Some Free Training Resources

The author of "How Much Training Content Do You Share With Customers?" at Shooting Industry Magazine, cites "a few free online resources available to create added value to your store’s offerings." These are:

•  The GUNS Magazine Podcast “Are You Prepared? Why YOU Are the True First Responder” with the author explaining:

    Whether your customers are seasoned carriers or new to the world of self-defense, this discussion offers grounded, non-paranoid advice on staying vigilant and enjoying life without fear.

    Share this podcast with customers through an email, newsletter, register counter displays or looping video displays to increase interest in your self-defense accessories and training classes. 

• The “Five Costly Mistakes EVERY New Shooter Makes (And How to Fix Them)” podcast also from gunsmagazine.com.
• And, finally, the author relates:

    The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) offers a variety of content and programs to help your business grow.

    The First Shots program has partnered with retailers for decades by offering live training by qualified instructors at no charge. Discover more about the program and how to schedule an event at the First Shots Host Range Resource Center.

    Other resources include a vast video library that includes instruction on securing a firearm in vehicles, how to shoot uphill and downhill, the basics of gun safety and more from the NSSF YouTube channel.

Article: "The Wheelgun's Return"

An article by RG Boyd at American Fighting Revolver describes how the author was introduced to his first wheel gun and why he believes the revolver is seeing a resurgence. An excerpt:

As my assignments grew to further reaches and less forgiving environments I realized that carrying only one pistola was a likely a poor decision and opted to petition for a back up to my service auto. In those days a simple memo and a qualification generally appeased the powers that be and granted me a little more iron on board. So I did what most semi reasonable folks would do and purchased a small auto feeding device of a similar caliber. Now this was well before the days of what are deemed as reliable small auto's. A few hard lessons in capital expenditure were learned as they were certainly not all created equal.  At the range on my “Friday” which was actually a Wednesday (you lawmen and shift workers will understand) one of the “Old guys” who had been around since the issuance of the service revolver asked if I had ever thought about opting for a small revolver. He loaned me a more modern Smith & Wesson device of the alloy flavor. The newly released 442 Model with issued 158 Federal +P ammunition. I will admit it was a handful however the hiring in those days did not necessarily lend to smaller statured persons so it was manageable.  The fellow that loaned me the revolver spent a few hours with me showing me all the ins an outs of the gun and just how down right accurate it could be. He had spent a number of years chasing national titles with a space age looking revolver and had captured a number of titles with it but was down right handy with the small revolver.   

Boyd ended up purchasing his own Model 442 and "[f]rom the time of the original 442 I have always carried a round gun on my person and likely always will." Read the whole thing.  

For My LDS Readers: Linking the Hopewell Collapse With The Nephite Collapse

If you agree with the Mesoamerican model, this video is probably not going to change your mind. But if you subscribe to the Heartland or other North American model, you will find it informative.  

 VIDEO: "400 AD - Hopewell Collapse, Nephite Collapse"
Uncovering Lamanite History (16 min.)

A Primer On Stealth Camping

This is not about camping in areas that you are not supposed to be camping as shown in many popular stealth camping videos such as parks, highway underpasses, median strips, etc.; but for those situations where you are hiking in areas where camping is allowed and you want more seclusion from other hikers or campers. This may be, like the host, simply wanting more privacy along heavily hiked trails or busy camping areas; or, like a female acquaintance he mentions in the video, for reasons of personal security. It has obvious application to anyone training to "bug out" on foot or on a bicycle.  

VIDEO: "How I stealth camp without ever getting caught"
On The Scout (15 min.)

The BattleSwarm Blog Creates Its Own Battle

 I think the author of the Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm blog really stuck his foot in it with his recent post: "A Visa Restriction Too Far." Apparently the DHS has floated an idea of eliminating a 60-day grace period that it gives aliens with work visas (e.g., H1B visas) to find work if they lose their job. The grace period was to give them time to somehow avoid the consequences of losing the job that their visa was dependent upon.

“DHS now believes that once the alien is no longer fulfilling the very specific conditions under which he or she was admitted or otherwise provided status, such status, as well as the authorization to remain in the United States, should definitively cease and the impacted alien should immediately depart the United States (unless otherwise authorized to lawfully remain in the United States),” [DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin] wrote. 

But Lawrence Person, for some reason, thinks this is harsh, arguing: 

Not giving them time to wind down affairs is being needlessly and pointlessly cruel to people who “worked hard and played by the rules.” It inflicts collateral damage on people doing business with them. Apartment managers, car leasing companies, utilities, etc. will all be left in the lurch by the sudden departures mandated by this proposed rule. 

I would argue that it is better that the people that did business with the aliens be left in the lurch than for the rest of the country to be left in the lurch while an alien who no longer has a legal right to be here is given time to somehow game the system and remain past their welcome. And apparently so do many of the people that commented on Person's blog post, who had no problems with the proposal. Besides, as more and more comes out about the abuse of the H1B visa program, I have a hard time viewing the H1B visa holders as people who "worked hard and played by the rules." 

