Friends Don't Let Friends Use Knives To Baton Wood

(Source)

In "Knife Maker Mike Stewart Discusses Thin Blades And Batoning Firewood" at Survival Common Sense, Stewart notes that batoning a knife to cut wood--particularly larger pieces of wood--is actually relatively recent phenomena.

Reviewers needed something to do to get attention and whoever the first guy was that did this started all of them doing it. Lots of people today actually think it is normal to crossgrain baton stuff – it was not until the last 25 years or so. Most skilled outdoorsman knew how to baton in an emergency but never actually did it because their skill prevented them from being in an unprepared emergency. Same with prying things with knives. It is a No-No. All the time.

While I'm no Cody Lundin, I don't think I'm completely ignorant of field craft and I'd never even heard of it until sometime after I started this blog. 

    But with people wanting knives that they can use for batoning, knife designers and manufacturers are producing knives suitable to the task. The results, however, are thicker, heavier knives that are not as quick or handy as their predecessors. Stewart notes, for instance, that "[b]owie knives were invented in the late 1820s. NONE of them were over 3/16ths-inch thick and most were closer to 1/8th-inch thick. Nobody thought they were a camp knife or a wood processing knife." He adds:

    Let’s look further back in history – to times when the knife was the only tool that most people in early cultures used – what do we see ?

    We see seven to nine inch blades (Sometimes a little longer) that are thin – usually 1/8th to 3/16ths inches thick. They vary in regional shapes but they are light – fast and very efficient. They were used for making shelters,  cutting kindling for fires, household chores and camp chores and even used to break down game to carry back to the village. They are all thin blades.

    Why are the big knives (called machetes) that are almost unique from Southern North America all through Central America to the tip of South America ALL thin ?

    It is because the thin blades work and work better for real time tasks than the thicker, slower and heavier knives. I have never seen a picture or a film or a video of any indigenous people from these regions batoning anything. They also know the difference between softwoods and hardwoods. When they encounter hardwoods, they go and get an ax or now – a chainsaw.

    People that actually know how to use large knives do not go smashing them around at trees or logs – it is just not done by skilled people.

POTD: Abandoned Shack In The Outback

 

Source: "These Incredible Photos Show the Beauty of Abandoned Places"--Redbook Magazine

POTD: Abandoned weather station on Kolyuchin Island in the Arctic Ocean

 

Source: Daily Timewaster 

Latest Bombs & Bants (Streamed Nov. 23, 2022)

 

VIDEO: "Bombs and Bants Live! Ep 62" (52 min.)

Meme of the Day: Don't Carry A Pistol With An Empty Chamber

 

Source: Western Rifle Shooters Association

The Docent's Memo (November 28, 2022)

 

VIDEO: "How Deadly is a Flintlock Rifle? The British hated this thing"--Garand Thumb (13 min.)

Devastating.

Firearms & Self-Defense:

• Greg Ellifritz at Active Self Protection published his weekly Weekend Knowledge Dump this past Friday, but he also had a couple guest posts last week by Darryl Bolke on the issue of revolver reliability (part 1) (part 2). The gist of the matter is this, from the first part:

    ... With a clean, properly functioning revolver with quality ammunition, they are incredibly reliable in actual street shootings through the initial load and likely the reloads typically carried. That means it will likely fire it’s first rounds under typical use while engaged with a criminal, and should have no issues with another pair of reloads if they are even possible. It does not matter if the gun has been sitting in a drawer for ten years or carried a lot.

    A proven quality service level revolver that is clean, lubricated and loaded with quality ammunition is in my experience far less likely to malfunction than a semi-automatic pistol in the conditions we find in street shootings. That means, non-locked wrists, poor grip, asymmetric firing positions, interference from clothing or barriers, body contact, disturbance to the gun during firing, impacts, improper administrative handling, etc. They are consistent in their performance in those conditions, which is what reliable is.

    Where they are not reliable is when subjected to tests of ruggedness. They do not work well when dirty and full of debris. They do not work well when abused, neglected or exposed to foreign matter. They do not work well when poorly maintained. They do not work well with modifications made by unqualified individuals, or used outside of the limits of the modifications. If these are factors, their consistency will suffer. They also tend to require a trained individual and tools when they break or stop working.

He also notes that because revolvers use a magazine (the cylinder) integral to the gun, they don't suffer many of the issues that come with a semi-auto magazine such as reliability issues from a damaged magazine (e.g., bent feed lips) nor is there a problem with a magazine popping out such as the author had with some deep concealment rigs. He also notes that the reliability issues that might pop up with a semiauto are magnified when using a small semiauto. Basically, then, the author recommends a semiauto pistol for a duty or primary concealed carry weapon, and a revolver for a backup or deep carry handgun.

