Making Shooters Better

Terry Vaughan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Self-Improvement

Making Shooters Better is where real shooter stories turn into smarter training and preparation for everyone. Each episode dives into the journeys, wins, and lessons of competitors, instructors, and innovators from across the firearms world. Hosted by Terry Vaughan—former British Royal Marine Commando, Top Shot competitor, and firearms instructor—this show delivers more than talk. You’ll get the mindset, methods, and motivation to train sharper and perform better, on and off the range!

  1. 6d ago

    When Good Cops Hesitate, Bad People Win

    In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry Vaughan sits down with Dr. Travis Yates for a frank and deeply important conversation about what is happening inside modern law enforcement and why the consequences reach far beyond the walls of any police department. Dr. Yates brings more than three decades of law enforcement experience to the discussion, including over 25 years in supervision and upper management with a large metropolitan agency. He is a former ILEETA Trainer of the Year, has trained and consulted with agencies in 46 states and three countries, and is the author of The Courageous Police Leader. He is also the developer of FOCUS, Field Observable Cues for Unknown Situations, an evidence-based behavioral recognition framework designed to help officers identify, articulate, and respond to the warning signs that often appear before violence begins. During this episode, Terry and Dr. Yates examine why so many of policing’s most important indicators are moving in the wrong direction, including recruiting, retention, morale, officer safety, operational effectiveness, and public trust. They also explore the growing disconnect between falling violent-crime statistics and the continued rise in assaults against law enforcement officers. Dr. Yates argues that the common thread behind many of these failures is leadership, specifically the absence of leaders willing to support officers, defend sound police work, challenge politically convenient narratives, and speak honestly about the realities of crime and public safety. The conversation also takes a hard look at mandatory de-escalation policies and the unintended consequences of teaching officers to remain in a verbal problem-solving mode even after the behavior in front of them has shifted toward violence. Rather than asking only whether an officer used force, Dr. Yates urges leaders and trainers to examine what happened before force became necessary. What did the officer see? What did the suspect do? Were there signs of noncompliance, concealed hands, movement, declarations of intent, tactical positioning, or behavioral clusters that indicated the decision to resist or attack had already been made? This is where FOCUS becomes central to the conversation. Dr. Yates explains how officers can move beyond vague phrases such as “something didn’t feel right” and begin identifying specific, observable, evidence-based indicators of danger. He also explains why earlier intervention at a lower level may prevent a far more violent confrontation seconds later. The episode covers: • Why law enforcement may be facing a leadership crisis rather than a staffing crisis alone • Why officers are leaving agencies that fail to support them • How politics has reshaped police leadership and training • Why assaults against officers continue to rise • The limits and unintended consequences of mandatory de-escalation • How hesitation can place officers and civilians in greater danger • The pre-attack behaviors that frequently appear before an officer is assaulted • Why noncompliance matters more than many officers realize • How behavioral cues should be viewed in clusters and context • How FOCUS gives officers a more structured way to recognize and articulate danger • Why civilians need a better understanding of police decision-making • What police leaders can do immediately to rebuild trust inside their own agencies This conversation matters to officers because ignoring these lessons may cost them the chance to make it home. It matters to civilians because when policies, politics, and poor leadership hollow out law enforcement, the consequences eventually reach the public. In the worst moment of your life, calling for help only works if someone is still there to answer. This episode is not simply about what is wrong with policing. It is about what happens next if we refuse to fix it.

  2. Jul 16

    The Mind Behind the Threat: Psychopaths, Stalkers, Violence, and the Myths That Keep Us Vulnerable

    What do dangerous people teach us about human behavior? Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke returns to Making Shooters Better for a deep, fascinating, and at times unsettling conversation about the mind behind the threat. A former Secret Service agent turned forensic psychologist, Mary Beth has spent her career studying human behavior from both sides of the danger equation: the people trying to prevent violence and the people trying to understand it after the fact. In this episode, Terry and Mary Beth explore criminal behavior, psychopaths, sociopaths, stalking, domestic violence, fear, lying, body language, restraining orders, and whether violence can truly be predicted. But this is not an episode about becoming paranoid. It is about becoming harder to fool. Mary Beth explains why dangerous people rarely look the way we expect, why many acts of violence are situational rather than pre-planned, and why the public often wants to explain violence away as mental illness because it feels safer than admitting ordinary people can be capable of terrible things. The conversation also digs into stalking and domestic violence, including why victims often stay, why shame and isolation are so powerful, why restraining orders are not magic shields, and why some perpetrators escalate when they feel humiliated or exposed. For anyone interested in personal safety, human behavior, threat recognition, self-defense, law enforcement, or the psychology behind violence, this episode is a masterclass in seeing the world more clearly without letting fear run the show. Every episode of Making Shooters Better delivers a story, a lesson, and a way to train smarter. This one delivers all three with a forensic flashlight and a very sharp edge.

