Weekend Reading #77

Some longer or more involved reading:

•  Jon Low has posted his mid-month Defensive Pistolcraft newsletter. A few points I found especially notable:

    First, Jon has some comments regarding an article I had linked to about trigger control, which I will repeat in full (the original in regular type and Jon's comments in italics):

     ". . . I don’t think exact digit placement matters so long as you can pull the trigger straight back with each shot."  

[I disagree.  Consistency is accuracy.  The center of the trigger should be in the center of your fingerprint.  Everyone has a whorl, loop, or arch fingerprint on the pad of their trigger finger.  The center of the trigger should be on the center of your fingerprint.  If your trigger is not in the correct position for this to allow you to press the trigger straight to the rear, get a gunsmith to move the trigger for you.  Yes, as a matter of fact, a competent gunsmith can move the trigger on any pistol.  (Moving the trigger position on 1911's is especially easy by replacing the trigger.)  
-- Jon Low ]   

I think there is a bit more nuance to this issue. It has long been recognized that while the center of the pad works the best for firearms with a lighter trigger, the distal crease (i.e., the crease at the first joint of the finger closest to the tip) is best for heavy trigger pulls such as you will get when shooting double action. Massad Ayoob calls this the "power crease". This is why I prefer a smooth trigger face on double-action triggers. 

    A second item that stuck out to me were some comments Jon had quoted from Gabe Suarez about striking versus takedown/ground fighting in a street fight. Suarez's comments were in response to a piece from Pete Blair at Tactical Science arguing that police should use take downs because they present better to witnesses or a jury; and Suarez taking the position that in fights on the street, take downs are too dangerous because of the environment or the possibility of the suspect stabbing or cutting you while you are tied up with him on the ground. Jon agreed with Suarez, writing: "I agree with Gabe.  Don't grapple.  You will pick up all kinds of nasty diseases, fleas, lice, feces, urine, and such.  They will bite you.  They will scratch you.  (Yes, it happened to me when I was working in the hospital emergency rooms.)  Strike and twist to disengage.  Separate and weaponize." I've been told and read the same from other sources as well. Leaving out the chance of your opponent having a weapon, the street or sidewalk or parking lot is not the same as the practice mats at a dojo: a street fight presents a hard surface with curbs, rocks and other debris (possibly broken glass or other debris that will cut), with only the Lord knows what else. And if you assailant has buddies, going to the ground leaves you at risk of being kicked or stomped by them. 

    Third, Jon links to a short video that I think is important for everyone, but especially for women, older men, and boys, on fighting against someone that has you in a grip (for instance, grabbing your jacket or shirt or grabbing one of your arms). Jon summarizes and comments:

     Don't fight the grip, fight the face [gouge eyes, finger through the ears into the brain (Oh yes, your finger is long enough to reach his brain, if you are a petite woman your fingers are thin enough to get through his ear canal.  And if you've got long sharp glued on finger nails, well . . .  Can't imagine yourself doing that to a human?  Well, I can assure you that he can imagine raping and sodomizing you, and will.  So decide.), or cup your hands and clap over his ears to break his ear drums with air pressure].  Don't wait for him to hit you.  Strike first.   

    Finally, Jon comments about a video Massad Ayoob recently posted about speeding up your pistol reloads, where Ayoob recommended using the slide release instead of pulling back on the slide (the sling-shot method) to release the slide. Jon raises a good point:

     I disagree.  The reason you MUST rack the slide instead of hitting the slide stop, is because the slide might not be locked back.  You must always use techniques that work in all conditions, not just the pristine conditions of your air conditioned indoor range.   

I can affirm Jon's reasoning, albeit from a slightly different factual pattern. I had been invited by a friend to go to a shooting match and, since I didn't have a handgun suitable for such matches at the time, my friend let me use a 1911-style 9mm he had. Up to that point, I generally used the slide release; but the problem I quickly discovered when I did my first reload was that I couldn't quite reach the slide release with my thumb, so I had to resort to the sling shot method (and thank goodness I had enough experience I could make the shift smoothly and quickly). I think the advantage of doing it the same way each time outweighs the marginal time savings from using the slide release--especially if you find yourself, like me, under time constraints and suddenly discovering that using the slide release is not a viable option. 

    Jon has a lot more, so be sure to check the whole thing out.

• It's the weekend, so that means that Greg Ellifritz has another Active Response Training Weekend Knowledge Dump.  Lots of good stuff this week, so it has been hard to pare it down to a handful that particularly stick out. But here goes:
• I've grown to like some of the African hunting stories, but Greg links to one that is a bit unusual: an African hunting guide that used a MAC-10 submachine gun to deal with a large troop of baboons that had killed a village child and otherwise become a dangerous nuisance. 
• An article with good advice for concealed carry shooters entitled "Top 6 Things Every Concealed Carry Holder Should Know." Because there is much more to concealed carry than just knowing how to draw and shoot your handgun.
• But you need to be able to shoot accurately when it comes down to it as the tale of the mad dog illustrates. 
• A detailed article on getting appendix carry to work for men (or women, for that matter) with big bellies. 
• A good article explaining the difference between competition shooting and tactical/combat training. Key bit: "Tactical training isn't trying to win a match. It's trying to solve a lethal-force problem while minimizing unnecessary risk to yourself and others. A doorway on a competition stage is simply part of the course design. A doorway in a hostile structure may be a fatal funnel requiring an entirely different solution." However, if you don't care about winning a competition, you can approach it from a more combat oriented perspective.
• A detailed article from Swift Silent Deadly on putting together a more realistic bug-out bag. 
• A piece from Off Grid on the many uses for a triangular bandage. 

• And now for something completely different: "How Did the Tesla Roadster Fly? Here’s How It Works"--Motor Trend. From the lede:

The most staggering technology introduced on the new Tesla Roadster is a propulsion system pulled directly from SpaceX—the rocket, satellite and artificial intelligence company also owned by Elon Musk. In the Roadster shown at the event, four metal nozzles sit just above the rear bumper and look for all the world like the exhaust tips on your standard supercar (think C8 Corvette but spread farther apart). But this is an EV, so those pipes are not venting exhaust gases, but high-pressure air, primarily nitrogen, that’s stored in a massive black spherical tank that sits behind the roadster’s two front seats. The ball is a composite-overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV), and it’s connected by two pipes that feed the four nozzles, which function as cold gas thrusters (CGT).

• "Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter Is The Archetype The Right Must Embrace To Counter Left Wing Nihilism And Degeneracy"--Fandom Pulse. Not the character presented in the Disney movie, of course, but from Burroughs' novels. An excerpt:

    John Carter is a chivalric ideal, a man who embodies all the masculine virtues in their perfect Aristotelian mean—or at least comes close to it. He embodies duty but not weakness. He embodies strength but not cruelty. He embodies adventure but not recklessness. To put it bluntly, John Carter is a masculine hero in the truest sense of those words.

    He’s a man who knows what he wants and takes after it with every ounce of his being. He does not shirk from battle; in fact, he’s a fighting man. Battle is in his blood, and he’s called to it as his vocation. He’s a leader of men, at all times honorable and fair. He’s the kind of man who can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. You’d rather have no one else by your side and rather anyone else against you. John Carter embodies the archetype of the king, which I would argue is completely lost on the world today. 

    When was the last time you saw a man portrayed so favorably on television? When was the last time you saw a man like John Carter?

    Because I can tell you this, it certainly wasn’t in the John Carter movie.

    Now I don’t want to rag too harshly on this movie as he does still become the hero. But it does illustrate the trend media took over the 20th century. Our culture swung from strong men being strong men, to weak men becoming strong men, and finally to weak men being weak men. You can see this everywhere, even in Peter Jackson’s acclaimed Lord of the Rings movies. Aragorn is not a reluctant hero in the books. He doesn’t second guess himself. But for some reason, such a thing was incomprehensible to audiences (or rather Hollywood writers) in 2001. And it has only gotten far worse from there.

    You can visibly detect how masculinity has been increasingly portrayed more tragically as time goes on. When men are not outright evil, they’re to be demeaned as the fundamentally lesser of the two sexes. It is always the man who is less capable, less aware, less actualized. If the man is loving, he must also be bumbling and weak. 

