September 19, 2018 -- A Quick Run Around The Web

"Shooting left and low with a handgun"--Personal Defense and Firearm Education (8-1/2 min.)

Are you shooting low and to the left or, if left handed, shooting low and to the right? The producer of this video discusses some simple changes to your grip that may work to correct that problem.

• Grant Cunningham's Hump Day Reading List for this week. One of my posts made the list, so, if for no other reason, you need to check it out (as I pat myself on the back). Seriously, though, he links to some good articles on self-defense and prepping, including how to handle a traffic stop if you are carrying concealed, tips on safely answering the door to your home, prepping if you are pregnant, and others.
• "Bear Spray Fails to Stop Fatal Grizzly Attack in Wyoming"--Ammo Land. More information continues to come out about the fatal grizzly bear attack on a hunter and guide in Wyoming. Previously we had learned that the hunter had to get into a pack to retrieve a pistol, and then simply tossed to the pistol to the guide who was, at that point, under attack. The article relates:

Mark Uptain [the guide] appears to have relied on a can of bear spray to deter the attack. A can of bear spray, with the safety off, was found at the site. The adult sow grizzly had bear spray on her at the scene. The bear was shot and killed as she attacked investigating Fish and Wildlife personnel. 

• "BOB: Bug Out Bags – A Fresh Look"--Beans, Bullets, Bandages & You. The author acknowledges that bug-out-bags, or get-home-bags, depend on your specific circumstances. For instance, he packs thermal underwear in his bag, but that would probably be superfluous for someone living in Florida. In any event, what he suggests is looking at categories of items: water, food, hygiene, first aid, energy, clothing, shelter, transportation (obviously you aren't going to carry a car, but he means things like maps, compass, etc., to assist in traveling), communications, tools, and library.
• ".22 Handgun Utility and Use" and "More .22 stuff"--Total Survivalist Blog. The obvious uses are for hunting small game, recreation, and training. They can also be pressed into service for defense against small critters (e.g., snakes), survival, or a silenced weapon (with appropriate silencer). My personal thinking on the matter is that if I could only have two weapons for bugging out or survival, one would be a .22--it would either be a .22 rifle capable of being broken down coupled with a pistol suitable for self-defense (low-key), or a .22 pistol coupled with a rifle suitable for defense or hunting medium game (don't care if seen with a rifle). The primary reason for this mix is that .22 gives you options for hunting small game (or even medium game with good shot placement), together with the ability to carry a larger supply of ammunition.
• "When Using Lasers on Handguns, Don’t Neglect the Sights"--Jerking the Trigger. The author notes that "[v]isible lasers are a great addition to smaller defensive firearms, especially those with marginal sights that aren’t easily corrected like small frame revolvers. A good laser can make firearms like these easier to aim and extend their useful range but that doesn’t mean you can forget the sights, no matter how rudimentary they are, altogether." The problem is if the laser dot is not on target but going off into space (or striking a non-reflecting object). The author explains:

        Many shooters, even those who train regularly, have never thought of what happens when the surface behind the target is removed because it is not something they have encountered. With no backstop, a laser equipped firearm can be aimed in such a way that the dot is not visible because it is projecting out into the space around the target and not on a surface that registers the dot.  Think of a target on a stand in the middle of a pasture or large parking lot. The dot would not be visible unless it was projected on the target itself or the ground near the target. When this happens there is no visual feedback for adjusting the point of aim which can leave the unprepared shooter with fewer options.

       This is why a correct presentation/draw stroke, even on a laser equipped firearm, involves acquiring the sights (or at least some form of coarse sight picture). The shooter finds the sights and only then, if the projected laser dot is visible, they may switch their focus to the target and dot. This technique mitigates failures on the part of the shooter to find the dot and failures of the laser itself. If there is no visible dot, the shooter is already on the sights.

I have to admit that I haven't used weapon mounted lasers much. I had heard anecdotes about how they greatly assisted sighting with small pistols with only rudimentary sights, but when my wife recently decided to carry a small .380 with laser sights, I was amazed how much faster it was for both of us to acquire the target when using the laser. 

