Making Shooters Better
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!
Episodes
33 episodes
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, decisi...
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, researc...
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 Co...
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...
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...
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, a...
After Being Threatened by a Criminal, She Refused to Stay Vulnerable
After reporting a crime and being threatened by the suspect afterward, Dakota realized something uncomfortable: owning a firearm without truly knowing how to use it wasn’t enough. What started as hesitation around guns eventually became a journ...
Most Armed Citizens Prepare for the Range… Not the Fight
In this episode, firearms instructor Karl Rehn joins former Royal Marines Commando Terry Vaughan for a brutally honest conversation about the dangerous gap between shooting skill and actual survivability in a violent encounter.Drawing fr...
Part 2 Captured: One Marine's Fight to Survive the Iranian Revolution
What happens after hope starts to slip?In Part 2, Ken Kraus takes us deeper inside one of the most feared prisons of the Iranian Revolution—a place where time disappears, rules don’t apply, and survival is no longer guaranteed.The...
Part 1 Captured: One Marine's Fight to Survive the Iranian Revolution
What happens when the post you’re sworn to protect becomes the place you’re taken from?In this first part of a two-part episode, former U.S. Marine Ken Kraus takes us inside the opening moments of the 1979 Iranian Revolution—from standin...
She Had a Bounty on Her Head in One of the World’s Most Dangerous Cities—What Kept Her Alive Isn’t What You Think
This episode isn’t about the Secret Service.It’s not about psychology.It’s about who you become when pressure shows up uninvited.Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke has lived in environments where hesitation has consequences—pullin...
She Was Afraid of Guns… Now She’s Leading a Movement Changing Who Shoots—and Why
She didn’t grow up around guns.Didn’t want one in her home.And for years… she fought against the idea entirely.Then one moment changed everything.What started as fear turned into curiosity.Curiosity turned into compete...
How Behavioral Threat Experts See What Others Miss (And How to Start Seeing It Yourself)
Most people rely on instinct when something feels off—but instinct without clarity doesn’t lead to action. And if you’re carrying a gun but don’t see the threat coming, it doesn’t matter what you’re carrying.In this episode, Behavioral T...
You Don’t Have a Shooting Problem—You Have a Movement Problem | Kita Busse
Most shooters spend years chasing better accuracy… faster splits… cleaner gear.Kita Busse took one look at the sport and asked a different question:What if the problem isn’t your shooting at all?Coming in as an outsider wit...
He Endured Three Hell Weeks! Why This Navy SEAL Refused to Quit
He didn’t grow up around guns.He didn’t look like the obvious candidate.And twice… his body literally shut down on him.But Perry Yee didn’t quit.In this episode, former Navy SEAL Perry Yee takes you inside the moments most...
A Knife Attack Changed His Life—and Practical Shooting: Grandmaster Steve Anderson
In this engaging interview, Terry Vaughan chats with Steve Anderson, USPSA Grandmaster and mental management expert, and shares his journey from rock band to shooting champion. He reveals practical strategies for mastering the mental game, impr...
USPSA Champion Maggie Reese: Mastery Starts Where Ego Ends
In this episode, Maggie Reese, a national and international competitive shooter, shares her journey into the world of firearms and competition. She discusses the importance of mindset, training with intention, and the value of continuous learni...
From 5th Special Forces to the White House: Before Delta, There Were Rare Men Like John Allen
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, host Terry Vaughan interviews John Allen, a seasoned expert in threat assessment and personal safety. They discuss John's extensive experience advising presidents, his insights into the evolution of po...
17 Years Old. World Record Holder. Here’s How She Trains.
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, host Terry Vaughan interviews Olivia Albertson, a 17-year-old collegiate shooter who has made significant strides in the competitive shooting world. Olivia shares her journey from early experiences wit...
Before Chaos Unfolds: Inside the Mind of a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry Vaughan sits down with Jay Graves, former U.S. Army HUMINT and SIGINT Intelligence Officer, to unpack what real situational awareness actually looks like when the stakes are high....
Breaking the Fear Barrier: Helping Women Take Their First Shot
In this episode, Terry Vaughan speaks with Michelle Camp, the head of Armed Women of America, about her journey from a casual shooter to a leader in the firearms community. They discuss the importance of building confidence in new shooters, the...
Why Self-Defense Tools Won’t Save You—and What Actually Will
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, host Terry Vaughan speaks with Brian Martin, a former paratrooper and 30-year law enforcement officer, about the critical importance of preparedness in emergency situations. They discuss how true readi...
What TOP SHOT Didn’t Show You: Pressure, Personality, and the Breaking Point of Shooters
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, host Terry Vaughan is joined by Colin Gallagher, a fellow TOP SHOT competitor. They discuss their early experiences with shooting, the motivations behind joining the TOP SHOT competition, and the press...
He Didn’t Hesitate: Inside a Life-Saving Moment at the ALERRT Conference
In this episode, Terry Vaughan sits down with D. Austin-Johnson, a patrol officer he personally witnessed taking decisive action to help save a life during a medical emergency at this year's ALERRT Conference.The conversation explores th...
Accuracy Under Fire: What Policing, Trauma, and Real Stress Reveal About Survival
In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry Vaughan sits down with Tim Pearce, a former law enforcement officer whose career in South Central Los Angeles placed him face-to-face with violence, stress, and the limits of traditional...