Costco To Ration Motor Oil

I just noted this past weekend an article on warning signs of a major crisis, one of which was sudden shortages. Thus, it was with some concern that I read the following article from the New York Post: "Costco starts rationing motor oil as global shortage sends prices soaring." The article relates:

    Costco is rationing its Kirkland Signature motor oil as a global shortage of a key ingredient used in synthetic lubricants sends prices soaring — with a 10-quart pack that once sold for as little as $30 now fetching nearly $58.

    The warehouse giant is limiting members to two units every seven days as supplies of premium base oils remain squeezed by production outages and disruptions in the Middle East.

Wilder's Latest: "Ceasing To Be America"

Be sure to check out John Wilder's latest: "Ceasing To Be America." At one time we had great leaders. But as he notes, "[t]he whole thing started to fall apart in Vietnam." (Although I suspect it had more to do with the 19th Amendment than Vietnam). But whatever the cause, there is no dispute over its effect after the 9/11 attacks:

    A far lesser George, George W. Bush, said that “They hate us for our freedoms”, “Islam is peace” and “Acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith”.

    Did he ever hear about the stories actually in the Koran where their prophet ordered dozens of people assassinated?  And also ordered the “peaceful beheading” of 600-900 men in Medina in one shot?  Acts of violence are the fundamental tenets of that faith.

    In a real nation, they would have been rounded up, and every non-European whose first language wasn’t English who was in America would have been shipped out on September 12.  But no.  We get W. telling everyone that if a person in the world will buy a Coke© then they’re just as American as you, bigot.

    That was when we could see, finally, that America was no longer serious. ...

Read the whole thing. 

AI Panic Just The Established Players Protecting Themselves

Now this is more believable than the panic because we see this happening again and again in industries where the large, established players use law and regulations to hamstring their smaller competitors and potential competitors. From Hot Air: "The 'Anti-AI' Panic Is Led by...AI Companies" by Dave Strom. Key part:

    Coxon's resignation has kicked off a firestorm, and it's clear that it wasn't really Coxon who lit the match. His resignation was the hook, but it was used to push a narrative that had been pre-positioned for some time to fundamentally reshape the AI industry. Whether Coxon's resignation was staged or not, the PR campaign around it certainly isn't spontaneous. 

    The CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic seized on Coxon's warnings, agreeing that everything must change; Democrats proposed legislation to ban "superintelligence" and jail anyone for up to 20 years for pursuing it, and both OpenAI and Anthropic argued for massive government regulations and...the hamstringing or outright banning of their competitors. 

The British Empire Continues Its Collapse

 I've noted before that the British Empire has continued its collapse, with the latest sign being that "Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales leaders to meet tomorrow to plan breakup of UK: Report" according to First News. 

    First Ministers John Swinney of Scotland, Rhun ap Iowerth of Wales, and Michelle O’Neill of Northern Ireland are expected to sign a joint declaration demanding the right to hold referendums on breaking away from the UK. For the first time, the three constituent nations of the UK are held by pro-separation parties.

    The Telegraph reported sources as saying that the summit's purpose is to pile more pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham after he said in the parliament on Wednesday that he would back another Scottish independence referendum if public opinion backed one. 

[snip]

    Ahead of the summit, Swinney said that Burnham was "facing up to the idea that he will go down in history as the final prime minister of the United Kingdom". 

[snip]

    After the statement in the parliament that the separatists latched on to, Burnham sought to set the record straight and wrote to Swinney to say that a referendum was off the table as long as he remained the prime minister. 

The SKS Carbine

 For some reason, I recently had a bunch of SKS videos pop up on my YouTube feed; and, of course, after watching a few, even more showed up. Here are couple of what I thought were the best of the lot. The first is lengthy, but it covers both the history of the development of the SKS (including the precursor developments), a bit of the history after it was adopted, and then details how the weapon works (but with animated cutaways and demonstration) and how to use the cleaning kit tool. 

The second video is primarily a test of its practical accuracy out to 500 yards, but the host also shows some paper targets taken after he filmed the shooting exercise, comparing its accuracy versus an AK style rifle at 100 yards. Surprisingly, to me at least, the AK was slightly more accurate, but I suppose that it may come down to the shorter barrel which are generally more stiff than the longer barrels. The SKS would have also done better had it been correctly sighted in (it was shooting slightly to the right). 

Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, SKS rifles were cheap and plentiful. They are neither today--at least in the United States. Looking online, I see that online prices seem to be $600 or more. I can remember in the early 1990s the Norinco models selling for $79 which included the rifle, the cleaning kit, and a chest rig for carrying ammo. 

 

 VIDEO: "Primer 192: Russian SKS Documentary"
C&Rsenal (1 hr 29 min.)

VIDEO: "Chinese SKS • Type56 "Semi" to 500yds: Practical Accuracy"
9-Hole Reviews (20 min.)