Firearms Muse and Views

My bookmarks and in-box have filled with too many news items on firearms and self-protection for me to blog about each in depth. So here are a list of some items you might want to check out:

• "Police: Man accused of shooting unarmed burglar is charged with murder"--WLWT5. A store clerk has been charged with murder after shooting a fleeing burglar in the back with an illegally sawed-off shotgun. Three big "no-no's" here: (1) most jurisdictions do not allow the use of lethal force just to protect property; (2) if a criminal is fleeing, he probably doesn't pose a risk of imminent harm, so don't shoot fleeing criminals; and (3) don't use illegal NFA items for self-defense.
• "Connecticut Cop Who Shot at Unarmed Couple in Car Charged With Felony Assault, Reckless Endangerment"--The Truth About Guns. Watch the embedded videos from the officer's body cam and a surveillance camera. It appears to me that the officer may have seen a reflection from a watch band and thought it was a firearm. 
• A day to live in infamy: "This Day in History: Gun Control Act of 1968 Signed into Law"--Ammo Land. On October 22, 1968, LBJ signed the Gun Control Act of 1968 into law. The author explains:

More specifically, it led to the rise of the Federal Firearms License for dealers and manufacturers of firearms, banned mail-order firearm sales, required serial numbers on all guns, and prohibited interstate handgun sales. The law also required that all newly manufactured firearms produced by licensed manufacturers in the US, as well as those imported into the country, bear a serial number. Firearms made prior to passage of the Gun Control Act and firearms manufactured by non-FFLs remain exempt from the serial number requirement. This is why many guns from the first half of the 20th century don't have serial numbers. It's also why Federal law does not prohibit a person from creating a firearm for their own use from one of the many 80% products on the market today.

• "NRA Board Member and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Head Wants End to Homemade Guns"--The Truth About Guns. The NRA should rename itself the "National Expensive Sporting Rifles and Shotguns Association" so there is no mistaking its true interests. NRA board member Tom King says that the exemption from the serial numbering requirement was only to "provide a way for competition shooters to make a custom-fitted firearm," and that these firearms should be required to have serial numbers, and the building of "80%" guns should be prohibited. "It appears what was meant to be something for competitive shooters and serious shooters to build their own unique firearm may be turning into a criminal enterprise," King said.
• "Completed DIY .22 Revolver Project"--Impro Guns. Not too bad looking.
• "Revolutionary Rimfire: 3D Printed Receiver For Ruger 10/22 Style Rifles"--The Firearm Blog.

Surprisingly the receiver held up well, more than that, accuracy and precision was on a par with the metal receivers. I have printed the barrel bore a little bit smaller, heated up the barrel and pushed it by hand into the bore, so the bore had exactly the dimension of the barrel and the fit was ridiculous tight. I was very pleased with the result, because it was done with 0 effort, and it is for sure the main reason why this rifle shoots so well.

• "Mental Rehearsal: Firearms Training Without Gun or Ammo"--Guns America. From the article:

     ... allow me to introduce you to a non-secret that athletes and sports psychologists have known for some years: mental rehearsal.

      For the last 30 years, sports psychologists have adopted mental rehearsal as a means of enhancing performance for athletes. This same technique can also be used to perfect shooting skills — especially point shooting, where the body uses only gross motor skills.

     Mental rehearsal can be defined as the mental rehearsal of a skill without physical movement. It activates a network of neural programs that would normally entail the actual physiological responses, meaning you are actually strengthening the neural pathways required for that skill. This might be considered as “soft-wiring” the brain. Also, by mentally practicing, you become more familiar with each specific action required to perform a skill.

Read the whole thing. Also, check out the articles at Marcus Wynne's blog.