• "KGB LLC Stinger47 Brace Adapter for AK Pistols"--The Firearm Blog. Looks nice; folds to the left, which is the side you want if you need to operate the weapon with the brace folded.
• "Wayne County Commissioner Introduces Ammunition Control"--Ammo Land. Wayne County includes Detroit. The proposed ordinance would require a mental health certificate to purchase ammunition and add an additional tax to ammunition purchases. However, like the devil trying to corrupt little-by-little, "Davis hopes to work with the NRA to find a compromise that would be agreeable to all parties." The only acceptable compromise I see would involve a long fall and a short rope.

".327 Federal Magnum CHAPTER 5: MEAT TARGET BALLISTIC TESTING WITH 85gr LOADS"--Hughes Enterprises (7 min.)

The producer of this video follows Paul Harrell's lead in using a "meat target" to test effectiveness. The loads tested appeared to all perform adequately.

• "Leading U.S. Exorcist: Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandal Is Demonic, Likely to Get Worse"--PJ Media. From the article:

       Fr. Thomas explained why sexual abuse of children is especially heinous. “By sexually abusing children, Satan desires to destroy the icon of the kingdom of God. He wants to destroy the most innocent version of humanity, which is the child,” he said.

       The priest said that in his opinion, behavior that falls outside the bounds of what is conceivable -- like murder -- is also clearly demonic.

• "Wherein Fr. Z offers one of the hardest posts he has ever written"--Fr. Z's Blog. Good look at the scandal from the perspective of a practicing priest. And this point: 

Some of these homosexual predators are, I think, possessed.   Think about it.  If you know anything about demonic activity, and this is something that lay people should not get too involved with, then you know that certain demons specialize in certain kinds of sins.  They will attach themselves like spiritual lampreys to the souls of people who commit them and also to the places where the sins were committed.  Once a demon gets hold, they claim the right to be there, until the layers of their connection are broken one by one.  That’s what exorcism rites do: they break the legalistic claims of the Enemy to be there.

• "Catholic priest and parishioners defy their Chicago Archdiocese to BURN rainbow flag that had been hanging in the church in an 'exorcism' ceremony"--Daily Mail. From the article: "[Fr.] Kalchik described the flag as 'a sacrilege' because it featured a cross and rainbow intertwined."
• A backlash against political correctness is fomenting in other churches as well: "Thousands of Christians defy own churches' 'social justice' campaigns"--WND. From the article:

       “We further deny that competency to teach on any biblical issue comes from any qualification for spiritual people other than clear understanding and simple communication of what is revealed in Scripture.”

       It references the Bible over and over, contending “the priorities and mission of the largest evangelical denominations, churches, and seminaries in the United States” have “radically changed” in recent years.

       “Seminaries previously focused on Scriptural exegesis and proclamation are now focusing on teaching their future pastors’ postmodern concepts such as critical race theory and intersectionality. Churches throughout the nation are pushing progressive agendas along with the teaching of unconscious bias training and the deceptive idea of ‘white privilege.'”

       The statement says faithful church members “are being encouraged to reject constitutional conservatives and to embrace open borders, reject normative patriotism, and embrace progressive concepts and social justice policies normally reserved for radical socialists or open society adherents.”

You can read the full text of the statement here.

• "When Two Gay Catholic Tribes Go To (Cold) War"--Rod Dreher at The American Conservative. Dreher explains:

       N., an exceptionally well-informed lay Catholic, tells me that there are two basic tribes of gay bishops and priests.

       The first tribe is the Progressives — some sexually active, others not — who believe homosexuality should be normalized by the Catholic Church, and are pushing openly for the Church to change its teachings to reflect that.

       The second tribe are Conservatives who live a double life. Outwardly they advocate for traditional Catholic teaching on homosexuality, but they also live homosocially (in the sense of socializing with other gay conservative priests), and some have gay sex. They therefore live in a state of cognitive dissonance.

       N. discussed particular examples of both kind of bishop and priest.

      I asked N. why the gay Catholic progressive priests don’t simply out the hypocritical conservatives. Why not destroy your opposition, especially given that they really are hypocrites?

       “Neither side wants to do that to the other. That would mean Armageddon,” he said. “Both sides live in a Cold War situation. They take potshots at each other, and fight proxy wars, but neither side wants to challenge the other too hard. If they really went to war, there would be nothing left for anybody.”

       What N. meant is that the problem is so deeply embedded within the Catholic clerical structure that if the truth were known, the system as we know it would likely collapse, and neither gay nor conservative gay priests would have any privileges left to enjoy. So they tolerate each other.