Gun & Prepping News #25

Some articles that have caught my attention:

• The latest Defensive Pistolcraft newsletter by Jon Low is up. I liked this response by Jon to the "slow is smooth, smooth is fast" saying:

     The problem is that being fast doesn't matter much, because the bad guy decides when to attack and strives to ensures that you have no warning.  So, it's a surprise attack, unless your situational awareness is very good; in which case you've given away the fact that you are aware of the impending attack; in which case the attack never occurs, because the bad guy isn't stupid.  And then again, some people are stupid.

This was on of his comments to "The Complete Concealed Carry Training Guide" from Alien Gear Holster. The guide is an outline intended "[t]o go from newly minted concealed carrier with ZERO experience with a pistol (outside of the average state-mandated CCW course) to a reasonably competent and prepared concealed carrier." The guide emphasizes that it is only to provide a basic set of skills in preparation for further development; adding that "[n]o training course in existence will guarantee success in combat. You can only hope to increase your level of preparedness to the point where your instincts are more reflexive and routine." This appears to be taken from a larger document or has taken from several other documents because it literally cuts off mid-sentence.

    And something else to keep in mind:

     What happens if you haven't practiced recently?  

     You will be shot to death, because you could not get your pistol out of your holster.  When I was in training to be a security officer to guard federal facilities in the Middle Tennessee area, we viewed a video of an attack on a federal building.  The security officer in the video was behind cover, but could not get her pistol out of her holster because the snap on the strap that held the pistol in the holster had rusted and was stuck.  She had not taken her pistol out of her holster since last qualification about a year before.  So the bad guy walks around the counter and shoots her. 

A lot more linkage and advice, so be sure to check out the whole thing.

•  Also be sure to click over to Greg Ellifritz's most recent Weekend Knowledge Dump. Some of the articles that I found more notable were a set of four articles on flexible impact weapons; "A Hard Look In The Mirror" which is a good reminder that handguns are defensive first aid kits, but the rifle is still king of the defensive weapons; a link to an article on how to be someone people love to talk to together with Greg's comment that most of us would be better off learning more interpersonal skills over improving our draw speed; an article from Recoil on staying safe when visiting a city, most of which is the "don't do stupid things, in stupid places, as stupid times"; an article on point shooting; one on using silcock keys for urban survival; an article examining why the U.S. has higher murder rates than most other industrialized countries; and more.
• "The Evolution of the Battle Rifle: From the FAL to Today’s AR-10"--Ammo Land. This is a strange article in my mind because it treats the FAL, M-14, and AR-10 as coming from different eras, whereas they were all developed at roughly the same time and competed against each other in the U.S. weapon's trial. If there is one thing that ties all these weapons together, it is the Army's obsession with having "do it all" equipment that isn't very good at any task. In this case, wanting a rifle that could replace the M-1 carbine as a personal defense weapon, provide the suppressive fire of an assault rifle, but still provide accurate and powerful fire out past 500 yards.
• "Converting S&W J-Frame Combat Grips to Boot Grips"--Revolver Guy. A "how to" on converting some larger J-frame grips to be more concealable. The problem the author was trying to solve was getting some grips for a J-frame snubby that were thicker and covered the backstrap of the frame to better fit his hands.
• "PSA AK-47 GF3 Review: The Best Budget AK?"--The Truth About Guns. No specific MSRP given in the review, but it states that the weapons will be in the $600 to $700 range. The main points of this model over some other lower cost copies that have been sold are "[t]he hammer-forged bolt, carrier, and front trunnion." Apparently other offerings from U.S. manufacturers have suffered from softer trunnions that have worn out. The author complains a bit that the barrel is a nitride treated barrel rather than chrome lined, but I think the nitride barrel will probably have as good or better wear over the long run.
• "PAIN!"--Straightforward in a Crooked World. An excerpt:

    Our conversation had started with me asking “So who shot you in the throat?”, a basic conclusion on my part, because on one side of his throat he had a very small round scar, on the other side, a jagged dime sized scar, accompanied by a damaged voice. It had the hall marks of a twenty-two caliber wound and this had peaked my interest. He was an ex-convict and career criminal, who had spent part of that career as a car jacker in the late 1980s and 1990s. He had a rather successful run (according to him) until he went from car-jacker to attempted to car-jacker. As we sat and talked in his now paroled and work released based probation he explained the scenario that led to his down fall.

"I'm 6'2", and I had a big old revolver that took .44s. You look down that barrel and you think, 'take what you want, please don't kill me with that thing. But not this one guy. I stuck the gun in his face yelling for him to get out of the car, and as he is sliding out I hear the little 'pop' sound. I kinda saw his hand coming up, but my mind was all focused on his face and my gun in his face, and I couldn’t really see much else. So I hear this 'pop' and, next thing I know I feel like I'm gonna throw up or something. I can't talk right and I spat blood all over the place. I didn't know what happened. I'm looking around, but I see blood all over me, and I can't breathe. I'm trying to get out the passenger side of the car, but it's not my car and it was like being in a nightmare. I couldn't find the door handle, and all I know is everything is going bad. I'm thinking 'I don't want to go to jail! I don't want to die!' I get the car door open and fall out on the ground and stumble all over. I'm spitting blood. I'm scared out of my mind. I can't see anything. Turns out, he shot me with this little .22 derringer. This told me two things: 1) That dude had that planned out what he would do. He had this little nothing gun and was ready to go if he had to. 2) I had this big gun and didn't think I had to do anything other than stick in someone's face. I was wrong about that.”.