[snip]

    Dissident literature, if it is to stand against Leftwing art, it must be uplifting to the soul—and especially to this masculine spirit. The heroic must awaken in men again. And while this does not mean all men are called to be warriors, all men are called to be as virtuous as John Carter, and as a man, to live life with that same vitality in whichever vocation he is called to. 

Read the whole thing. 

Gun & Prepping News #101

Some links that may be of interest: 

• "SAF Wants to Know Why ATF Thinks Rare Breed’s Patent Litigation Is Any Of Its Business"--Shooting News Weekly.  The ATF is trying to insert itself into a patent lawsuit between Rare Breed and competing forced reset trigger products. Presumably this is because the ATF knows that if it can help Rare Breed win its lawsuit, it will keep the prices high and supply low on forced reset triggers.
• "Gun Skills – Pieing a Room"--Shoot On. The author starts out by explaining:

    Knowing what’s going on inside a room is essential prior to entry, as pandemonium can ensue otherwise. Of course, what I’ve just stated is nearly impossible, especially in an unfamiliar environment; however, this doesn’t mean that we must rush straight in. There is a means of slowly revealing what is on the other side while mitigating our own exposure to danger. The process is called slicing the pie or simply pieing. It involves dividing the room of interest into angular sections based on your position to the door.

    Understanding the practice of pieing begins with learning the basic mechanics of a door by observing the hinges. Doors will swing toward this hardware. So, in most cases, it pays to be on the other side when opening them. Now, your starting position might change depending on the layout of the room you’re about to enter (if you know it), but for the sake of simplicity, let’s leave it there for now. 

The remainder of the article has instructions and tips for pieing a room and concludes with a couple drills you can run at an appropriate shooting range or favorite shooting area.

• "Tactical Intelligence: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Civilian Body Armor"--Bone Tactical. As an initial matter, the author notes the two basic reasons for your average citizen to own and use body armor: as part of a home defense plan or strategy; or civil unrest/SHTF. But in the latter case, he recommends something concealable and low-key, lest you become a target. He has other tips and advice, so be sure to read the whole thing. 
• "Faster, Accurate Shooting: Mastering Pistol Trigger Control"--Handguns Magazine.  An excerpt:

The first rule of trigger control is that pressure should be applied evenly to the front of the trigger. It’s vitally important that the trigger press is straight back because any uneven pressure will result in muzzle movement. This straight-back trigger press offers another advantage that few people consider: better recoil control. If I’m consistently pressing the trigger right to left, then the gun is moving in my hand. When the gun settles out of recoil the sights will be out of alignment. When you press straight back and the gun settles, the sight will be closer to centered (provided you have a solid grip and even pressure, but we’ll address this more later). 

And while he doesn't think it matters exactly where what part of the finger rests on the trigger, he comments:

What most certainly does matter is which joint flexes when firing the gun. There are three bones—known as phalanges—that compose each finger. The bones at the tip of the finger are known as distal phalanges, and they are attached to the medial (or middle) phalange. The finger bone closest to the hand is the proximal phalange. When firing, flexion primarily occurs at the joint between the proximal and medial phalange. This is the primary lever that you use when shooting, and this is the joint that you should flex each time you fire. Your knuckle joint should not move while firing. 

• "The AK-47: A History of Practical Design That Still Matters Today"--Ammo Land.  A brief history of the weapon, including its origin, production history, and impact. As the author observes: "The AK prioritizes reliability and ease of manufacturing over precision. It wasn’t designed to be perfect—it was designed to work, and to keep working under harsh conditions."
• On a related note: "Maintaining The AK Series Of Rifles: From The User To The Maintainer"--The Firearm Blog. This article covers the inspection of the rifle (including common wear and failure points), cleaning, and maintenance and replacement of components over time. For instance, the author relates that "AK barrels typically last 10-20k rounds" depending on use, and "it's recommended to replace all the springs at roughly 5-8k rounds."
• "Basic Defense Handgun: Taurus Model 82"--The Tactical Wire. Some people don't have the money to buy a Gucci priced revolver or defensive pistol, and don't have the time, money, and/or interest to put into a lot of training or practice. But they still need something basic for self-defense. That appears to be the niche for this weapon. The author relates:

    Like many, I’ve seen and read about Caleb Giddings’ extensive use of the most basic Taurus revolver. Described as a “security guard’s gun,” apparently a number of agencies, private and public, in South America make extensive use of the Model 82. 

    A fixed sight, four-inch 38 Special revolver, rated for +P ammunition, it’s analogous to the guns worn by US police and security since before WWII. 

    When last I took note of Caleb’s trek with the plain old 38, his gun had consumed around 13,000 rounds of ammunition. He shot it at matches where “modern” semi-autos and pistol-mounted optics covered the ground. He shot it at distance, with an enviable group, and shot it quickly in match prep and competition.

    And he’s carried it concealed more than just a little. 

    That’s confidence.  

He goes on to describe the pistol as well as the results of testing some ammunition through it. The firearm does appear to be regulated for 158-grain projectiles. Looking up the prices, it appears that the MSRP is about $540, but Sportsman's Warehouse was listing it for roughly $420. 

• CCI has released some new .22 LR options:
• "The Rimfire Report: What's Different About CCI's Golden Boy Ammo?"--The Firearm Blog.  This round uses a 36-grain projectile and is supposed to be optimized for feeding a lever action.
• "CCI’s New Hunter Series .22 LR Is Hitting Shelves"--The Truth About Guns. This comes in a standard super-sonic loading and a sub-sonic loading, both using a 40-grain lead flat-nose Small Game Bullet (SGB). The author points out: "A flat-nose solid lead projectile tends to retain its mass through soft tissue and bone rather than fragmenting the way a hollow point will — which is exactly the trade-off squirrel and rabbit hunters care about. You want the round to kill clean, but you don’t want to pick lead out of the meat or lose half the quarter to pulp." 
• "Manticore Arms Ripley Rail: The 1980’s Aliens Upgrade Your AR Needs"--Recoil Magazine. A product that allows you to mock up the M41A rifle used by the Colonial Marines in the movie Aliens using a short barrelled AR as the base weapon (sorry, no display showing the number of rounds remaining, though). 
• "Yes, Airsoft Guns Can Be a Useful Part Effective Firearm Training"--Shooting News Weekly. The author points out:

    Training is where you go and what you do to learn how and what to practice. Practice is what you do on your own to develop and maintain skill. In addition to learning how to press the trigger without disturbing the sights, there are many other things we learn in training; holster drills, moving and shooting, multiple target drills, etc.  

    For those whose only option is the local indoor range with severely restrictive rules, much of what you learned during training, things you want to practice, might be forbidden. This is when setting up your own airsoft practice range in a basement, garage, or backyard might be a legitimate idea.

    Also, some of us live on the opposite spectrum of the indoors-only range. I have lived in rural areas where the only ranges were outdoors and during the winter, blowing and drifting snow prevented access. When I lived in the northern part of the United States, I spent many January and February afternoons in my basement airsoft range getting in some valuable practice.  

• "Craig Boddington: How to Pick the Perfect Hunting Scope"--Rifleshooter Magazine. The author notes:

The vital zone of deer-sized animals isn’t small. Modern rifles that lack this level of accuracy are rare. So, you need the skill to hit that vital zone. Within 100 yards, with average vision and in decent light, this should be possible with open sights. Beyond that distance, and in the critical periods just before sunrise and after sunset, it’s your scope that enables you to properly see your animal, resolve your point of aim, and make the shot. 

The last sentence is probably the most critical one, so a scope with better glass but a lower power will be better than something with higher power that has poor quality glass. You also don't need too much power. The author reports good performance from his Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40mm. But, he adds, "a good quality 3-9X (or thereabouts) will do everything most of us need done. And that is about the maximum power you can have without parallax adjustment (which adds cost)." He likes the 32mm tubes over the 1-inch, but recommends against the 36mm which he believes are too big and heavy for hunting. 

