Gun & Prepping News #56

  Just some gun and prepping related links that I thought interesting or useful:  

• "One Little Verbal Trick to Save Your A** in Self-Defense"--Karate by Jesse. He relates an incident where the victim of a developing "monkey dance" was asked the infamous "What are you looking at?" and responded with something irrelevant, complaining about the different sizes of walls in Spain versus the UK, which completely confused and deflated the drunk who was trying to start a fight. 
• "Cooper's Scout Rifle Concept: It's here to stay"--Steemit.com. A good overview of Jeff Cooper's scout rifle concept, some of the attempts over the years by manufacturers to come out with rifles that meet Cooper's requirements, and the current state of such efforts. The critical point to understand about Cooper's concept, though, is for what purpose or for whom is the rifle intended--basically, what is a "scout". Cooper was thinking of the military scouts that were employed back in the 1800s and early 1900s before the era of aerial surveillance and when detailed maps didn't always exist. The scout's primary purpose was to scout ahead of a regular military force to identify enemy positions and roads, trails, and other points of interest, and discover the best routes of travel. The scout was sometimes employed as a tracker or even a hunter for the primary force. He might be in the bush for long periods of time. Thus, the rifle was a hunting arm first and a defensive weapon second. Nevertheless, the fact that it might be pressed into service for defense against a hostile force required that the weapon be reloaded quickly (whether through stripper clips or detachable box magazines), have a larger ammo capacity than typical for a hunting rifle, and have backup sights should the primary optical sight be damaged. But because it was carried far more than it was to be shot, it also needed to be lightweight. And the weight requirement is where the real difficulty arises trying to create a rifle that meets all of Cooper's requirements. My personal belief is what Cooper was really looking for was an Enfield Jungle Carbine, but in .308, with a forwarded mounted scope to allow the weapon to be quickly reloaded using stripper clips (the whole reason for the forward mounted scopes in the first place). 
• "Smaller Guns are…Convenient"--Pistol-Training.com. That smaller guns are convenient is about the only good thing the author has to say about them. He notes that larger guns are more reliable and more durable than smaller guns, even within the same family of guns: i.e., the G17 is better than the G19 is better than the G26. Also:

    As much as I like to malign the poor souls who carry small guns (it’s not the guns fault its small, its the owners fault for carrying it), the truth is that for civilian self defense in America, the size, capacity and shootability of the gun is actually not that important most of the time. Situational awareness trumps gun size any day. Good tactics trumps the size of your gun. A moderate amount of skill trumps guns size most days. Having the gun on you all the time certainly trumps a bigger gun left in the range bag.

    At the end of the day, that last bit there is why small guns can be great. Having a gun on you is way more important than which gun it is. In fact, assuming a proper caliber choice, the only area where a small gun is truly at a functional disadvantage over a larger gun is in training. Please, bring a full size gun to training, either at a class or on your own. I appreciate training with what you carry and that is very important, but learning to shoot better is hampered by these small guns.

    My idea of proper training with a small carry gun looks like this: I shoot the bigger gun as much as I can and at the end of every training session, I shoot a few rounds through the smaller gun. Depending on which gun it is, that might be 3 magazines worth, 3 cylinders worth or maybe even one magazine or one cylinder. I’m simply trying to take the skills I have developed with the bigger gun and transfer them to the smaller gun, while at the same time, making sure the smaller gun still works and hits where I want. I am also acclimating my hand to the smaller gun, both for the draw and recoil control. This method has worked very well for me for the past 3 decades and I have not seen a reason to change it. 

• Speaking of training with larger handguns: "My disagreement with Grant Cunningham and Rob Pincus…"--Mad Ogre. This 2013 article takes umbrage with Cunningham's and Pincus's dislike of the Beretta 92. Cunningham's complaints about the weapon not being ready to fire when drawn is easily dismissed because he apparently didn't realize DA/SA weapons can actually be carried safely in a holster without the safety being engaged. Pincus's opinion was a bit more nuanced because he disliked the weight, the DA/SA trigger, and the upside down safety lever. The author of this piece writes:

    As far as DA/SA trigger pulls go.  This is a training issue.  I’ve seen many shooters running DA/SA guns, do so with great skill and with great results.  SIG’s, HK’s, CZ’s, S&W’s, and most self loading guns that are not 1911’s or Striker Fired Polyguns are in fact DA/SA guns.  A shooter can and will get used to the trigger mechanism if they will actually get out to the range and fire their weapons once in awhile and practice with them.