• Even new shooters will pick up on the fact that caliber designations often don't actually match up to the caliber of a weapon, sometimes by quite a bit. Some of this is due to marketing. "30 Super Carry," for instance, rolls off the tongue easier than would ".312 Super Carry". Some of it derives from differences in how the bore diameter is measured: i.e., whether the distance is measured between opposing lands (used in most of the rest of the world) or between opposing grooves (most common in the United States). And then there are firearms like the .38 Special (which uses a .357 bullet) or the .44 Magnum (.429). This article from Mass Gun Ownership, "Why do they call it a 38 when it's really a 357?" addresses this issue and it comes from the transition from percussion cap firearms to firearms using a metallic cartridge. The author explains:

    After the Civil War, metallic cartridges took over. As you probably know, a metallic cartridge was a case of brass or copper, with a primer replacing the old percussion cap. The case was charged with powder, and a bullet was seated in the mouth and crimped. The early cartridge revolvers were simply modified cap and ball designs with the chambers drilled through so you could load from the breech end, a hinged loading gate on the recoil shield, and a hammer reshaped so that the nose would set off the primer. There was no longer a need for a rammer (that was used to pack in the loose powder on a cap and ball revolver), so this was removed, and an ejector (to eject the spent cartridge cases) was put in its place.

    There were now some new problems:

    The bullet must go inside the case, and the case must go inside the chamber. So the dimensional relationship between bullet, chamber and barrel is now out of whack. If the bullet was to fit inside the case, it would have to have a smaller diameter than the bore, and that wouldn't work. This problem was temporarily solved by using what were called "heeled" bullets (see below). A heeled .38 caliber bullet features a smaller .357" diameter base that is inserted in the cartridge, with a wider .38" bearing surface to fit the bore. This way, the dimensional relationship could remain the same as it did for a cap and ball revolver.

    Heeled bullets are still used today in .22 caliber rimfire rounds. Heeled bullets had their advantages. Revolver cylinders for heeled bullets were easier to manufacture because they could be drilled straight through, and didn't need a smaller diameter "step" to form the throat. also, when heeled bullets are used, you can fire cartridges of varying lengths with no loss of accuracy caused by freebore space (think about revolvers that can fire .22 short, long and long rifle).

    This left an unanswered question: How do you lube the bullet?

    At first, lube was simply was smeared on the exposed portion of the heeled bullet. This was called an outside lubricated bullet. Unfortunately, the lubes of the day were easily rubbed off, and were also sticky enough to pick up dirt, grit, and other contaminates that would harm the bore. An inside lubricated bullet (like we use today) would solve these problems, but simply putting a lube ring on the base of the bullet inside the case would not work because the base had a smaller diameter than the bore, and therefore the lube would not touch the barrel. The solution was to use a non-heeled, inside-lubed bullet that could be seated deeper in the case.

    To accommodate such a bullet, the revolver manufacturers had two choices: they could keep the bullet and bore the same diameter, then make the case larger, the chamber larger, the cylinder larger, and the frame larger... or they could simply make the bore and bullet smaller and add a bore-diameter throat in each chamber. The manufacturers chose the latter because it was more work to redesign and manufacture new larger frames than it was to redesign and manufacture smaller barrels and throated cylinders. The "new" .38s were made with the bore shrunk by twice the thickness of the case wall; which meant about .357" (.360 for the .38 S&W). Because of familiarity, the manufacturers kept the cartridge designation- .38 caliber - the same. The early loads for the "new" revolvers were made with soft lead bullets with hollow bases that when fired, would expand to fill the larger bore on older guns; so they would shoot fairly well in the older barrels as well.

    The same happened with the .44 caliber handguns.

• "Learn to Search Slow & Carefully" by Sheriff Jim Wilson, Shooting Illustrated. We're always told to not search our home for an intruder but the reality, as Wilson acknowledges, is that most of us will do so; partly because we often won't know whether that crash that wakes us in the middle of the night is a burglar or the cat knocking something over. He writes:

    First of all, let’s not just assume that it is the cat; take your defensive firearm with you. Secondly, you need to be able to see, so take that flashlight with you. In light of that, if I were designing a new home, I would have a master light switch installed in the bedroom that turns on every light in the house with one flip of the switch. You have to be able to see and if all that light scares the burglar away, you just won.

    Secondly, no one should be surprised in their own home. No one else knows the layout of your house the way that you do. You just have to make sure that you have checked everything in your immediate vicinity before moving on. And you’d be amazed at the places a burglar can hide when he is afraid of capture. I’ve found them in the cabinet under the kitchen sink, wedged between the refrigerator and the wall, and other places that you would swear no human could go.

    As you begin to clear a room go very slowly. Fast will get you hurt. Examine the room for every place a person could hide before going to the next room. Work on open doorways first, but don’t forget to come back and check those closed doors. Learn the safest way to open a closed door. Learn to cover a room, from the doorway, by pieing the area. And never just stop in an open doorway.

And he suggests practicing--even going so far as playing "hide and seek" with someone to test where someone could hide from you as you search the house. I use to play a lot of "hide and seek" with my kids and I can't tell you how many times I could successfully hide just by standing behind a partially open door or standing in the bath tub with the shower curtain partially pulled closed.