• "The Budget Hunting Knives We Actually Use and Recommend"--Outdoor Life. Several knives ranging from $13 to $68. 
• "Undertsanding Elk Vocabulary is an Important Hunting Skill to Master"--Petersen's Hunting. Some of the calls discussed as those of the estrus cow, the calf call, and a couple bugle calls that the bulls will make.
• "Walker Razor Walkie Talkie Review: Real-World Range & Frequency List"--Modern Survival Blog. The ranges advertised for most walkie talkie radios are for ideal (and, frankly, unrealistic) conditions. The real-world ranges are generally much, much less. For instance, the Walker radios tested in this article had an advertised range of 2 to 3 miles, but the author's test put the good communication range as 300 feet, and essentially no communication beyond 1,300 feet. On the other hand, he purchased these specific radios because they integrated with the Razor electronic ear muffs and the real world ranges were sufficient for what he needed. 
• "Microprepping for People with Small Homes"--Urban Survival Site. The article begins:

    When most people picture an emergency stockpile, they imagine a basement lined with shelves, a spare bedroom packed floor to ceiling, or a garage full of five-gallon buckets. And if you've got that kind of room, great. But a lot of us don't. If you live in a small house or apartment, you might have nothing more than a single closet to work with.

    Here's the good news: it absolutely is. This is where microprepping comes in. Microprepping is all about squeezing a bunch of survival supplies into a tiny space by being organized, intentional, and clever about what you choose to store. Emergency supplies can take up a ton of room if you're careless, but if you plan well, you'd be surprised how much you can fit in one closet.

    In fact, you can put together a full 60 days of supplies for two adults in a single linen closet. We're talking food, water, health items, self defense, all of it. It just takes a bit of thought about what earns a spot on the shelf.

The article goes over 9 steps to putting together a "microprepping" stockpile, plus links to an video demonstrating how to transform that bathroom linen closet into your storage for preps. 

Gun & Prepping News #99

Some links that may be of interest: 

• "Sling Manipulation for Home Defense: Making Slings Work Around Corners"--Ammo Land. The author begins: 

    A rifle sling is often treated as little more than a carrying strap. For a gun owner relying on a rifle, shotgun or pistol caliber carbine for home defense, that is a mistake.

    A properly set-up sling helps retain the rifle, frees a hand when necessary, and gives the shooter more control in hallways, doorways, and other confined spaces. A poorly adjusted sling can bind the rifle, slow a shoulder transition, or leave the gun swinging around when the shooter needs both hands.

    In a recent training video, Travis Haley of Haley Strategic demonstrates how sling configuration affects shoulder transitions, body exposure around corners, and the shooter’s ability to keep a rifle in action after an injury. Haley discusses those techniques primarily through the lens of close-quarters operations, but several of the underlying lessons have direct value for civilian gun owners who keep a carbine for home defense.

• "Close Encounters of the Revolver Kind"--Revolver Guy.  A look at concealed carry in the Old West with an emphasis on revolvers, including what some famous (or infamous) gunfighters used. An excerpt:

    All the same, most 19th century Westerners weren’t pistoleros by circumstance or experience and didn’t have the need or ability to tote large hog-legs for personal protection. Even so, the Western society of that era expected men to defend themselves against nutjobs and violent bullies. Thus, it was common for many Westerners, including some women, to be discreetly armed. Added to this was the dominant Western belief that a man’s personal honor and safety should be backed up by lethal force. 5

    Among the first to take advantage of these concealable arms were gunfighters on both sides of the law who wanted compact firepower in addition to their full-sized revolvers made by Colt, Smith & Wesson, Remington and other companies as backup heaters. Moreover, some boomtowns’ politicians forbade carrying firearms, especially open carrying such hardware. Therefore, many folks who worked in higher risk jobs carried small hidden firearms for self-defense. In those bygone days such weapons were known as hideout guns, cutdowns, pocket guns, vest pocket pistols, and bicycle guns. Today, our modern versions are called belly guns, snub-nosed revolvers, snubbies, micro pistols, backup guns and so forth. 

    So, a lot of Westerners who worked in mercantile stores, banking, gambling, bar tending, prostitution and stage coach transportation sought small equalizers that could be inconspicuously carried or stashed nearby. Quite a few manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, recognized a lucrative market and produced an assortment of small revolvers, some well-made and others clearly substandard. 

And you might find this note about the homicide rates interesting:

 In current-day America, 35 murders per 100,000 people is considered extremely high. Yet those figures pale in comparison to homicide rates in the Wild West. Adjusting for population densities, boomtowns Bodie, California, and the five main cattle Kansas cattle towns sported murder tallies that ran from 116 to 317 per 100,000 inhabitants. As bad as these statistics are, in the early 1850s the Pueblo of Los Angeles’s murder rate was 1,250 per 100,000 people. Historian John Bosessenecker believes that was by “far and away the highest homicide rate in American history.” Volunteers formed the Los Angeles Rangers to subdue the criminality.

• And some more firearms history: "The Beretta M1935: A Classic .32 Caliber Pistol"--The Shooting Wire. The author relates:

    The Beretta M1935 isn’t a fancy gun by any means. It’s a direct descendant of the Beretta M1934. The M1934 was a 9mm Corto (.380 ACP) Italian service pistol that served with the Royal Italian Army. The difference between the two is the caliber. 

    The M1935 is a direct-blowback .32 ACP pistol that feeds from a single-stack magazine. Like most guns of the era, it’s a hammer-fired, single-action-only pistol with a manual safety and heel-mounted magazine release.  

    The magazine holds eight rounds, which is one more than the M1934. The Italian Army already had the M1934, but the Navy and Air Force chose the .32 caliber M1935. The .380 had a bit more bite and nearly twice the free recoil of .32 ACP, so I imagine forces less focused on ground warfare wanted a little less oomph. 

    Beretta probably also had an eye on sales to police and external military forces. The .32 ACP was a popular cartridge amongst European police and military forces, and offering both made a lot of sense. Finland, Japan, and Nazi Germany all fielded the M1935. You didn’t have to redesign the gun to swap from .380 to .32. 

• And on to something more modern: "Meet the HK VP9CC: The New Micro-Compact With a Familiar Family Name"--The Truth About Guns. One thing that HK does now (not so much in the past) is get the ergonomics down (unlike another company whose name rhymes with "lock"). The author notes:

    Heckler & Koch did not skimp on the total package for the new pistol. The custom H&K-branded pistol bag includes six interchangeable backstraps, more than most other handguns on the market, to ensure you can get the exact grip you want on the VP9CC. The backstrap plays an important role in how you grip any handgun. If the backstrap is too elongated, it can prevent smaller-handed shooters from reaching the trigger.

    If the backstrap is too thin, it can give you “too much” trigger finger, where you’re having to curl your trigger finger uncomfortably outward to make a proper trigger pull. If shooting fundamentals have taught me anything, it is that building a good grip is the foundation of pistol shooting. If the backstrap makes or breaks a good grip, then you need the right one for your hand size.   

And look at the arch to the backstrap. You shouldn't be shooting low and left with this weapon.  

• "Concealed Carry Corner: Keys to Success"--The Firearm Blog. The first point the author raises is to know your limitations. He explains:

    One of the biggest issues I’ve seen with people in the concealed carry space is the concept of forcing a handgun to work no matter their body type or carry style. Some people are hell-bent on carrying a specific handgun, whether it's a full-size 1911 or even something larger like a Desert Eagle. There was an individual I met in the Detroit area who carried a Desert Eagle in 50 AE by having it in an OWB leather holster. I saw him walk into an indoor range where he proceeded to almost miss the target, hitting the D Zone 5 out of the 7 shots he fired. 

    If a firearm's too heavy to easily carry all day long and you can't shoot it accurately under pressure, why are you carrying it? ... 

• Think twice before getting involved: "Good Samaritan, 21, trying to stop robbery is shot three times before staggering down bloodied Seattle street where passersby refused to call 911 and FILMED him instead"--Daily Mail. From the lede:

    A 21-year-old man was shot three times while trying to stop a robbery in Seattle, and was left staggering through the streets as heartless passersby filmed his ordeal and his friend was left dying on the street.

