Modern Samurai Project / Scott Jedlinski

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

Modern Samurai Project / Scott Jedlinski — Deep-Research Dossier

  • Slug: modern-samurai-project
  • Category: TRAINING/CULTURE/INDUSTRY — firearms instructor / school
  • Research date: 2026-09-21 (deep pass, GATE APPROVED)
  • Researcher: DEEP PASS worker (Batch B)

Overview

Modern Samurai Project (MSP) is the firearms-training company of Scott "Jedi" Jedlinski, one of the earliest and most prominent dedicated red-dot-pistol instructors in the United States. Jedlinski's background is in martial arts — Brazilian jiu-jitsu (black belt), Taekwondo, Muay Thai, boxing — and he transitioned from combatives into firearms instruction around 2009–2010. The company's name reflects his philosophy: the "project" is the self, under constant improvement, rooted in a warrior ethos rather than a literal claim to samurai status.

MSP's flagship offering is the two-day Red Dot Pistol: Fundamentals & Performance course. At his peak Jedlinski ran roughly 100 classes a year and did agency work with departments including Houston PD during their red-dot adoption phase. His doctrine: target-focused shooting, economy of motion, consistent grip and presentation, treating the pistol athletically (like rifle handling or jiu-jitsu drilling). He is a public advocate of appendix carry, dismisses over-reliance on backup iron sights on modern reliable optics, and endorses competition (USPSA-style) for stress inoculation — while stating instructors should "stay in their lane" on hard skills rather than tactics.

As of 2026, MSP remains active with a national touring schedule (classes listed via shop.modernsamuraiproject.com) and an active Instagram presence (@modern_samurai_project). Jedlinski is consistently named among the top-tier civilian pistol instructors in community discussions.

Social standing (social-FIRST layer)

Platform pulse:

  • Threads: two search batches (incl. review-focused retry) returned only unrelated noise (Netflix samurai class promos, anime, skincare). Threads verdict: no signal for MSP.
  • Instagram: @modern_samurai_project is active and is Jedlinski's primary channel; high owner-content presence. No organic controversy surfaced.
  • Facebook Groups: "P&S - Training" (~5,000 members) queried 2026-09-21 for "Modern Samurai" — returned zero matching posts. FB verdict: no signal in that group.
  • Forums (tier 2 community evidence): This is where MSP's reputation is most documented.

Group/community consensus: Overwhelmingly positive, with one recurring structural critique.

  • Praise (recurring themes): teaching methodology (teach → practice → perform under pressure), willingness to explain the why behind each drill, demonstration credibility (shoots every drill cold, "far below the standard"), individual attention even in large classes, staying late after day 2 to run extra drills. Multiple reviewers say some variation of "I look forward to training with Scott again" and recommend the class to any red-dot-pistol owner.
  • Complaints (recurring): class size — one AR15.com reviewer noted 18 students to one instructor was too many (two relays, long days), while conceding he did not feel shorted. No complaints about competence, safety, or value; the critique is about throughput, not quality.

Verified quotes (attributed by platform/context):

  • AR15.com AAR (Meadhall Range class, May 25–26): reviewer wrote Scott was "a phenomenal shooter whose times on each of the drills were far below the standard" and that 18 students was "too many in my opinion" but "I did not feel shorted at all."
  • Primary & Secondary forum AAR (Oct 28–29, 2017, two-day course): reviewer describes marked improvement in recoil control, movement drills, and strong-hand-only shooting at 25+ yards in rain by end of day 2; class closed with dry-fire/mindset discussion.
  • Big Tex Ordnance AAR: "The overall theme of the class is better through efficiency not Herculean effort" and a strong recommendation: "If you have a red dot pistol, I would highly recommend you take Scott's class."

Sponsored/affiliate note: No evidence of a paid-review ecosystem inflating MSP's reputation; AARs are independent forum write-ups (AR15.com, Primary & Secondary, retailer Big Tex Ordnance). Reputation appears organic.

Social validation

  • Tier 1 (official/primary): modernsamuraiproject.com + shop.modernsamuraiproject.com (course listings, current 2026 schedule) — proves active business and touring model; Instagram @modern_samurai_project — proves owner-driven content presence.
  • Tier 2 (community/independent): AR15.com AAR (training subforum), Primary & Secondary forum AAR, Big Tex Ordnance AAR, Taking Aim podcast interview (host Richard Nance, Feb 2026 episode) — prove consistent multi-year community praise and instructor credibility; podcast proves industry recognition (called "a leading instructor in red dot pistol training").
  • Tier 3 (aggregated/secondary): AR Build Junkie interview (doctrine exposition) — proves long-running public teaching record.

Key facts (with dates)

  • Scott Jedlinski ("Jedi"), founder of Modern Samurai Project; martial arts background (BJJ black belt, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, boxing).
  • Transitioned from martial arts to firearms training circa 2009–2010; began teaching at encouragement of peers (Matt Landfair of Primary & Secondary, John Johnston of Ballistic Radio) — per AR Build Junkie interview.
  • Flagship course: two-day Red Dot Pistol Fundamentals & Performance.
  • At peak ran ~100 classes/year; agency work including Houston PD red-dot adoption (per Taking Aim podcast, early 2026).
  • Doctrine specifics: 18-yard zero preference, 2–4 MOA dot preference, target-focused shooting, appendix carry advocacy, dismissal of backup-iron reliance on reliable optics.
  • Active in 2026 with touring schedule (LEO-only and open classes listed, e.g., Keasbey NJ September 2025 class listing on MSP shop).

Community verdict

Scott Jedlinski is one of the most consistently praised civilian pistol instructors in the community record, with independent AARs across multiple forums over many years converging on the same points: elite demonstration shooting, a well-thought-out red-dot-specific curriculum, and genuine individual coaching even in oversized classes. The only recurring criticism is class size (18:1 ratios), not quality. For a shooter adopting a red-dot pistol, the community consensus treats MSP as the default recommendation.

Images (8 required views)

Image status 2026-09-21: 0/8 downloaded. Image-host egress was down (proxy CONNECT timeouts on all image hosts); 64 search locators are banked in `training/hidden_files/image-bank/` and an hourly retry watcher (`guns-training-batchB-image-retry`) is staged. Views below will be filled with verified JPEGs + provenance once downloads land; every image will be visually checked for subject accuracy before acceptance.

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UNVERIFIED points

  • "Nearly 100 classes annually" and "heavy work with agencies like Houston PD" come from Jedlinski's own statements in a 2026 podcast interview (self-reported, not independently verified).
  • Exact 2026 class count/schedule completeness — the touring schedule exists but was not exhaustively audited.
  • Facebook "P&S - Training" group pulse — queried 2026-09-21 ("Modern Samurai"), returned zero matching posts; no signal in that group.