• "All About MIM–Part Three"--Revolver Guy. In this third part of a series, the author turns from MIM technology and to the history of Smith & Wesson's adaptation of MIM and why it didn't go with other casting technologies such as used by Ruger. 
• "DeSantis N.Y. Undercover Shoulder Rig: Comfortable, Reliable Concealment"--The Mag Life. The author begins:

    Sometimes it’s good to embrace methods that deviate from the standard that we are used to. In this case, we are talking about holster options for concealed carry. I’ve recently tried shoulder carry, and the DeSantis N.Y. Undercover Shoulder Rig meets a few needs in my life.

    First, when I carry my Glock 19X Outside The Waistband (OWB), my hip hurts after a while. It’s just a little too heavy for my comfort sometimes. Carrying full-sized handguns in a shoulder rig takes the weight off the waist and distributes it higher, making carry more comfortable in many cases. This holster gets the weight off my hip and distributes it amongst my shoulders and upper body.

    Second, during the cooler/colder months I can wear the rig under a flannel shirt or underneath my coat and it’s perfectly concealed. And lastly, on rare occasions when I wear a suit, it is difficult to conceal a handgun on my waist. For such times, the shoulder rig works perfectly.

    Despite the fact that I’ve been carrying a concealed handgun of one sort or another since the late 1980s, I never really used a shoulder holster before, having always carried on my waist. This has been a new experience and it does take some getting used to.

• "Why Choose A Double Action Only Pistol?" by George Harris, Shooting Illustrated. Unfortunately, the article doesn't actually address the question raised in the title, but instead discusses converting a DA/SA handgun to DAO.
• "Guest Shot: Ready vs. Prepare" by Dave Spaulding, Tactical Wire. A look at different ready positions (for a handgun) and a study by Force Science on the impact on speed for different finger placement and ready position. An excerpt:

    It is essential for the reaction/response time from ready be as fast as possible for obvious reasons. Recently the Force Science Institute undertook a study looking at various trigger finger and ready positions to see if one was faster than another. Their results were quite interesting. Here are the main points from this study. If you want to read the entire report, it can be found through their website.

    Force Science reported the results of the study in their newsletter. Their findings?

1. That trigger finger placement off of the trigger matters when the index finger is positioned to rest on the pistol slide- that’s slower, according to their study samples, than other options (index finger straight alongside the trigger guard, the same with finger bent against the trigger guard front, above the trigger guard along the frame and “high register” – finger straight resting on the slide.

2. Tactical ready positions were studied, including the following: pistol held behind the leg (“bootleg”), “belt tuck” where the gun is at navel level and pulled into the body, close-ready -where the gun is higher than the belt and pulled in with muzzle downward, high ready (slightly depressed muzzle), low-ready (aimed down at a 45° angle and “temple index” (high-guard, one-handed next to the head.) High ready was fastest, “bootleg” and “high-guard” were contrastingly slower – when aiming. Without aiming (!), the fastest was low-ready. Researcher Lewinsky noted, "the handgun timings indicate that the closer the ready position is to a final firing position, the faster the officer is likely to be in getting off his first round."

3. He also noted that “more important than improving the mechanics of weapon craft is teaching officers to read potentially hazard scenarios early on, so they can detect threat cues quicker and better anticipate an adversary's actions, thereby getting ahead of the reactionary curve before the crisis point. "Without that skill," he says, "they're likely to end up so far behind the action that things like the most desirable finger indexing and ready positioning won't really matter."

    As always, Force Science has done a thorough job but some of their muzzle positions do not differentiate between a ready and prepare which is of critical importance. What they call The Boot Leg (something I have never taught but seems to occur with many police officers regardless of training) is certainly a preparatory position and if I am reading it correctly so is the “Belt Tuck” which seems to be similar to SUL. Their “Close Ready” I call a Compressed Low Ready while their High Ready is also known as the Guard Position as made popular by Jeff Cooper. Their Low Ready is aptly named and is the most popular/utilized position while The High Guard I have always known as The Temple Index and is also considered a preparatory position.

The rest of the article discusses the different between preparatory positions and true ready positions.

VIDEO: "How Would a Nuclear EMP Affect the Power Grid?"--

Practical Engineering (17 min.)

Prepping & Survival:

• "How to Charge Your Phone When the Power is Out"--Modern Survival Blog. The author recommends the ANKER brand power banks for charging your phones and devices and, specifically, the ANKER Ultra-High Capacity Power Bank 20,000 mAh. And for charging the power bank when off-grid, he recommends the Big Blue – 28 Watt Folding Solar Panel Charger.
• And another from Modern Survival Blog: "Vacuum Seal Rice and Beans For Long Term Storage." The article is a how-to guide but I was struck by the author's use of plastic storage bins to store the vacuum sealed bags. This would probably be a great idea for someone in a small house or apartment with little storage as it would allow you to more easily store the rice or beans under beds, in closets, and so on, than trying to store the more common 5-gallon buckets.
• And a third from Modern Survival Blog: "Red Feather Canned Butter – Shelf Stable Butter In A Can."
• "The Survival Knife in your Pocket – Cold Steel Pendleton Mini Hunter"--Jerking The Trigger. A small (3" blade), inexpensive fixed blade knife for everyday carry.
• Related: "Small Knives for Field And Defense"--Mason Dixon Tactical.
• "How To Decrease The Cost of Use By 98% While Also Increasing The Brightness of Your Existing Tactical Flashlight"--ConcealedCarry.com. The author notes that the majority of tactical flashlights use the CR123a battery. He recommends switching those out with their rechargeable version--the 16340 battery--because it has a higher output (resulting in a brighter light from most flashlights) and, because it is rechargeable, has a lower cost over the long run.
• It's going to be a cold winter both in North America and in Europe: "Snow Extent in the Northern Hemisphere now Among the Highest in 56 years Increases the Likelihood of Cold Early Winter Forecast both in North America and Europe"--Severe Weather EU. The headline gives the basic information, but here is the author's summary:

Snow extent in the Northern Hemisphere at the end of November represents an important parameter for the early winter forecast. This year snow extent is running much higher than average and according to existing global estimates, it is now beyond the highest ever observed so far. Winter forecast, especially in its early phase and in Europe, might be strongly influenced by such a large snow extent, although many other factors need attention.

For you science nerds, the article goes into quite a bit of detail on the snow extent and its correlation with how cold a winter in Europe and North America could be, including discussion on albedo and the impact of snow cover on ground temperatures, the Siberian High, how snow forms, and more.

VIDEO: "NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule entering lunar orbit"--CBS News (4 min.)

From a few days ago.

News & Analysis:

• Last week, as Covid cases surged, China decided to lock down Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities. (See also here noting that these lockdowns represent 1/5 of the Chinese economy). However, this resulted in immediate protests in China’s industrial metropolis Guangzhou where protestors clashed with police. (See also here). Unfortunately for the CCP, the protests spread after a fire on Thursday that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, with many Chinese blaming the deaths on residents not being able to escape the building because it was partially locked down. As the protests spread across the country, "Videos shared on social media showed protestors openly calling for President Xi Jinping and the government to step down as pressure ramps up on the Chinese leader." "Many are now referring to the protest to as 'white paper revolution,' 'blank sheet revolution' or “A4 revolution.'"
• Meanwhile, back in the U.S.: "Thanks, Joe! 41% of small businesses can't pay their rent this month."
• "Highways to Utopia" by Roger Kimball, American Greatness. Kimball argues that the country is at a crossroads of sort, with one of the choices facing us being between, as Kimball labels it, "Dynamism and Deviancy." It's a long read, but worth it. A short (relative to the length of the article) excerpt:

    ... Perhaps this self-canceling aspect of the West is part of what James Hankins and Allen C. Guelzo had in mind when they noted in the first chapter of Where Next?: Civilization at the Crossroads that “Civilization is always threatened by barbarism, and the greater threat often comes more from within than from without.” The political philosopher James Burnham made a similar point when he argued that “Suicide is probably more frequent than murder as the end phase of a civilization.” That the pathology may be self-generated is more an admonition than a consolation. 

    The historian Arnold Toynbee spoke in this context of the “barbarization of the dominant minority.” When a society is robust and self-confident, Toynbee suggested, cultural influence travels largely from the elites to the proletariats. The elites furnish social models to be emulated. The proletariats are “softened,” Toynbee said, by their imitation of the manners and morals of a dominant elite. But when a society begins to falter, the imitation proceeds largely in the opposite direction: the dominant elite is coarsened by its imitation of proletarian manners. Toynbee spoke in this context of a growing “sense of drift,” “truancy,” “promiscuity,” and general “vulgarization” of manners, morals, and the arts. The elites, instead of holding fast to their own standards, suddenly begin to “go native” and adopt the dress, attitudes, and behavior of the lower classes. Flip on your television, scroll through social media, look at the teens and pre-teens in your middle-class neighborhood. You will see what Toynbee meant by “barbarization of the dominant [or, rather ‘once-dominant’] minority.” One part of the impulse is summed up in the French phrase nostalgie de la boue. But it is not “mud” that is sought so much as repudiation.

    The social scientist Charles Murray, writing about Toynbee in the Wall Street Journal back in 2001, noted how closely the historian’s analysis fit developments in contemporary America. To a large extent, it is a matter of failed or discarded ideals. “Truancy and promiscuity, in Toynbee’s sense,” Murray writes, 

are not new in America. But until a few decades ago, they were publicly despised and largely confined to the bottom layer of Toynbee’s proletariat—the group we used to call “low-class” or “trash,” and which we now call the underclass. Today, those behaviors have been transmuted into a code that the elites sometimes imitate, sometimes placate, and fear to challenge. Meanwhile, they no longer have a code of their own in which they have confidence.