    Matthew Lanske had just finished dinner with his friends in the city's Belltown neighborhood on September 6, when they witnessed an illegal street takeover, his family said.

    When Lanske and his friends then crossed the street near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Clay Street, a man and two women tried to rob his friend, Isaac Elijah Rios, 20, at gunpoint. 

    Lanske immediately jumped in to help, bravely trying to grab the gun from the man, when he was shot three times – twice in the stomach while the third shattered his pelvis and struck a major artery, his sister Rebecca Garberding said. 

• "Why Boomers Grew Up Loving Guns"--The Truth About Guns. The author posits:

    The world these children grew up in was saturated with firearms long before any toy Colt reached their hands. World War II left behind enormous quantities of military arms and industrial capacity. As veterans returned home and factories shifted back to civilian production, the American firearm market absorbed both the surplus and the influence of wartime design. Affordable surplus rifles and handguns introduced many civilians to firearms, while Winchester, Colt, Smith & Wesson, Remington, Ruger, and Savage repositioned themselves for a peacetime market built on hunting, target shooting, home defense, and outdoor recreation.

    Popular culture reinforced the connection without needing to invent it. The number of American households with televisions jumped from a handful to more than nine in ten between 1946 and 1964. Westerns filled those living rooms with images of Colts, Winchesters, lawmen, and frontier justice. Even when the stories were fictional, they tied firearms to history and identity in the minds of the audience. So a Boomer child grew up with a father who may have carried a rifle in the war, a household that owned a hunting shotgun, and a television that ran cowboy dramas after dinner. The replica toy was a small part of a far larger picture.

The author also theorizes that the Cold War had its own impact on the Boomers. But the culture is an impact: I do not believe anyone could deny the impact that video games and GWOT had on Gun Culture 2.0.

• A different type of boomer: "Big boomer guns"--Backwoods Magazine. Massad Ayoob discusses the large magnum or express rifles, handguns and shotguns. An excerpt:

    I never did go after elephant intentionally, but being in elephant territory and knowing horror stories of humans crushed to doll rags by the giant mammals, it was reassuring to have a .375 and a .458 along. I later acquired a .416 Rigby caliber Ruger Model 77 Express rifle.

    Machismo value? About 9 out of 10. Practical value if you live in the “lower 48” United States and don’t have to worry about humongous bears of the Polar and Grizzly variety? Well, probably close to zero. But the ability to shoot these monstrously hard-kicking guns fast and straight? Well, in Macho Guy Terms, the value is probably incalculable.

    You’ll see alongside this article my friend Justin Schortmann shooting his brother-in-law Caleb Gunter’s .470 Express double barrel elephant rifle. Watch the muzzle rise. Watch the body rock backward. I can only say—YEE-HAW!

    If you aren’t in elephant country, do you need an elephant rifle? Well, heck, if you’re in a country with a 70 mile an hour speed limit, do you need a car that can race at over a hundred miles an hour? In a free country, it’s about what you want, not just what you need. Me, I kinda go with a point that Ross Seyfried first made when he was a professional hunter in Africa. I’ve owned .375, .416, and/or .458 caliber elephant rifles when I lived in New Hampshire, and when I lived in Florida.

    During all that time, no elephant has ever attacked me or my neighbors. One can only conclude that there is a deterrent effect at work here. You’d think my Yuppie neighbors in the New England suburbs would have appreciated more than they did, the fact that I, alone, obviously kept herds of elephants from trampling their Volvos into their rock gardens.

• A good argument for not allowing Flock cameras or similar automatic monitoring systems: "FBI’s Secret NICS Monitoring Tracked Lawful Gun Buyers"--The Truth About Guns.  From the article:

    For years, the FBI ran a program that let federal agencies watch what guns you buy — even when you’re perfectly legal to buy them. It’s called NICS Monitoring, and on September 15, 2026, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed it exists.

    The confirmation came during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. Sen. Ted Cruz laid it out plainly. Gun Owners of America, he said, “discovered a secret FBI program called NICS Monitoring, used to track firearm purchases of Americans who were legally eligible to buy a gun but were suspected of a crime. Is that right?” Patel’s answer: “Yes.”

    That one word ended a five-year fight. GOA has been suing the ATF over the program since a 2021 FOIA request first surfaced records the government has tried to bury under redactions and gag orders ever since. 

• Speaking of a police state: "Texas police department shut down for failing to provide ‘public benefit’ after arresting mom over dirty water Facebook post"--New York Post.  The woman was arrested because she made a post critical of the city's mishandling of the municipal water system. Apparently the State of Texas can shut down local law enforcement agencies, and did so in this case.
• The Conference of Catholic Bishops urge the Supreme Court to leave Americans helpless in the face of violent crime. One of the key groups that aided and abetted the invasion of the United States under Biden now urges the Supreme Court to uphold local and state AR15 bans. 
• "Unconventionality Reigns Supreme with the CRKT Mah-chete"--Gat Daily. So this is one of those blades that tries to provide the utility of a machete with a smaller blade--in this case, a 12 inch blade--giving you something big enough to chop, but small enough to serve other knife roles. The author reviews the tool and ends with this:

Not only does the CRKT Mah-chete perform like a true powerhouse outdoors, but it also offers a coolness factor that cannot be denied. Its untraditional design allows it to perform like a traditional machete, while accomplishing a lot more. It can slice and dice for meal prep, split wood like an ax, and puncture like a spear. The Mah-chete retails for only $80.00 and when weighing quality versus price, it’s no contest. The Mah-chete pays for itself with its unrelentless performance in the field. 

The blade shape and curve is very much like that of a parang, except with a more pronounced point; and the handle is slightly offset above the line of the blade which would, IMHO, increase the power of the cutting stroke.  Very similar to the now discontinued K-Bar Swabbie or Schrade's Decimate Parang. I have a Schrade Bush Sword (now called the Decimate Brush Sword) which is a similar concept (albeit with a longer blade) which I have found very useful around my yard. 

• If the grid goes down in the winter, you might not be able to do your business in a heated bathroom. "Pooping In The Cold"--Blue Collar Prepping. The author links to a video on YouTube. As the author notes, "While this video is about using outhouses in cold weather, the same principle applies in the woods; just find a log to sit on." And one of the comments notes: "Replace the toilet seat with a piece of rigid foam insulation with an appropriate hole. You will think the seat is heated!"
• "The Potato Hole"--Backwoods Magazine. A mini-root celler, if you will:

    We had talked of putting in a regular root cellar, but digging one by hand on our property would have been a daunting task. Just below the meager layer of topsoil which grew wonderful vegetables was a gigantic layer of solid concrete-like clay. So we got by with storing potatoes with the canned goods in the basement where the temperature hovered in the 50s. Unfortunately, sprouts were plentiful by spring.

    But one day a few years back, we decided we had had enough of a 15-foot chokecherry bush that was sending suckers into the garden several yards away, so my husband cut it down then dug the roots out — a task that required the pickax, saw, and shovel. The resulting hole looked like it wouldn’t take much to make it big enough to sink the 2 foot by 30 inch (inside diameter) concrete riser we had on hand. “Then,” I said, “we could store potatoes in it.”

Gun & Prepping News #98

Some links that may be of interest: 

• "Priorities" by Massad Ayoob.  Some thoughts on the Idaho In-N-Out shooting. An excerpt:

There would have been four potential victims returning fire on him, but one was a former cop carrying a pistol with an empty chamber who was shot down by the murderer before he could rack a torpedo into the launch tube. Lesson: carry a gun that’s ready to shoot, and if you’re not comfortable with an autoloader in the chamber, consider a revolver. Another was a courageous young woman who picked up the pistol the killer had started with and dropped when it jammed, but couldn’t clear the malfunction and get the thing to work against its vicious original owner. Lesson: if you’re in a situation where a mass murderer is doing his thing, make sure you can get a picked-up gun up and running. These comments in no way denigrate the bravery of the citizen-rescuers mentioned.