    Here’s the thing that the DA/SA guns have over most of these Striker Guns… That SA pull.  I’ve fired some DA/SA guns with triggers so good it makes you want to go slap Gaston.  Even with my tricked out Glock trigger, which is really dang good… It’s not as good as the SA pull on my Beretta 92.  It just isn’t.  Because mechanically all that trigger has to do is release the hammer.  In the Glock and M&P, the trigger still has to pull that striker back just a little more before it can release.  This gives it just a bit more take up… a little longer… just not quite there where a good SIG or Beretta or CZ trigger can be.  I won’t say HK, because they have triggers like toggle switches, but that’s because the Germans believe in Corporal Mortification or something… I don’t know.

    But back to the Off Safe Carry, the process is simple.  After firing, you decock and safe the weapon, holster safely, and then flick the weapon off safe.  Done.  The most dangerous moment in handling the weapon is when holstering.  And holstering a decocked Beretta 92FS is probably the safest gun you could ease into any holster.  It doesn’t get safer.  The trigger is disconnected and the firing pin transfer is rotated 90 degrees away from the firing pin.  There is no way a round could go off in this condition.  No matter how sloppy your reholstering is.  Once safely nestled in it’s holster and everything is good… *Flick*  Your weapon is now read for a rapid draw and fire without worrying about an external safety. 

• A video from Lucky Gunner: "Do .22 Pocket Pistols Actually Work?" This is the culmination of series of videos evaluating .22 pocket pistols: the Ruger LCP II, Taurus 22TUC, and Beretta 20X Bobcat. He also has posted reviews of the Taurus 22TUC and Beretta 20X. The manufacturers must have really upped their game in the past few years, because these pistols all featured real sights and improved ergonomics. Ignoring whether .22 LR makes a good defensive round, the issue with these three handguns is reliability: he was seeing failure to feed or fire rates ranging from 1% to 5% depending on the handgun and type of ammunition (except when using a suppressor on the Beretta model which then ran without issues).
• And the opposite extreme: "Not your cowboy’s sixgun, the new Colt Anaconda in .45 Colt" by Hunter Elliott, Range Hot. Because the Anaconda was designed to shoot .44 Magnum, the version in .45 Colt will handle .45 Colt +P loads. 

Now, with modern +P loads and the right rig, the .45 Colt can rival .44 Magnum energies, doing so with less energy due to its case capacity. Also, a .44 Magnum bullet is .429″ while the .45 Colt will be .451″ or .452″, so you have a larger bullet. Couple that with the history of the .45 Colt and cool points, and it makes sense to have one handy. 

• "Myths About Small Guns Women Should Ignore"--Miss Tactical.  The article goes into each topic in more detail as well as suggestions on what women should look for in a concealed carry pistol, but these bullet points at the top of the article give you an idea of the substance of the article:

🚫 Myth: “Women should carry tiny guns because they’re easier to shoot.”

✅ Truth: Small guns = more recoil and harder control. Choose what fits your hands!

🚫 Myth: “Concealability” With proper technique, mid-size guns can be just as concealable. [ed: not really]

✅ Truth: Small guns = Not enough surface area for firm control, impacting accuracy. 

• A few articles on using flashlights (not weapon lights) with your handgun:
• "4 Flashlight Techniques for Concealed Carry"--Shooting Illustrated.  Descriptions of the Harris Technique, the FBI Technique, the Neck-Index Technique, and the Rogers/SureFire Technique.
• "How to Use a Flashlight for Armed Self-Defense" by Jeff Gonzales, The Truth About Guns. This particular article is more about why you should carry a flashlight and what to use it for.
• "How To Use a Flashlight for Self-Defense" by Richard Nance, Handguns Magazine. This one also covers the Harris Technique, the FBI Technique, and the Neck Index Technique. Nance also points out:

It’s important to understand these flashlight techniques don’t exist in a stand-alone vacuum. In the real world, you’ll need to transition from one technique to the next, as appropriate. This requires not only an understanding of how to perform the techniques, but also, of equal importance, a knowledge of under which circumstances each technique should be employed. 