    What we are talking about is the drift, the tendency of our culture. And that is to be measured not so much by what we permit or forbid as by what we unthinkingly accept as normal. This crossroads, that is to say, is part of a process, one of whose markers is the normalization of the outré. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan described this development as “defining deviancy down.” It is, as the late columnist Charles Krauthammer observed, a two-way process. “As part of the vast social project of moral leveling,” he wrote, it is not enough for the deviant to be normalized. The normal must be found to be deviant. . . . Large areas of ordinary behavior hitherto considered benign have had their threshold radically redefined up, so that once innocent behavior now stands condemned as deviant. Normal middle-class life then stands exposed as the true home of violence and abuse and a whole catalog of aberrant acting and thinking. 

    Hilaire Belloc espied the culmination of this process in Survivals and New Arrivals (1929): 

When it is mature we shall have, not the present isolated, self-conscious insults to beauty and right living, but a positive coordination and organized affirmation of the repulsive and the vile.

Also: 

    This racial spoils system is one giant totem looming over the crossroads we face. Another is the anti-sexual sexual hypertrophy that has become such a curious feature of our cultural landscape. In 1994, Irving Kristol wrote an important essay called “Countercultures.” In it, he noted that “‘Sexual liberation’ is always near the top of a countercultural agenda—though just what form the liberation takes can and does vary, sometimes quite widely.” The costumes and rhetoric change, but the end is always the same: an assault on the defining institutions of our civilization. “Women’s liberation,” Kristol continues,

is another consistent feature of all countercultural movements—liberation from husbands, liberation from children, liberation from family. Indeed, the real object of these various sexual heterodoxies is to disestablish the family as the central institution of human society, the citadel of orthodoxy.

In Eros and Civilization (1966), the Marxist countercultural guru Herbert Marcuse provided an illustration of Kristol’s thesis avant la lettre. Railing against “the tyranny of procreative sexuality,” Marcuse urged his followers to return to a state of “primary narcissism” and extolled the joys of “polymorphous perversity.” Are we there yet? “Be fruitful, and multiply,” the Book of Genesis advised. Marcuse sought to enlist a programmatically unfruitful sexuality in his campaign against “capitalism” and the cultural establishment: barrenness as a revolutionary desideratum. Back then, the diktat seemed radical but self-contained, another crackpot effusion from the academy. Today, it is a widespread mental health problem, accepted gospel preached by teachers, the media, and legislators across the country. ...

• Related: "'Stop making everything sexual!' Americans slam Disney for trying to teach kids about sexual preferences in its first cartoon with gay main character - as $180M movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal bombs at box office"--Daily Mail. 
• Related: "'It's heresy!': Worshippers left 'in tears' as Cambridge dean claims Jesus may have been TRANSGENDER after row over Christ's wound having a 'vaginal appearance'"--Daily Mail.
• Related: "Evidence Grows Proving That Transgenderism Is a Social Contagion"--PJ Media. 
• Related: "Manhattan pharma heiress says her mom had to hire $300-a-day DEPROGRAMMER to help her unlearn crazed woke views after she was brainwashed while attending elite Mount Holyoke college"--Daily Mail. 
• Related: "S.F. Elections Official Blindsided by Decision Not to Renew His Contract Due to ‘Racial Equity’"--National Review. 
• Related: "In California, 10% of Legislature now identifies as LGBTQ"--AP. 

VIDEO: "Use These To Not Die"

 

VIDEO: "Use These To Not Die"--Administrative Results (13 min.)

Garand Thumb joins the host of Administrative Results to test various weapons against barriers to demonstrate the difference between cover and concealment. The first barrier tested was a barn stall wall made of what appeared to be 2x8 or 2x10 boards laid edge-to-edge. The second barrier was a reinforced concrete wall that looked to be 6 or 8 inches thick. As would be expected, all rifles (calibers were 5.56, .45-70, .30-06, and 7.62x39) tested against the wood boards easily penetrated, although the 7.62x39 did keyhole. The concrete wall, on the other hand, was able to stop everything shot at it, including some .50 BMG rounds, although the .50 BMG caused significant spalling off the backside of the concrete wall that would likely have resulted in injury. Prolonged shooting with a .50 BMG machine gun, however, would probably have quickly reduced the concrete to rubble.

Winter Field Tips

(Source)

I've had a couple posts recently with some tips for dressing for the winter (see here and here). I definitely got to put some of them to use this past weekend. 

    Between the wet weather we had earlier this month (which turns the ground to a thick, sticky mud perfect for getting stuck) and other activities, I hadn't been out shooting for a bit. This past weekend, though, with morning temperatures in the teens, I decided it was probably safe to try and reach my favorite shooting spot because whatever areas hadn't dried would have frozen. I was mostly right.

    I had two main reasons for going shooting (well, other than I hadn't been for a few weeks). First was to test out the 1911 on which I had swapped out the flat main spring housing for an arched one (I wrote about that here). Second, with Idaho having such a large budget surplus, the legislature had authorized an additional tax return. Like a good, responsible person, I could have put it into savings; but being a gun guy, that just wasn't going to happen. I decided to check another off my "bucket list" of firearms and purchased a Smith & Wesson Model 317 "Kit Gun". 