• "The Wal-Mart Parking Lot Killing Legal Outcome"--The Tactical Professor.  You might have seen some news reports from June where a woman shot a man to death in a dispute over parking spot at a Walmart. The post cites a CBS article which lays out the basic facts:

    The woman involved in the June 30 shooting is Melissa Payne. The Broward State Attorney's Office released approximately 18 minutes of surveillance video showing the confrontation between her and Bart DiGuglielmo from multiple angles.

    The video begins with Payne and DiGuglielmo competing for the same parking space. Payne ultimately secured the spot, and DiGuglielmo parked elsewhere.

    According to prosecutors, DiGuglielmo later returned to the area where Payne was parked. Witnesses described him as visibly shaking and angry, and said Payne warned him multiple times not to approach her or her vehicle.

    Video footage shows Payne moving away for about 90 seconds as DiGuglielmo continued toward her. Payne eventually fired one shot, striking him in the abdomen. She immediately placed the gun on the roof of the car.

    DiGuglielmo later died.

In any event, authorities have declined to prosecute here based on Florida's stand your ground law. 

Reading the Memo and watching the video gave me a much different opinion of her retreat around the vehicles than I had previously. There was a much greater distance covered than just moving to the back of her vehicle. Given that she was neither a spring chicken nor a petite flower, she may well have retreated as much as she was physically capable of.

• Related: "THE “CAN-MAY-SHOULD-MUST” – 2.0 ?"--Modern Service Weapons.
• Interesting: "Beretta Introduces Shotgun-Based Turret System for Drone Defense"--American Rifleman. From the lede:

Beretta Defense Technologies has introduced the LIVET Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS)—an AI-driven turret system that can bring eight Benelli M4 Drone Guardian shotguns accurately to bear on incoming unfriendly drones. The platform addresses the growing concern over inexpensive unmanned aircraft systems on the modern battlefield.

The LIVET’s remote engagement capabilities and auto-tracking make it a formidable defense option for critical assets. Its AI system allows it to identify and lock onto targets autonomously. Radio and radar sensors can also be integrated, allowing it to receive coordinates from external devices and scan in the direction they detect potential threats. 

• "Which 100-Year-Old Hunting Rifle Performed Best?"--Guns & Ammo. This is the conclusion of a series that looked at some hunting rifles from the early 1900s. In this particular article, the author compares the performance of each (weight, accuracy, etc.) and ranks them. Summing up:

If I were in the market for one of these guns in 1925, as a typical hourly factory worker, and knew anything at all about the performance characteristics of some of these guns, I’d have a hard time looking past the 1893 Marlin or it’s competing Winchester Model 1894. I would also give a serious look at the Model 14 Remington and Savage 1899. I’d have a harder time justifying the Winchester 1907 from a cost and performance standpoint or the Model 8 Remington simply due to its cost. I would not eagerly buy a Winchester Model 54, either. It was a new and unknown bolt-­action and would have had to convince me of its advantages for the price. 

• ".38 Super: Best Semi-Auto Cartridge Ever"--Shooting Times. Some history of this cartridge together with advice for using it in competition and for handloading (which apparently is the best way to realize the potential of the cartridge and make sure to meet the necessary power factor required for some competitions). Although not mentioned in the article, it is my understanding that .38 Super is popular in Latin America because of the restrictions against owning firearms that shoot military cartridges such as the 9x19mm. 
• Speaking of handloading: "Hodgdon Lil' Gun .357 Magnum Load Data"--Shooting Times.  
• "Red Dot vs. Green Dot Optics: The Science Behind Which Is Best"--Handguns Magazine. The author concludes:

The good news is that for most shooters red dots continue to work very well, and red contrasts against a variety of backgrounds. Green dots may offer better visibility at lower power in bright conditions and sometimes don’t create the “sunburst” effect for shooters with astigmatisms, but green dots can be more difficult to see clearly against green backgrounds such as heavy foliage. Thanks to modern reflex sight technology, choosing between red and green dots is now largely a matter of personal taste. 

• "Do U.S. Riflemen Make Better Snipers? A British Point of View"--Guns & Ammo. Per the author, the answer is "yes" per one British sniper instructor because British recruits have no experience with firearms prior to enlistment while many American recruits will have been shooting and hunting since their youth. 
• "Galil ACE Gen 2 Review: Is This the Ultimate Survival Rifle?"--Rifle Shooter Magazine. And by "survival rifle" he means what you would grab in a Red Dawn scenario or post-apocalypse. 
• "Best Hearing Protection for Shooting (2026 Buyer's Guide)"--Handguns Magazine. A look at a handful of hearing protection products, as well as an explanation of why it is important, what is "hearing safe," and why the author argues you should "double up" on hearing protection. 
• "Hurricane Wind Arrival Time & Prep Deadline Tool"--Modern Survival Blog.  A tool embedded at the link. The author writes: "Enter your ZIP code, city or town, or use your current location below. This tool uses current NHC/NWS forecast data to show when 39+ and 58+ mph sustained winds could arrive, the 5-day probability of 39+, 58+, and 74+ mph winds, and an NHC-based prep deadline for your location."
• "Grow some winter squash this year"--Backwoods Home Magazine. 

    We can a lot of our summer crops but canned vegetables just don’t retain that fresh-picked flavor. So we use a variety of means in order to enjoy fresh vegetables year-round. By overwintering some crops in the garden (Swiss chard, kale, and spinach), growing microgreens inside, and growing crops that will store for long periods of time, we manage to keep a variety of fresh vegetables in our diet throughout the winter months.

    Winter squash is one vegetable that stores well so we grow a few different ones for use during the colder months. Stored correctly, some winter squash (Hopi Pale Grey, Blue Hubbard, and sometimes Butternuts) will keep until the next season’s crop is ready to harvest.

    Many vegetables and fruits prefer cooler temperatures for storage but not winter squash. I find that they keep better stored at room temperature. Winter squash come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They are beautiful to look at so you can store them in plain sight all over the house. Arrange them in a corner next to a potted plant, make a table display, fill a wire basket or old wooden box, put them in a child’s wagon, line them up on the fireplace mantle — you get the idea. 

• "GMRS Emergency Channel: What to Monitor During a Power Outage"--Modern Survival Blog. As the author explains, there is not dedicated emergency channel for GMRS. The author begins:

    If the power is out and cell service is starting to fail, GMRS Channel 20, 462.675 MHz, is one of the first channels worth monitoring. But don’t make the mistake of listening only there.

    Channel 20 has a long history as a traveler-assistance and calling channel. It is not an official FCC emergency channel today. Local GMRS repeaters, Channels 15 through 22, and even the lower shared FRS/GMRS channels may produce more useful traffic where you live. 

He also gives recommendations as to some radios.  

• "12 Early Warning Signs a Major Crisis Could Be Coming"--SHTF Preparedness.  A lot of these boil down to supply and distribution issues: (1) sudden shortages of supplies of food, medicine, fuel or household supplies; (2) rapid increases in food prices; (3) fuel supply instability; (4) warnings from banking and financial services such as increased volatility in financial markets, bank restrictions, or unusual economic policies; (5) increased political tensions; (6) disruptions in global shipping; (7) strains on electrical grids; (8) sudden government emergency measures; (9) large scale cybersecurity measures; (10) unusual consumer behavior; (11) disruptions in transportation networks; and (12) increasing frequency of emergencies. 

    To be blunt, by the time you notice many of these, it may already be too late. For instance, by the time the government enacts bank restrictions, it will be too late to pull your money out of the bank or make other arrangements. Generally, however, the well connected, wealthy people with have some forewarning. For instance, FerFal (I believe) recounted how before the Argentinean economic crises, there was a sudden jump in private jets leaving the country. Just before 9/11, there was an uptick in someone shorting airlines stocks. And probably numerous other examples.

    Also, by the time the mainstream media reports on something--if they ever do--it also may be too late. (For instance, how many of you heard of a Chinese reconnaissance satellite breaking up shortly after the Chinese supplied reconnaissance to Iran that led to the death of some American personnel). So you will want to try and find some off beat sources of news. For instance, for disruptions in global trade, I find the YouTube channel "What's Going On In Shipping" to be useful.   