  3. Jul 9

    Your Vision, Brain, and Memory Will Betray You. Here’s How to Prepare Anyway.

    In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry sits down with Brian Baxter, combat infantry veteran, retired Texas State Trooper, and CEO of Force Science, for a conversation that changes how you understand perception, memory, decision-making, and accountability under stress. Why can two honest people experience the same event and remember it differently? Why might body-camera footage miss the very information that drove an officer’s decision? Why can a defender continue an action for fractions of a second after the threat changes, even when they are trying to stop? Brian breaks down the science behind time compression, tunnel vision, attention, automaticity, fragmented memory, and the uncomfortable truth that human beings do not make life-or-death decisions the way calm people imagine they do from the sofa. This is not a conversation about excuses. It is about honest accountability: holding people to clear standards that are actually within the limits of human performance. Whether you are law enforcement, an instructor, an armed citizen, a home defender, or simply someone who wants to better understand how the brain behaves when the stakes become terrifyingly real, this episode delivers rare insight from the world of Force Science. You will learn why you are always behind the power curve, why “vision” is not the same as a video recording, why memory is not a playback device, and how better awareness, better training, and a little more patience after a critical incident can matter far beyond physical survival.

  4. Jul 2

    In a Gunfight, Your Greatest Weapon Isn't Skill. It's Cognition.

    Can you trust your training when everything goes wrong? In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry Vaughan sits down with Erick Gelhaus, retired law enforcement officer, military veteran, firearms instructor, researcher, and founder of Cougar Mountain Solutions. Erick has spent decades bridging the gap between academic research and real-world violence, earning a reputation as one of the firearms industry's leading "pracademics" someone who understands both the science of human performance and the reality of applying it under extreme stress.  Together, Terry and Erick explore: ✅ Why good people sometimes make catastrophic decisions under stress ✅ How overconfidence can be more dangerous than lack of skill ✅ Why traditional firearms training often fails to prepare people for real-world encounters ✅ The science behind decision-making, visual processing, and use of force ✅ How scenario training changes the way we perceive threats ✅ Why police use of force is often misunderstood by the public ✅ The surprising research on "mistake-of-fact" shootings ✅ How to train judgment, not just marksmanship ✅ Why every shooter should understand medical emergencies as well as firearms skills Along the way, Erick shares practical drills, fascinating research, and hard-earned lessons from nearly three decades in law enforcement, military service, and teaching.  This isn't just a conversation about shooting. It's a conversation about how humans think, fail, survive, and learn. Connect with Erick Gelhaus: Cougar Mountain SolutionsInstagram: @cougar_mountain_solutionsAmerican Cop Magazine

  5. Jun 25

    The Bad Guy Decides When. You Decide How Soon You Notice.

    Most people think situational awareness is about constantly scanning for danger. The reality is far more interesting and far more important: it's about recognizing danger sooner. In this solo episode, Terry Vaughan, former Royal Marine Commando and TEDx Speaker, breaks down the three biggest reasons good people miss obvious threats, even when those threats are hiding in plain sight. Drawing on neuroscience, threat recognition, body language, and real-world defensive training, Terry explains how the brain processes visual information, why normalcy bias leads us to explain away danger, and how simple changes in how we scan our environment can dramatically improve our ability to spot trouble before it reaches us. You'll learn why your eyes aren't actually seeing the world the way you think they are, how inattentional blindness can make you miss even the most obvious warning signs, why most people talk themselves out of trusting their instincts, and how establishing baselines allows you to identify anomalies long before everyone else notices them. Most importantly, you'll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately to become more aware, more confident, and far more difficult to surprise. In This Episode • Why the only thing you truly control is how quickly you recognize a threat • The science behind saccadic suppression and why your brain literally hides information from you • How to use Terry's three-ring scanning method to see more than ever before • Why hands, faces, and attention reveal intent before action • The dangers of inattentional blindness, cell phones, and transition zones • How normalcy bias causes people to miss threats that seem obvious afterward • The power of baselines, context, and behavioral clusters • Why prolonged eye contact and attention can reveal more than words ever will • How to become a harder target through observation, pattern recognition, and deliberate practice Because the bad guy controls the when, the where, and the how. The only thing you control is how quickly you notice him.