    For those of you unfamiliar with S&W's kit guns, it is in reference to the small .22 LR revolvers built on the J-frame with short 3-inch barrels: the idea is that these are revolvers small and light enough for a fisherman, camper or hiker to throw into his kit and use for taking small game, to dispatch snakes or other vermin, or for casual plinking. Barrel lengths have varied over time, but mostly have been in the 3-inch range.

    Tom Clapper has an excellent history of the developments leading up to the production of the first "kit guns" and its subsequent changes (link here).  The gist, however, is that the kit gun developed out of S&W's .32 hand ejector revolvers on the I-frame but chambered in .22 LR. After some starts and fits in the early 20th Century, but in 1936 S&W released its first .22 revolver labelled as a "kit gun": the .22/32 Kit Gun, still using the I-frame designed for the .32 revolver. In 1957, with S&W switching to a system of using model numbers instead of names, the kit gun became the Model 34. In 1958, S&W began production of the an "Airweight" kit-gun using a J-frame sized frame known as the Model 43. The steel framed kit gun was converted to a J-frame in 1960. In 1977, S&W released its first stainless steel kit gun: the Model 63. 

    Production has stopped and started again on different models, and changes have led to different model designations. As Dave Campbell reported in a 2018 article, "[t]he Model 34 was discontinued in 1991 though there were a few reissues. Today it exists in two more modern configurations, the Model 317 with an aluminum frame, 3" barrel and an eight-shot cylinder or the Model 63, with a stainless steel frame, 3" barrel and an eight-shot cylinder." 

    I've long wanted a kit gun, particularly after hefting the aluminum framed/aluminum cylinder versions. These weigh in at 11.7 ounces and have fully adjustable rear sights. Today's Model 317 also sports a bright green fiber optic front sight. This particular model is popular with hikers and backpackers because of its light weight. It is perfectly adequate for protection against aggressive dogs, raccoons or other critters, can be used for signaling, and if worse came to worse, could be pressed into use for self-defense. They are pricey--especially when compared to a .22 semi-auto--which is why I've held off buying one for so long. The MSRP is $839.00. I paid about $80 less for mine at a local gun shop. 

    Since my youngest son is supposed to be practicing his driving preparatory to getting his driver's license, after we got off the highway, I let him drive the paved country road from the highway to where we turn off onto a dirt path. He was going too fast trying to make the turn off, but I did learn that my SUV will drift without rolling. Anyway, after that bit of excitement and a few seconds to recover, I exited the vehicle and was glad to learn that the mud had mostly frozen, so off we went into the desert. 

    The one thing you can count on in a southern Idaho desert is the wind and we weren't disappointed. It wasn't terrible--it wasn't near strong enough to blow over targets which is not an infrequent problem--but it was a steady strong breeze that nevertheless seemed to find every opening in one's clothing. My youngest son had forgotten his gloves, but fortunately I keep a spare pair of cold-weather gloves in my vehicle. These are some insulated gloves made by Head that I picked up at Costco many years ago. I've since replaced them for regular wear because they got a slight tear in one finger, but the insulating and waterproofing layers are still intact.

    My oldest son and I both were wearing thin gloves conducive to shooting. These were also Head brand that I picked up at Costco years ago (are you sensing a pattern, here?) that are a thin polyester and intended for sporting activities. Importantly, they are thin enough to safely use when shooting and handling firearms. Better than bare skin, but still left us with cold fingers. 

    I started with shooting the Model 317. I wanted to test its function and reliability, but also had brought along some Federal Punch in .22LR to test. If I'm going to be carrying the kit gun hiking or camping, I wanted ammo such that the revolver could be pressed into a self-defense role. The weapon functioned fine--it went bang every time I pulled the trigger--and it pretty much shot to point of aim (POA) at 5 yards. It was cold and I still wanted to try the 1911 so I didn't spend a lot of time with the revolver. Besides, I figured, if your firearm functions flawlessly at 17 or 18 degrees F, it probably will work under most any conditions. I'll do a lengthier test later.

    We spent a little more time with the Remington 1911 mostly because my kids also wanted to shoot it. My oldest son, in particular, was interested in how the arched mainspring housing would help as his Kimber has a flat one. As I expected, it pointed more naturally for me and I was, therefore, able to shoot it more accurately at a decent pace of fire. It seemed to work better for my son as well. Instead of the paper target I'd used to test the revolver, we used the steel dueling tree I'd brought out. My sons shot against each other and I shot against my oldest son. He also tried the Remington on his own. After that I worked with my youngest son using the paper target so I could bring the target up close and help him with getting a proper grip and improve trigger control. 

    There were a couple times when the 1911 didn't fully go into battery, which probably was because of the cold. Years ago I was out shooting with some friends in temperatures that were even much colder, and the best we could do was 4 or 5 rounds from a semi-auto before having feeding problems. We'd then have to put the guns inside our coats for a few minutes to warm up and shoot some more. They were having more problems than me, which I put down to them typically using more lubricant than I do. They were also having problems with their ARs. I had an Mini-14 at the time that worked without issue, but I again put this down to differences in lubing practices. My pump action shotgun I'd brought out also worked fine. But I vowed after that trip--which had temperatures in the low single digits or perhaps even colder out on the flats in the desert--that I was never again going to practice in that cold of weather.