    But it is because of our lack of access to vital information that we need to be prepared. We are not the ones that are going to get backroom calls from senior government officials, people in the know at large multinational banks or oil companies, or similar.

Weekend Reading #72

Some longer or more involved reading:

•  Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training has a new Weekend Knowledge Dump posted with links to interesting stuff and some commentary too. Several that I found notable:
• An article on the difference between social aggression (e.g., the "monkey dance," "educational beatdown" and similar) and asocial violence (violence that does not serve a social function such as to reshuffle the pecking order). 
•  A look at whether a light trigger assists in accuracy and it can (certainly an overly heavy trigger can degrade accuracy as anyone who has ever shot a double action handgun can attest). 
• An explainer on the different FEMA search markings and what they mean. The author also raises a couple cautions about trying to utilize a fake marking after a major disaster.
• A discussion of the pros and cons of using the high ready position with a rifle. But as Greg points out:

    There are way too many egos involved in the shooting industry.  Each claims that their methodology is the one true way.  It’s all bullshit.  Let’s stop being dogmatic. 

    We want to point our weapons in the safest direction we can in every different location.  Sometimes that is up.  Sometimes it is down.  Lighten up a bit. 

 And an excerpt from the article:

 

    Now observe 3 or 4 shooters in a straight line (one behind the other) and have them flow through a doorway, peeling off on alternating sides and driving their muzzles to the corners of the room. What you will notice, as they pass through the door and turn towards their corner, is that they will lean forward to be able to drive the gun. You will actually see a gap created at head level as they peel off left and right before you see a clear space below torso level into the room. This gap, or “Cut,” is what is being exploited by using the High Ready.

    Instead of waiting for the last part of a person’s body to move out of the way with the Low Ready, assaulters found that it was much faster to hold their rifle muzzles up and just drop the rifle down in the torso/head gap (created as the guy in front of them started peeling off left or right). This method proved faster than coming up from Low Ready, where you’re waiting on the lower body to clear. The increased speed of dropping down from High Ready can only be measured in fractions of a second, but in close quarter battles, that is a lot of time. 

•  An article that looks at clues you can pick up from empty shelves and missing items at the grocery store. The author notes that you should be looking not at a single item, but categories of items, particularly if it persists over several days or weeks. For instance, empty canned vegetables on one day might just mean a missed truck or a stocking crew running late; but persistent lack of items, cheaper products disappearing, or being replaced with other items is probably a signal of a breakdown in the supply chain.
• A piece from John Farnham with defensive tips should you find yourself stuck in a car at a drive thru as some found themselves at the recent In-N-Out shooting in Idaho.  
• An article about carrying with an empty chamber and its downsides, to which Greg adds the following comment:

     And speaking about the Idaho active killer attack, one armed citizen attempted to intervene, but he was carrying a pistol with an empty chamber.  He took a round into his primary gun arm before he was able to draw his gun.  When he eventually got the gun out, he was unable to chamber a round due to his injury.  How would you like to be that guy right now, knowing you could have stopped the killing, but you didn’t do so because you were unwilling to get enough training to feel comfortable with your loaded carry pistol?

    If you don’t feel it’s safe enough to carry a chambered striker fired pistol, you need more training.  If you are unwilling to seek training to become competent, you should be carrying a revolver.

    But none of the chamber-empty carry folks will ever carry a six-shooter, even though it’s a far more capable weapon than a chamber-empty semi-auto.  A revolver doesn’t look cool enough.  What does that tell us about a person like that? 

    They are unwilling to take a couple of days worth of training to be comfortable carrying a semi-auto with a loaded chamber.  They are unwilling to carry a revolver with a heavier trigger that is less likely to be accidentally pulled.  Those folks just want to feel like a badass carrying a gun. They don’t have either the mindset or ability to use the gun to save lives.   The gun for them is some kind of a magical talisman that prevents evil acts from occurring in their proximity.   They are more concerned with appearing capable than actually being capable.  I find those folks to be worse than worthless in an emergency.  Contemptible, actually.

•  John Wilder's "Liberty Without a People, a Border, or a Moral Center Is Just a Corridor" which I mentioned this morning, which is mostly a critique of libertarianism (but also socialism and globalism). An excerpt:

    Libertarianism fails because it calls collective self-defense “collectivism” when America is being assailed by collectives of Indians and Mexicans and moslems and other groups that all have a collective strategy to protect themselves at the expense of the rest of society.  If you try to get a job in certain sectors of the economy, if you don’t speak Spanish, aren’t a Brahmin, don’t bow to Allah, or don’t go to synagogue, well, you’re never going to get that job.  They’ll pick people more like them.

    Markets really are the main engines of prosperity, but random, chaotic markets aren’t the predictor of economic success, it’s the people.  In Sweden, all adopted (non-European) foreign children perform well below the norm on IQ tests.  Except the Koreans.

    Go figure.  People make a difference.  I’d rather live in socialist all-Dane Denmark than in multicultural Johannesburg.

    Libertarianism fails because it cannot generate or defend the particular social order that limited government requires.  Full stop.  The Founding Fathers didn’t spring forth from a Libertarian Eden.  Nope.  They were forged in plain-old British values. 

•  Rod Dreher: "Demon On A Plane? Jonathan Cahn’s Story. And: The Aztecs Really Were Unspeakably Evil." You may have seen news stories about the crazy plane passenger that had to be duck taped to his seat. Well, Cahn was the passenger seated next to the crazy guy and discusses how the guy went from normal to crazy at the flip of the switch, like he was possessed, when he realized that Cahn had written a Christian based adventure novel called The Altar Of Pergamon. And the topic of that alter led Dreher to ruminate on the evil that was the Aztek Empire. He included this excerpt from a review of a book about the Azteks (aka Mexica):

That empire was not gentle. Few empires are, but even by the sad standards of human history, the Mexica were extreme. I’m not speaking here about their legendarily creative and inventive ways of humiliating subject peoples,² I’m speaking about the human sacrifices. No, these were not exaggerated by the colonizers, as some revisionist historians would have you believe.³ If anything, the Spaniards lacked the conceptual framework to fully comprehend the industrial-scale, ever-so-civilized and bureaucratic evil of the Mexica, and so they inadvertently downplayed it. The reality, as Clendinnen brilliantly documents, is that human sacrifice was not an occasional or incidental religious custom for the Mexica, like an extra-spicy church service for the people who only show up on Christmas or Easter. No, the mass-butchery of wailing, pleading captives of both sexes and all ages was the core activity around which their entire civilization and society revolved. Their art, their music, their poetry, their approach to warfare, their entire economic system, their kaleidoscopic array of holidays and festivals, all were singularly dedicated to the killing (often preceded by inventive torture) of helpless human beings. And everybody had their role to play:

The killings were not remote top-of-the pyramid affairs. If only high priests and rulers killed, they carried out most of their butchers’ work en plein air, and not only in the main temple precinct, but in the neighborhood temples and on the streets. The people were implicated in the care and preparation of the victims, their delivery to the place of death, and then in the elaborate processing of the bodies: the dismemberment and distribution of heads and limbs, flesh and blood and flayed skins. On high occasions warriors carrying gourds of human blood or wearing the dripping skins of their captives ran through the streets, to be ceremoniously welcomed into the dwellings; the flesh of their victims seethed in domestic cooking pots; human thighbones, scraped and dried, were set up in the courtyards of households — and all this among a people notable for a precisely ordered polity, a grave formality of manner, and a developed regard for beauty.

The scale of it boggles the mind. The Mexica record with pride a single festal occasion on which over twenty thousand victims were sacrificed, the blood rolling in a slow curtain down the steps of the pyramids as four lines of manacled slaves trudged along the great processional ways towards their doom. It was the job of special priests to greet the captives as they entered the city and to explain in detail the honor that was to await them. And it was always human beings. Many primitive cultures have practiced forms of animal sacrifice. The Mexica were neither primitive, nor interested in animals. There was also no “othering” at work here. The Mexica knew that they were killing people who thought and felt and dreamed and loved as they did. Indeed, that was the entire point of it. They constructed an efficient and well-run machine that had as its sole purpose delivering living, breathing, conscious and informed human beings to the killing-stone or the furnace. A whole battery of sophisticated psychological techniques were employed to ensure the compliance of the victims to the end.⁴ Yes, the Spaniards lacked the vocabulary to describe it, but we who live in the aftermath of the twentieth century do not.