• A video review of the new Colt Viper: "Rifleman Review: Colt Viper" (4 min.). Unlike the original Viper, which was an aluminum framed pistol that shot .38 Special, this is a steel frame version capable of handling .357 Magnum loads. It is being offered in 3" and 4.25" barrel models, and appears to be intended for concealed carry. 
• "A Practical Guide to Modern Shooting Sports: USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, & Beyond"--Kommando Blog. A very brief guide to some of the modern shooting sports that focus on "practical" shooting. 
• "Why Use a Handgun for Bear Defense — Because They Work" by Dean Weingarten, Ammo Land. Weingarten has collected data about defensive shootings against bears for many years, which he will occasionally update and publish. This isn't one of those long compilations, but an argument that killing bears is preferable to simply driving them off as a matter of public policy, because it removes the most aggressive bears while also teaching bears to avoid humans.
• "This Is a Better Way to Carry Your Pistol in the Backcountry"--Outdoor Life. A review of the Guardian Chest Plate. It appears to be a plate with various slots around the edges and otherwise perforated with holes, allowing you to attach straps, holsters, etc., to it. The author writes:

    One drawback to chest carry is that sometimes holsters don’t work cohesively with a binocular pouch/harness — a tool that’s become standard for most western hunters. At best, you have another extra set of straps to deal with, and at worst, it simply doesn’t work. There are better options out there, and one of them is the Guardian chest plate from Deadfall Designs. This simple plate allows you to attach your holster, and uses webbing straps to the rear of your bino harness, sandwiching the pistol between. The plate’s hole pattern is compatible with a variety of holsters and you can orient the pistol how you like. 

    For harnesses with wings or side pouches, the pistol can be a bit buried, but the Guardian works very well with compact handguns in this configuration. For others using bino pouches with no side wings, it’s easy to fit a holster for a G20 or other full-sized 10mm, and to position the grip for an efficient draw.  

• "Fieldcraft: Becoming Invisible"--The Tactical Hermit.  Subtitled: "Discover the extraordinary tale of Christopher Knight, the ‘Ghost of North Pond,’ who lived undetected in the Maine wilderness for 27 years."
• "Seven tips for surviving the apocalypse"--The Conversation.  They are (i) purify water; (ii) prevent infection by using soap; (iii) generate power; (iv) grow food; (v) "drive tree powered cars" meaning learn to make wood gas and convert your car to run on it; (vi) restart a chemical industry; and (vii) be scientific, i.e., preserve the scientific method. Although wood gas was widely used in WWII by civilians dealing with fuel shortages, I wonder if modern vehicles with all the computer controls, fuel injection, etc., could easily be modified to use wood gas. 
• "Essential Roles in a Thriving Post-Apocalyptic Community"--Canadian Preparedness. Basically a look at some jobs or skills in several general fields. The general fields are (i) farming & gathering; (ii) medical care & first aid; (iii) culture (i.e., the arts and education); (iv) building; (v) diplomacy; (vi) cooking; (vii) defense. Under each field, the author lists more specific jobs/skills. For instance, under "building" is carpentry, engineering, and manufacturing of weapons. Don't underestimate the importance of cooking. In the book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec, being a good cook who could also oversee preparing meals for the group was a highly valued skill, and one which assured access to food. Other skills such as being able to make or mend clothing, and make and repair shoes was highly valued, as was the ability to fix weapons.
• "Prepping 101: An Essential Guide for the Unprepared"--Mira Safety. At first I thought this was going to be another standard "beginning prepping" article with some vague information on storing food, water, having a bug out bag, and so on. But it discusses different types of prepping, the role of community, communication and information gathering, in addition to the more standard topics. Yes, the information is bare bone--it is just an article after all--but covering a greater breadth of topics. 
• "The Best Knife Sharpeners for Smoother-Slicing Blades, According to Our Tests"--Food & Wine. Obviously this article is focusing on kitchen knives, but they should work for other knives. The top picks were:

• Best Electric Knife Sharpener: Chef’s Choice 1520 AngleSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener.
• Best Rolling Knife Sharpener: Tumbler-The Original Rolling Knife Sharpener.
• Best Manual Knife Sharpener: Zwilling 4-Stage Pull Through Knife Sharpener.
• Best Value Knife Sharpener: Longzon 4-in-1 Knife Sharpener.
• Best Splurge Knife Sharpener: Chef’s Choice DCB1520 Rechargeable AngleSelect Electric Sharpener.
• Best Compact Knife Sharpener: Material Kitchen "The Sharpener".

• "The New Rules of Bugging Out in 2025: Lessons from the Last 5 Years"--The Prepper Journal. Injecting some realism into bugging out. The seven "new" rules:

1. Bugging out is no longer "cool". Meaning, ditch the tactical look: "You need to look like someone who’s trying to get home, not someone who’s loaded for bear."
2. Digital footprints can get you caught. I don't know who would be surveilling you after a natural disaster, but, as he notes, there are cameras everywhere and AI is watching.
3. Gasoline is a liability.  What he means is that gasoline powered vehicles are a liability: "You’re not Mad Max, and gas isn’t unlimited. In a real crisis, stations are dry, roads are blocked, and armed checkpoints are not fiction."
4. Local is the new distant. Meaning to be realistic--are you really going to make it 100, 200, 300 miles to a bug out location?
5. Group plans beat lone wolf fantasies. Basically, there is strength in numbers.
6. Your bug-out bag needs a reality check. "Let me be clear: If it doesn’t keep you alive or give you an edge in a real-world scenario, it’s dead weight."
7. Don't bug out ... unless you absolutely have to.  

• "Why are more people becoming preppers? Colorado survivalists say natural disasters, COVID and doomsday"--The Colorado Sun. Based on attendance numbers at the recent Colorado Prepper Expo in Pueblo, it appears interest has been declining.  

Several people involved in the survival industry said there seems to be fewer huge shows that were a hallmark a decade or so ago. The uneventful passing of Y2K and the end of the two-year run of National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers” series might have something to do with that.   

Or perhaps they became like gun shows: overpriced flea markets offering few real deals.  

• "Most doomsday preppers have it wrong. This is actually how to survive the apocalypse"--BBC Science Focus. I'm not sure where this title came from, unless it has to do with shelter construction. The article indicates that a bomb shelter should have thick concrete walls and roof to protect from blast and a shock wave from a nuclear weapon. But most prepping/survivalist books don't describe making a bomb shelter, but rather a fallout shelter, so it's really an apples to oranges discussion. In any event, there is some discussion of electricity and other conveniences (again, in the context of a large shelter such as some European governments still construct for citizens), water (again in the context of a large shelter), food and bug out bags. The food recommendations were interesting because it indicated that the LDS Church's recommendation was to store 3 months of food, but the recommendation has been, for longer than I've been alive, to store a 1 year supply. I don't know where the 3 months came from, unless the Church has different recommendations for the members in England or Europe for some reason. 
• Your enemies are training: "Armed Queers group trains radical Marxists to shoot just miles from where Charlie Kirk was murdered"--Just The News. The article begins:

    Amid the snow-capped mountains and Mormon churches of Utah, not far from where FBI agents continue to scour for more evidence in Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a self-described armed revolutionary group openly aligned with Cuba has risen up on the streets of one of America’s most conservative states.

    Armed Queers SLC says its mission is to train gay, queer and transgender people to arm themselves and to fight against capitalism. Although their purported Facebook page does not directly appear to encourage the use of firearms in their claimed mission, many of the images used depict firearms. As recently as this spring, its members traveled to Cuba for a meeting to celebrate the May Day holiday and participate in a march and events alongside revolutionaries from around the world.