    But back to my recent trip. Did I say it was cold with a strong breeze? The main problems were my hands, because of the thin gloves, and my ears because I had not brought a hat that covered my ears. My kids were complaining of the cold as well, so we packed up early, I drove out to the paved road, let my youngest drive back to the highway, and then I drove the rest of the way back home. I haven't told my wife about my son "drifting" the car. That's a story for his friends.

    In my earlier post on cold weather tips, I mentioned some ideas from one of my readers. He has some more tips which I'd like to share:

    A small pc cut from an old yoga mat can be used to sit on in snow and keep your ass from getting wet.

We decided to call it a day before moving to shooting some rifle so fortunately I didn't find myself sitting on the ground (although I had a shooting mat with me). But this seems a more compact solution and would work if I found myself using a formal shooting range with shooting benches and chairs. My wife hasn't used her yoga mat for a few years so I'm sure she won't notice. 

    Also, he adds: 

    There are gloves, intended for use by auto mechanics I think, available at many hdwr stores that fit tightly/ have textured grips.  I often wear a pair of these under warmer gloves/ mittens.  If I need to deal w/ something that requires a degree of dexterity, I can ditch the outer glove/ mitten and even in extreme cold have a minute or two before my hands become so cold that I lose feeling/ dexterity.  Also, I can touch metal (ski bindings, a knife blade, gun barrel/ slide, etc.,) w/o freezing/ losing skin.

    If you carry a Bic lighter, pry the little "child protection" wheel off of it.  Child proof can become adult proof in cold weather as you lose feeling/ dexterity in your fingers.  Also, keep lighter in inside pocket next to your body, as this can make a big difference in getting flame in extreme cold.

He also adds:

I always keep a few feet of duct tape wrapped around my Bic lighters.  This means I (almost) always have duct w/ me.  Further, duct tape makes OK tinder.  Not great, but workable.  (Do you know the PJCB [ed: petroleum jelly cotton ball] in a milkshake straw trick?  I learned it from a guy who went by "curdog".  I know Ellifritz posted about this, but if it's new to you let me know and I'll explain more fully.)  Finally, w/ cold hands this makes the lighter easier to grasp. 

Finally, and something that I knew better and should have done:

    I carry a thermos w/ either hot chocolate or hot tea when I know I'm going to be out for a while.  Adding half a stick of butter to hot chocolate really bumps up the caloric value and tastes pretty damn good  on a cold day.

I haven't tried adding a stick of butter to hot chocolate. I think I'll dig out my large Thermos and give it a try for my next outing.

New Bombs & Bants (Streamed Nov. 16, 2022)

 

VIDEO: "Bombs and Bants Live! Ep 61" (47 min.)

Video: "Why Won't the Ruger Mini-14 Just Die?"

 

VIDEO: "Why Won't the Ruger Mini-14 Just Die? [Part 1]"--Lucky Gunner Ammo (15 min.)

    Since this video is the first part of a two-part series, it doesn't answer the question. Rather, it sets up the question by going over the history of the rifle, looking at pro's and con's, and comparing prices versus a Colt AR-15 and a budget AR over time. For most of its history, the Mini-14 cost less than an AR-15, and this gap widened considerably in the late 1980s and going into the 1990s. I can remember when you could walk into a gun store and the Mini ran about 50 to 60% of what an AR15 costs. But that has changed: the price gap has narrowed and, over the past couple of years as the video shows, the Mini-14 costs more than a Colt AR-15 and significantly more than a budget AR. Also, as the video notes, the magazines cost double (or more) than you would pay for an AR magazine, there are no good ways of attaching optics or lights, and the rifle still suffers a bit in the accuracy department (although the modern models are more accurate than the earlier models of Mini-14). Yet people are still buying the weapon and so the question posed in the title: why won't it die?

    I can think of several reasons. First, notwithstanding the issues with aftermarket magazines that developed after Ruger stopped selling factory 20- and 30-round magazines to the public, the rifle always had--and I believe continues to have--a reputation for eating everything you feed it. In the 80's, the Mini-14 was considered by many in the prepping community to be more reliable than the AR (partly because of a couple well-publicized incidents where cops with ARs facing down criminals with Mini-14s came down on the losing side).

    Second, it is a light and handy gun. It weighs less and, in my opinion, is better balanced than the AR. It doesn't have all the things--pistol grips, magazine wells, and high-rise sights--that tend to catch on clothes, seat belts, brush or branches, and so on.

    Third, it has a traditional look and feel about it, especially with the wood stock. Not only does that appeal to people that like traditional looking rifles, but is less likely to frighten those members of the public that are 2nd Amendment impaired.