Read the whole thing.

• And in light of the actions and words from the female Lindsay Clancy jurors and their supporters: "The Return of Witchcraft, Part One: Understanding the public reappearance of hexing" by Tara Thieke. 

Here is an army willing to do battle against any moral restraint on itself. Copycat killings emerge; the TikTok goddesses pursue their line of thought without remorse. The Sisterhood rebukes the concept of examination of conscience, preferring therapy which validates one’s grievances. It is a massive, massive cultural shift imbuing all human relations, even the mother to child, with its conflation of any self-giving with persecution (both Clancy and her copycat killer described their small sons as being “the antiChrist” or “devil”). The rise of this Sisterhood in tandem with the growth of the “women can do no wrong” belief has life or death repercussions.  

Gun & Prepping News #96

 Some links that may be of interest: 

• When you don't trust your students or trainees to carry a loaded gun: "Carrying with an Empty Chamber"--Recoil Magazine. The article delves into the origins of this strange practice:

    There’s a reason why carrying with an empty chamber is also called “Israeli Carry.” This form of carry has been a standard in Israel for so long that many instructors don’t even know why they initially started doing it. A goodly portion is due to the fact the Israeli military has always had a smattering of different pistols. This continues into the 21st century, to say nothing of when the nation was founded so many years ago.

    There are modern American pistols that aren’t as drop-safe as we’ve been led to believe, so imagine what the wide world of pistols looked like at the end of the 1940s. If you’re carrying a pistol that can potentially pop off if you drop it, and you have one in the chamber and you drop it … what then? Carrying on an empty chamber effectively negates that risk.

    Furthermore, different pistols have different manual safety mechanisms located in different places, and so for a fighting force with a mishmash of pistols, “rack the slide, then shoot” can be a universal answer, with the other safeties (if they even exist) staying disengaged.

    Another issue aside from the pistols themselves were the holsters. Available holsters ranged from homemade affairs, coat pockets, and those adapted from other platforms. Modern Safarilands they were not.

    Coming along for the ride of this tapestry of equipment was an early and persistent problem of gun grabs at checkpoints. Sometimes those that were stopped would take their chances, lunging for the gun of a guard to use it against them. The chamber being empty added an extra step, giving the checkpoint worker an additional ounce of reaction time in the event of an attack.

    Finally, the level of training always comes into play. A young conscript army may still be quite motivated, but the general level of proficiency will be lower than a fully professional force. This means less experience and more accidents.

• Some historical fiction for those of you that like that sort of thing: "Packing a Punch: A History of the M14"--The Firearm Blog. Rather than focus on what is wrong with the author's "history", including skipping entirely some of the shenanigans that led to the adoption of the M14, I want to focus on one point which is accurate:

The post-war era saw the U.S. military looking for a new rifle that could replace not only the M1 Garand but also the M1 Carbine, the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and the Thompson submachine gun.

[snip] 

The development of the M14 began with the search for a weapon that could fulfil multiple roles: as a standard battle rifle, a light machine gun, and a replacement for several existing firearms. This led to the concept of a "universal rifle," which would be capable of firing in both semi-automatic and fully-automatic modes. ...

And there lies the problem with the M14 from the onset: it was intended to fill too many roles. The Garand was a primary battle rifle. The M1 carbine was a light weight weapon intended to supplant the handgun as a weapon for support troops--not as big or heavy as a rifle but offering better fighting capabilities over a handgun. The BAR and Thompson (and M3 "grease gun") provided weapons capable of full automatic suppressive fire in an era where the primary cartridge used by troops was too powerful to use in a light weight automatic weapon. So how did the M14 do? It was a fine replacement for the Garand, but too heavy a weapon for support troops, and used too powerful of a cartridge for automatic fire from that light of a weapon. Something had to give, and that was the selection of a smaller, lighter cartridge with substantially less recoil, which gave us the M16.

As a side note, I would note that Italy was able to successfully convert the M1 Garand to use box magazines and added select fire, resulting in the BM59 rifle.

• "G3 vs World: Trials of Modern Battle Rifles in Pakistan"--The Firearm Blog.  The author was involved in a weapon trial conducted by Pakistan to replace the locally produced G3 rifles and Chinese AK rifles. And although the test were supposed to be only among the weapons that Pakistan was considering as replacements, at the last minute they decided to include the G3 to act as a "baseline" to compare against. The G3 compared very well against the modern battle rifle offerings from various arms manufacturers. The author's conclusion:

    What can we learn from this experience? Nobody is claiming that the G3 is better than any modern battle rifle, but if we look at the core of the firearm, what matters is the cartridge, barrel length, and action. You cannot expect a drastic difference between two rifles chambered for the same cartridge with similar barrel length.

    If a rifle is reliable and can be used with modern sighting systems, it doesn't matter whether it was invented in 1959 or two years ago. When it comes to the G3, there is a lot of room for improvement, but with proper modernisation, the G3 certainly fits the formula of ‘old, but not obsolete’.  

• "PSA Olcan Review: Why the 300 Blackout Bullpup Actually Makes Sense"--Ammo Land. The Olcan takes the upper from PSA's JAKL and marries it to a bullpup lower. Thus, it has a long-stroke gas piston system, side-charging handle, and adjustable gas system. The barrel is 14.5" with a pinned and welded muzzle device that appears ready to accept a sound suppressor. It cannot switch ejection from the right to the left, however. 
• "Is the H&R Retro M16A1 the Most Authentic Colt M16 Clone?"--Shooting Times.  From the article:

    NoDak Spud is one of the most recognizable names in the retro rifle game, and it plays a role in the H&R rifles. Like the H&R brand, NoDak Spud was also acquired by Palmetto State Armory’s parent company, and they made NoDak’s founder, Mike Wettleland, H&R’s CEO. To say the company was in good hands would be an understatement.

    The finished result is a really nice looking rifle. Chambered in 5.56 NATO with a 20” chrome-lined pencil barrel, the H&R M16A1 upper receiver is made from NoDak Spud’s proprietary dies, and it has all of the iconic cosmetic features that denote an M16A1. The muzzle device, buttstock, front sight, carry handle, teardrop forward assist, and the triangular handguards with the heat shields are all there – you know exactly what it is upon first glance.

    The finish on the upper and lower receivers is even the correct gray color. Now, I would be remiss not to mention that some people have complained about the color of the small parts. On some guns, the parts are a glossier black and they clash terribly. On the gun I received, the parts are most certainly not glossy black, and they blend in with the rest of the rifle’s coloring. Not sure why there is a difference between some, but I thought that it was worth mentioning.

It also is available with either the period correct 1:12 twist or 1:7 for those who want to shoot heavier bullets. MSRP is right around $1,200. 

• Speaking of retro: "Five of the Best Factory Loads to Try in Your M1 Garand"--Guns & Ammo. The operating system of the M1 Garand cannot handle the hot loads commonly found in .30-06, so some companies have developed and market loads specifically designed for the Garand. This article looks at the following offerings: Creedmoor Sports CMP Load; Federal American Eagle For M1 Garand; Hornady .30-06 M1 Garand Match; Underwood M1 Garand; and Winchester M1 Garand. Of note:

One of the newest of the batch, Winchester undoubtedly did the best job of duplicating the original M2 ball. I write this because, thanks to their control of the Lake City ammunition plant, they were able to recreate the appropriate “LC” marked cases, and the first ones the market has seen in quite some time. Built to be rough and tumble like classic military munitions, they aren’t much to look at. However, they proved to be the spiciest load of the day in each rifle. Consistency was above mil-spec in both rifles, and despite being hotter than the others, I didn’t perceive any additional recoil. This is a terrific load for general target practice, or if you’re looking for a faithful reproduction of issued ammunition. 

Given the cost of .30-06, you might want to consider handloading ammo.  