• "The Supreme Combat Tool"--Small Wars Journal. Your intellect. 
• "Fingernail Polish On Guns: Pure Vanity, Or Mildly Useful?"--The Firearm Blog. Years ago, I bought some paint specifically sold for coloring sights on a firearm, and applied it to the front sight blade of my .38 snub-nose. With just regular carry in a pocket holster, it wore off (basically, peeled off) within a couple weeks. I then bought a less than $2 bottle of nail polish and have never had to reapply it or touch it up.
• "Understanding Holster Retention Methods"--Range 365. Ever wonder what a manufacturer means by a Level 1, 2, or 3 retention? This article explains.
• "Firearms For Freedom and Forage-Part 4, Hunting Handguns"--Mason Dixon Tactical. The author's viewpoint is not handguns for hunting, per se. That is, these are not handguns for going handgun hunting without a rifle. Rather, this is his reasoning and selection of handguns to accompany him into the woods for camping/hiking, or as a fall back when hunting, and ammo choices. Spoiler: his two handguns he chose are a .22 revolver and a .44 Magnum, both with 4-inch barrels. While the .357 is a great choice for self-defense, he did not believe it sufficient for protection against a bear or other large animal.
• "Grizzly Bear Attack In Montana Stopped With 9mm Pistols"--The Captain's Journal. Note that the two men were using FMJ ammo which would have greatly improved penetration over a standard self-defense round.
• "Defense in Depth"--Tactical Professor. The author discusses better methods for storing a firearm in a car than simply putting in your glove box or locking it in the trunk, and discusses being discrete in putting your firearm in a safe location in your vehicle. Why? Because you may be carrying and then have to disarm yourself before entering a nonpermissive environment.
• "Wadcutters For Self Defense"--Revolver Guy. A discussion of why wadcutters are viable self-defense options for snub-nose revolvers.
• "AR-15 .22LR Conversion Kit: Worth It?"--Beans, Bullets, Bandages & You. The biggest problem with conversion kits versus a dedicated upper or even a purpose built .22 AR, according to the author, is the tight twist (1:7 or 1:8) of most AR rifles, versus 1:16 which is typical for .22 LR. Your accuracy is degraded and leading can be a problem. I think it would be more viable if you had a 1:12 twist AR. The main advantage is the cost--it is simply cheaper to run .22 LR for plinking. 
• "HUNTING WITH THE 7.62×39"--The Mag Life. This article discusses the pro's of using a 7.62x39 as a short range deer rifle. But note that the author is using Hornady SST ammunition for his hunting. Terminal Ballistics Research has a lengthy article on the 7.62x39 and hunting, and notes the following about standard soft-point hunting ammunition:

Loaded with soft point (expanding) bullets, the 7.62x39 produces somewhat better performance [than FMJ] but due to a combination of low muzzle velocities and low BC’s, bullet expansion is limited, the cartridge quickly losing the ability to create disproportionate to caliber wounding. At around 100 yards, width of wounding begins to taper dramatically. At around 200 yards, most soft point bullets have lost the ability to create fast killing wounds. Beyond 200 yards, retained energy is extremely low along with excessive wind drift. As suggested, the 7.62x39 is best suited to the hunting of lighter medium game at close ranges.

• "Why I have Laser Sights on All My Carry Guns"--Range 365. Small size makes lasers a viable option for everyday carry, according to the author, and comes with the advantages of easy sight acquisition. While he raises some good points, one thing he mentions that I would be cautious about is using a laser to obtain compliance--i.e., shining the dot on a person or in front of a person with the expectation that it will scare them into stopping their aggression. He writes:

     My law enforcement friends tell me that a laser sight is a great addition to their duty guns for the compliance issue alone. They say it makes a huge difference in getting the message across to the bad guys and actually reduces the number of shootings.

     I know some military folks who were working roadblocks during the hostilities in the Middle East. Compliance was low and even when they showed their firearms many tried to run the roadblocks.

    When they added laser sights to their firearms the compliance rate went up dramatically. The folks didn’t seem to fear the firearms, but they had respect for the laser sights.

I have two concerns with this tactic: First, if you are shining a laser on someone--meaning that you have your gun out and pointed at them--it may be too late for compliance. Second, you can't rely on an aggressor to see the dot and understand what it means, particularly if they are excited or are impaired due to using drugs or alcohol. As a private citizen, you aren't manning a check point or trying to apprehend criminals.

• "M1A SHOOT OFF – 6.5 CREEDMOOR VS 308"--Mason Dixon Tactical. I've been reading quite a few .308 versus 6.5 Creedmoor articles recently, and the general takeaway I'm getting is that if you already have a .308, great; if you are trying to decide between the two, the 6.5 Creedmore is the way to go: better accuracy, as good or better terminal performance (particularly at range), and less recoil.
• "The Rimfire Report: .22LR Shotshells – Are they worth it?"--The Firearm Blog. They are good for what they were intended: to shoot small pests (mice, rats, snakes) at distances of around 5 feet.
• "Unseen in the Best Places: Belly Guns and Hide Outs for Low Profile Carry"--Guns America. Some tips on concealed carry, including off body carry. The author also notes:

There is a tactical advantage to concealment. I don’t want to be perceived as a threat by bystanders as a courtesy. I don’t want evildoers to know I am armed until I am prepared to act. They may launch a pre-emptive attack and catch me off guard. I want to remain the un-noticed grey man and evaluate my options.

•  "Concealed Carry Tips: What’s Hurting Your Holster Draw?"--Ammo Land. Basically, your shirt can get in the way with a good holster draw. As the author discusses, the further around your waist that you put your pistol (e.g. 5 o'clock), the harder it is to pull your shirt up to expose the weapon. My experience is that a longer pistol also makes it harder to draw a firearm from under a shirt because you have to pull the shirt up farther to allow the firearm to clear the holster but without getting tangled in the shirt: a Glock 26 or 19 is going to work a lot better than a Glock 34, for instance.