctions 24:53.

  • Training progress doesn’t require matching another shooter’s results. Consistent work should produce personal improvement 24:26.

  • Rachel believes firearm companies are getting closer to their customers because more employees actively shoot and consume the same training and competition content 28:02.

  • Product testing should include different environments, altitudes, hand sizes, ammunition types, ranges, and firearms 18:47.

  • Short-barreled firearms can be practical for smaller shooters because they reduce weight and overall length 51:11.

  • Video review can reveal movement, timing, grip, garment clearance, and stage-management problems that aren’t obvious while shooting 01:34:41.

  • Smart glasses could be useful for point-of-view training footage, but Rachel prefers camera systems with limited connectivity and stronger privacy protections 01:30:08.

  • Rachel argues that voter apathy doesn’t communicate neutrality. It allows other voters to determine the result 01:12:31.

  • Local meetings matter. Rachel encourages people to raise concerns about issues such as Flock cameras, data centers, and other community decisions early in the process 01:18:33.

Guest Information

Rachel Maloney is the co-owner of Onsite Firearms Training and works in marketing for a night-vision company. She discusses firearms instruction, product testing, industry trends, dry-fire training, competition shooting, privacy, and her experience with archery, horseback riding, martial arts, and firearms.

Keywords

Rachel Maloney podcast, The Gun Experiment, firearms training, Onsite Firearms Training, dry-fire training, gun handling skills, defensive shooting, firearms instructor, shooting fundamentals, concealed carry training, reload practice, malfunction clearance, draw practice, firearm product testing, gun industry trends, Glock, Canik, Smith & Wesson, Walther, night sights, pistol optics, compensators, night vision, HSM Ammunition, Spartan Armor Systems, suppressor laws, SBR laws, SBS laws, AOW laws, New York gun laws, short-barreled shotgun, short-barreled rifle, Flock cameras, smart glasses, firearms technology, POV shooting video, shooting competition, USPSA training, Second Amendment, gun rights, voter participation, local government, firearms podcast

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