• "Reloading 101: An Introduction to Loading Your Own Ammo!"--Ammo Land. The author makes his argument for why you should invest in the equipment and learn to reload your own ammo, as well as providing basic instructions. He also explains the different types of reloading presses and other equipment you will need.
• "Handloading .38 Special: Allan Jones' Deep Ballistic Lessons"--Shooting Times. Lessons learned to make handloads more consistent and accurate. 
• "Cross Draw Holsters"--Active Response Training. Greg Ellifritz discusses the pros and cons of the cross draw method of carry: the primary advantages are ease of the draw from a sitting position while the primary issue is a gun grab from the front. He comments:

Although the crossdraw position has some merits, the potential downsides make me hesitant to recommend it.  Almost all the benefits from the crossdraw position can also be found in the appendix draw without having nearly the number of disadvantages.  I only recommend crossdraw to folks who have a shoulder injury that prohibits them from drawing from behind the hip or from the appendix position or for outdoors people who are carrying long barreled revolvers when hiking of hunting in the woods.   

I would go farther than that. If you are sitting a lot, the cross draw is still, IMHO, more comfortable than an appendix carry. Additionally, those with larger guts will find cross-draw carry more usable than appendix carry. And for those suffering from sciatica aggravated by carrying on their strong side, moving the firearm to the opposite side of the body can in some cases be better tolerated.

• "Commerce Dept: There’s No Evidence at All Showing Microstamping is Reliable"--Shooting News Weekly.  Key bit:

    The determination by NIST officials, after reviewing the compendium of data examining microstamping, is that the existing studies show a microstamping cannot produce repeatable and legible codes. That’s for a couple reasons. Even the microstamping patent-holder, Todd Lizotte, got involved in the research that ultimately concluded that “…legitimate questions exist related to both the technical aspects, production costs, and database management associated with microstamping that should be addressed before wide scale implementation is legislatively mandated.”

    ... The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTME) and the New York State Firearms Technical Working Group (TWG) observed that firing pins wear over time.

    That makes sense. Firing pins striking metallic primers naturally wear over time. NIST noted that adding in the fact that firearms produce residue from gunpowder (as any recreational shooter can attest). That gunpowder residue can accumulate in the microscopic laser-engraved microstamp, obscuring the code.

    That doesn’t take into account that different firing pins are used in different firearms. That variation of make and model, metallurgy and even lacquer coatings on ammunition can affect the ability of a legible code to be present on spent cartridges. On top of that, it doesn’t work at all in rimfire ammunition, since there’s an entirely different primer in the rim of the cartridge and not a separate primer. Manufacturers’ branding on the cartridge can affect legibility too.

    How the firing pin strikes the primer can affect legibility too. Repeated strikes and drag marks can mar the microscopic microstamping code. 

• I like the idea of a safari, but my wallet can't afford one. This article explores another option: planning a hunt in Texas: "How to Plan a Domestic Safari: Hunting Exotic Species in the US"--Shooting Times. The author writes:

Many Americans have hunted a lot in the Northeast, the Great Plains, and some of the other areas of the country and would like to go on “safari,” but various constraints prevent that. However, a hunting trip to Texas can be accomplished within most of our budgets of time and money. It is one of the most accessible and varied hunting venues available to us. It is within driving distance for most of the country, and driving to Texas avoids being at the mercy of the haphazard air traffic control system. In Texas, both native and exotic game species abound, and they are accessible through many means. So, let us consider planning a Texas safari. First of all, make a checklist of what to take, preparations to make, and such. 

•  "Best Emergency Food to Keep in Your Car Year-Round"--Modern Survival Blog. The author begins by laying out the issue:

    For a true year-round vehicle stash, I would use a two-layer system: one heat-tolerant emergency ration that stays in the vehicle, plus a small supply of normal snacks that you rotate and actually like to eat.

    This general two-layer method has been my approach for many years and has proven reliable.

    One problem is heat. A snack that lasts a year in your pantry may not hold up nearly as well inside a parked vehicle. Cold creates its own problems too, especially with water and canned food.

    That gives you dependable backup calories without turning your vehicle into a rolling pantry. It also avoids relying on ordinary granola bars, nuts, jerky, or canned food for years at a time. 

For a heat stable emergency ration, he recommends S.O.S. Rations 3600-Calorie Emergency Food Bars. This (or something similar) is what I also used for an emergency food supply in my car kit back in my college days when I was frequently traveling long distances in winter. The author additionally discusses what other snacks to have and carrying water. Interestingly, his selection of water pouches is also similar to my choice long ago. Basically, what I did was look at food and water packets that were primarily intended for small water craft and life boats. 

•  And another from Modern Survival Blog: "How to Check If a Product Has Been Recalled." Unfortunately, there is no single website or government agency to check--it depends on the type of product. But the author details what information to look for on a product and several different sources to check. 
• "American Heirloom Project: How would you rebuild it all?"--Tilting At Windmills. The author begins with a thought experiment: what skills would you need to rebuild society and survive if all our technology--the grid, long distance trade, etc.--disappear. He encourages readers to learn a skill, as a hobby, that would be valuable in such circumstances; preferably one that can be done without power tools.

     I don’t use hand tools because I’m too pure for power tools. It’s just a preference for me. I don’t like the noise or the health risk. I might still bleed from a chisel being rammed into my thumb, but I’m not likely to lose a finger to the table saw.

    That’s where you can come in.

    Find yourself a niche. Learn to fill it. Even just growing your own vegetables or herbs is something. You’re building resiliency that might save lives or, at a minimum, put a really nice tomato on your burger; one you can’t get at the grocery store because you are the one who grows that particular kind.

    We need to stop trusting a system to keep us safe when that system actually doesn’t care about you, the person. Governments don’t have to protect you as a person, just society as a general concept, and if we’ve learned anything since 2020, it’s how little we should probably trust that.

    I remember the empty grocery store shelves in the early days of COVID, after all. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather not depend on just-in-time delivery systems that can’t always deliver just in time. I’d rather not go to get meat for dinner and have the clerk tell me I can’t have it all because there’s rationing.

    I experienced it all, as did many of you, and it sucked.

    Building the skills so, at least in part, you won’t have to is good. Doing it so someone else doesn’t have to is better.

    Raise chickens.

    Spin fibers into thread.

    Turn it into fabric.

    Make pots and fire them in the backyard using a method that is cool as hell, and completely irrelevant.

    Find your craft. Find your apocalyptic profession. Find your thing.

    You may have already. You might be sitting there thinking, “I’ve been knitting since I was 12,” and I’ll say, “Dope. You were already there,” and move on.

•  In a similar vein: "The Manual for Civilization Begins"--Long Now. The author writes: "We have named this collection the Manual for Civilization, and it will include the roughly 3500 books most essential to sustain or rebuild civilization. Using this as an curatorial principle is helping us assemble a very interesting collection of books." The article then links to lists people have compiled of supposedly useful books. Unfortunately, many of the lists seem more about what academics think is necessary rather than what is necessary. I haven't gone through all the lists, but they seem heavy on fiction and social sciences over practical guides to machining and manufacturing. I didn't even see a single reference to the classic set of books, How Things Work, which provides brief descriptions of so many machines and how they work. So while the concept is sound, they seem to be compiling lists from the wrong sorts of people.

A Practical Axe Manual

Happened across a useful resource: "An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual" published by the U.S. Forest Service. It covers the basics of using an axe, including chopping techniques and cuts, as well as covering topics of felling a tree (just the axe use, though, not correctly judging how a tree will fall and other safety issues), limbing a log, cutting pinned down saplings, bucking (cutting a log into usable lengths), splitting wood, and hewing (shaping a log). 

VIDEO: Never Answer A Knock Like This

The author of this video gives his or her thoughts on the types of people that may come to your door after a societal collapse, as well as a rough timeline of when events will occur. My personal belief is that the local government will show up at some point and forcibly search the homes of anyone they think has supplies and take them; and your neighbors (or one of them) will rat you out. 

 VIDEO: "Never Answer a Knock Like This After the Collapse"
Fallout Raccoon (24 min.)