  6. Jun 18

    Marine. Attorney. Instructor - Brian Taylor's Journey Post 9.11

    Brian Taylor has spent his life studying firearms from three very different perspectives: as a Marine infantryman, an executive protection professional, and an attorney. Raised in inner-city Chicago with little exposure to firearms, Brian discovered shooting as an adult before joining the United States Marine Corps in the wake of 9/11. What followed was a journey through military leadership, corporate security, executive protection, and ultimately the legal world, where he gained firsthand insight into the consequences that follow the use of force. In this episode, Terry Vaughan and Brian explore what most gun owners never think about: not just how to use a firearm, but when, why, and whether you should. They discuss: Why situational awareness is more than "paying attention"The leadership lessons the Marines teach young menHow executive protection is far less glamorous than Hollywood suggestsWhy many concealed carriers stop training far too soonThe surprising realities of firearms law and permit denialsHow simulated training can create safer, more confident shootersWhy families, children, and first-time gun owners need approachable training environmentsBrian also shares the story behind founding Precision Shooting Center, a unique laser-based training facility designed to remove the intimidation factor from firearms training while building real-world skills. Whether you're a competitor, concealed carrier, law enforcement officer, or brand-new shooter, this conversation offers practical lessons on leadership, preparation, and the responsibilities that come with carrying a firearm.

  7. Jun 11

    Why You're Your Own First Responder | Dianna Muller

    Dianna Muller has spent her life around firearms, but her path from police officer to professional shooter to one of the most influential voices in the Second Amendment movement was anything but planned. In this episode, Dianna shares how a childhood introduction to firearms led to a 22-year law enforcement career, a passion for competitive shooting, and ultimately the founding of Women for Gun Rights. Along the way, she explains why self-reliance matters, what most Americans misunderstand about personal safety, and why she believes every citizen is ultimately responsible for their own protection.  Terry and Dianna discuss: • What law enforcement taught her about violence, crime, and human nature • Why situational awareness is still your greatest defensive tool • How competitive shooting helped shape her approach to firearms training • Why 3-Gun remains one of the most exciting and accessible shooting sports • The mission behind Women for Gun Rights and its growing national movement • How firearm owners can become effective advocates for the Second Amendment • The realities of sponsorships in competitive shooting and how athletes create value for the companies they represent • Why professionalism, relationships, and personal character matter as much as performance on the range  Whether you're interested in competition, personal defense, advocacy, or simply understanding the firearms community better, this conversation offers a candid look at the people working to protect both the culture and the rights surrounding America's shooting sports.

  8. Jun 4

    Tim Herron–IPSC World Shoot Gold Medalist: Why Most Shooters Never Reach Their Potential

    Multi-division USPSA Grand Master and IPSC World Shoot Gold Medalist Tim Herron joins former Royal Marine Commando Terry Vaughan for a deep dive into the hidden side of shooting performance. While most shooters focus on speed, accuracy, and equipment, Tim argues that long-term improvement has far more to do with emotional control, self-awareness, and learning how to perform under pressure. In this conversation, Tim explains why so many shooters plateau, how elite competitors use failure as a training tool, and why embracing discomfort is essential for growth. He shares the mindset shifts that transformed him from a new gun owner into one of the world's top competitive shooters, along with practical strategies for training smarter, developing consistency, and managing the mental side of performance. Terry and Tim discuss: • Why competition is really emotional regulation in public • The difference between training and simply practicing • How top shooters use pressure to improve instead of avoiding it • Why most people accidentally train themselves to plateau • The power of randomization and problem-solving in practice • How to recover quickly from mistakes without spiraling emotionally • The role of dry fire in accelerating improvement • What competition shooting can teach concealed carriers and defensive shooters Whether you're a competitive shooter, firearms instructor, concealed carrier, or simply someone looking to perform better under pressure, this episode offers a masterclass on the mindset behind elite performance.

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Ratings & Reviews

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About

Making Shooters Better is where real shooter stories turn into smarter training and preparation for everyone. Each episode dives into the journeys, wins, and lessons of competitors, instructors, and innovators from across the firearms world. Hosted by Terry Vaughan—former British Royal Marine Commando, Top Shot competitor, and firearms instructor—this show delivers more than talk. You’ll get the mindset, methods, and motivation to train sharper and perform better, on and off the range!

Information

  • Creator
    Terry Vaughan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Making Shooters Better
  • Show Website
    Making Shooters Better