• "Galco Executive Shoulder Holster"--Bond Lifestyle. A look at the shoulder holster used for James Bond's Walther PPK in the movies GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World Is Not Enough. Unlike more modern holsters that counterbalance the weapon with magazine or speed loader pouches, this simply has a strap that goes around the shoulder and apparently clips on the waistline of the pants. But it looks like it would, for that reason, be less bulky and more concealable. It does not appear to be manufactured by any longer by Galco--at least, it doesn't show up on the Galco website. 
• "Thinking Straight — or Just Trying to Think?"--Tactical Wire.

    First we’ll examine the whole “gun = security” thing. Guns don’t provide that, it’s the attitude, the mindset, the whole outlook on life. Guns are tools that (like surveillance gear for example) can make security more attainable – but being armed doesn’t do it alone.

    “Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician." – Jeff Cooper. But, being armed is not nothing; also from Jeff Cooper, "Remember the first rule of gunfighting ... have a gun." 

    Now we don’t wander about in public armed because we want a fight. We’re armed in the event the fight comes to us and we can’t decamp in an efficient, orderly military manner. The gun doesn’t make us safe. 

• "Negative Outcome – Chasing and Shooting"--Tactical Professor. Man arrested after he chased down a would be car burglar attempting to flee the scene and shot the bastard. Unfortunately for the shooter, chasing a criminal down in order to shoot him is not "self defense."
• "Five minute project: DIY Cat Eyes"--Bad Lands Field Craft.  "Cat eyes" in the context of this article are strips of luminescent material attached to the back of a helmet, hat, or pack that allow someone behind you to more easily follow you in the dark. You probably shouldn't be hiking in the dark, but you never know. 
• "Would Prepping by Recipe Work for You?"--Organic Prepper. 

    There are as many ways to prep as there are preppers. Stockpiling longterm stuff you find on sale, buying buckets of freeze-dried food, preserving your own… The list could go on and on. But, have you tried “prepping by recipe?”

    The concept is exactly what it sounds like. You choose some of your family’s favorite meals, and then you create a way to serve that dish made only with long-term food. In my opinion, these meals are far more tasty and welcome than adding water to fettuccine alfredo from a bucket.

* * *

 How do you build this kind of stockpile?

Start by listing your family’s favorite meals. Go with five suppers and two breakfasts to begin.

•     Spaghetti and meat sauce
•     Stir-fried pork and broccoli with rice
•     Vegetable beef soup
•     Mexican burrito bowl with meat, veggies, and rice, topped with cheese sauce
•     Chicken pot pie with canned veggies and biscuit topping

Some breakfast ideas might be:

•     Hashbrowns with onions and peppers, scrambled eggs, and a slice of fried spam
•     Oatmeal with fruit, cinnamon, sugar, and whole milk

• "What To Put In A Faraday Cage"--Modern Survival Blog. 

    Here’s my suggestion: Think of it in terms of categories such as security, food, water, and shelter (your home and property). Examine each category and consider items with embedded electronics that may be especially important or critical to you during post-EMP SHTF. Think of backups for critical survival infrastructure.

    Another side note… It can become expensive to store certain electronic items, backups, and spares in a Faraday cage because they’re not readily available, especially if stored in a sealed galvanized garbage can (for example). However, for those who cannot afford this for everything, put in a Faraday cage and consider storing those high-cost items there while you’re not using them. This is where professionally designed EMP bags come in handy for much easier access.

• "How to EMP Proof Electronics: Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Devices Safe"--Alpha Survivalist. The author discusses what is electromagnetic pulse (EMP), possible sources, and its impact on electronics, before moving on to shielding techniques and materials. He concludes:

 To protect our essential electronics from an EMP event, we should take the following steps:

•     Disconnect electronics: During an EMP event, disconnect our electronics from the electrical grid to prevent them from getting damaged.
•     Wrap electronics in protective cloth: Wrapping our electronics in a protective cloth can provide an additional layer of protection against EMPs.
•     Use EMP-proof electronics: Investing in EMP-proof electronics can be an effective way to protect our essential electronics. Vintage electronics are often more resistant to EMPs as they were built before the widespread use of microelectronics.
•     Use surge protectors: Installing surge protectors can help protect our electronics from power surges caused by EMPs.

Some of the essential electronics that we should protect during an EMP event include radios, cell phones, glucometers, inverters, pumps, and dehydrators. These devices can be crucial for our survival during an emergency.

• "The Superior Hat"--Blue Collar Prepping. A review of the "Men's Superior Hat" from Duluth Trading Co. This is a heavy duty hat, insulated hat with a deep brim on the front and flaps that can be folded down to cover the ears. The advantage of a brimmed hat isn't just shade: for those who wear glasses, the brim keeps rain or snow off the glasses; and if you don a hood, it keep the hood from falling down over your face.