First, I appreciate the discussion about he topic..... but, I would encourage those of you interested in the video and opinions expressed to check it out yourselves... about 750,000 copies have been sent out by the NRA, so chances are you can find someone in your shooting circles that might have a copy.... Unintended Consequences paraphrasing of the parts he was irked by might have cast an unfair light on the presentation of information.
The videos are completely Un-sponsored and the only people who have any input into the final content besides me are the Branding Partners who distribute the product to their people (in the case o this video, the NRA, SAF and Guns & Ammo Magazine in various forms). There is no one paying me to say anything..... nor have I ever been paid to endorse a product on video or any of the many TV spots I've done.
All that said, let's get to the point of the sections that UC brought up:
1. while it is obvious that "the gun you have" is the best gun to defend yourself with, the bonus section that UC brought up was a discussion of various different types/actions/brands of firearms. I expressed my opinion that the an efficient/simple gun in a medium caliber is what I prefer to use and recommend for defensive use. A J-frame revolver and the various striker fired "safe action" type pistols were the specific types highlighted, as I recall. Throughout the video series, I use a variety of pistols, including a Clark Caspian 1911, a Glock 19, an S&W M&P and a S&W 945, and a J-frame 642 among others...
2. As for the penetration demo, depending on the branding partner, there were two different final edits. The NRA did not want to seem to be endorsing specialty ammunition such as TAP in .223 or Glasers. They often have concerns about "their" material (or that with their involvement/logos, etc) being used against the shooting community to support legislation. The demonstration was part of the "Home Defense Tips" to show what is likely to happen if you fire a round inside a typical construction home and do not hit your target. The demonstrations originally showed a .22, a .45 a .40, 12 OO, 12 slug, 12 birdshot, .223 JHP, 9mm Glaser, .223 TAP, as I recall. Some edits didn't have all the demos.... But, the point was to show that missing your target is bad with just about any type of ammo/caliber combination that you are likely to use and you should be aware of that. The demonstration showed that. The observations being made in terms of the penetration through interior house walls were made in that light.... not in the light of recommending rounds for their effects on the bad guy. That said, I'm not volunteering to take a load of .410 buckshot (or any round/caliber/gauge mentioned in the piece) from the distance of a typically room or hall inside a home! As was noted in an earlier post, lack of penetration can be viewed as a good thing in some contexts.
Thanks again to those of you who have watched the videos.... Whenever you are watching a training/demonstration video try to keep the context in mind, as it could be very important.