    Fourth, it's accuracy is acceptable for the person that actually uses a gun in the field. The reality is that the original Mini-14, sporting a pencil profile barrel, was never "inaccurate" compared to the original AR sporting a pencil profile barrel. The "inaccuracy" issue arose when comparing the original Mini-14 to the A2 models with the heavy barrels and the improved peep sights. Sticking better peep sights and a heavier barrel seemed to alleviate a lot of those issues. Also, as I've noted before, up until the end of the 1980s, the Mini-14 sported a 1:7 twist at a time when people were still mostly shooting 50 and 55 grain bullets, and probably would have done better with a 1:9 or 1:12 twist.

VIDEO: Appendix Carry For Heavy Set Guys

 

VIDEO: "How to Appendix Carry for Fat Guys (continued) / EDC"--Yota Blaster (23 min.)

This is a topic that needs to be discussed more often because most men (or women, for that matter) are not thin. Although the video title says it is for "Fat Guys" the guy making it is not really what I would describe as fat as he doesn't have a gut that actually sticks out much over his belt line such as with the so-called "beer gut". 

More Tips For Dressing For Winter

Fireplace at twilight

Last week I published a short post on the topic of "Dressing for Winter." A reader has shared some additional tips and tricks, writing:

    First, like you, I favor parka length garments.  I've had a few over the years that extended 3-4" farther down the thigh on the back, while I don't see it as a "must have", I liked this feature.  I do see pocket space as a BFD.  I like a couple of bellows pockets on the chest, pouch and slot pockets at the waist.  I try to carry a spare pair of gloves, a spare cap, and a scarf.  (There's a trick you may know, but as I learned it later in life, I'll mention it anyway.  If you fold a scarf in half, lengthwise, put it around neck and pull loose ends through folded end, it will cinch up very nicely and prevent heat leaking around neck via the chimney effect.) 

    I try to keep a few of the hand-warmers in my pockets.  I have sev'l "saves" on children who were on verge of hypothermia using these.  Kids go hypothermic pretty quickly and many parents are ill prepared (I bailed out one family two successive winters while XC skiing.) I'd carry them for this reason alone, but they've many uses.

    W/ rgd to your suggestion of keeping a light weight jacket to allow you to moderate/ adjust body temp, let me suggest a fleece vest for this purpose.  Especially one that reverses from Blaze Orange to a camo pattern.  The utility of such a garment is greater than many other garments, signaling, warming, hiding...  I also like to keep a reversible cap in my coat.

He also adds:

The little hand warmers have a number of uses.  One thing that works well is to melt water frozen in a Nalgene bottle.  They don't put out enough heat to melt the bottle, but if you duct tape a couple to a frozen Nalgene bottle they will pretty quickly provide you w/ drinkable water.  

 As I looked over my collection of jackets and coats, I noticed that I also had a few that were cut longer on the back than on the front: I assume this is to make it easier to sit while still covering the butt to protect from the cold. I also like more capacious pockets as I tend to stuff items in my pockets when not needed. I keep a Chapstick in my winter coats, as well as storing gloves in the pockets (I don't have a pair for every coat but I'm getting there)--that way I don't have to hunt for gloves when I grab the jacket or coat. I will also stuff keys in an outer pocket when bundled up. And if I'm really bundled up in my heaviest winter coat, a small revolver will go into an outside pocket since there is probably a snowball's chance in Hell that I could get to a weapon on my belt if I needed one.

The Docent's Memo (Nov. 14, 2022)

 

VIDEO: ".22 For Self Defense?"--Sportsman's Warehouse (17 min.)

Ballistic gel and bone penetration tests. Related articles below.

Firearms & Self-Defense:

• "The Seven Keys To Situational Awareness" by Matthew Schafer. The points he covers are:

1. The Two Second Rule. Basically, "anytime you approach a new area stop and spend two seconds looking at it first to make sure it is safe."
2. Keep Your Head On A Swivel. This means showing some curiosity and looking around you at what and who is around you rather than being so focused you ignore everything.
3. The Five Foot Rule. Keep at least 5 feet between you and potential threats.
4. Hand Awareness. "If a person is going to attack you most likely they will do so by using their hands so it is important to see where their hands are."
5. Arm's Length Awareness. It is at this distance that most attackers will initiate their attack, so be aware of anyone breaking the 5-foot rule and getting within arm reach.
6. Peripheral Awareness. "To get the most out of situational awareness you need to use both your focus vision (your direct line of sight) and peripheral vision (outside of your direct line of sight)."
7. Sucker Punch Awareness. This is knowing the signs that someone is about to throw a punch. The author describes essentially four situations where someone might do so: (i) breaking the 5-foot rule and moving to within arm's reach; (ii) when they get overly angry and in your face; (ii) expressing the classic pre-attack indicators through their body language; (iii) they are engaging verbally and then suddenly disengage, turning to their side as if to talk to someone or even turning so their back is to you, suddenly laughing and talking to a friend, etc., intending to distract you and get you off your guard; and (iv) is in your face and suddenly wants to distract you or approaches within arm's length while asking you questions or otherwise trying to distract you.

• Related: "Recognizing & Interpreting Pre-Attack Indicators"--Shooting Illustrated.
• Interesting: "Mythbusting: Shooting A Deadbolt"--Widener's. What their testing showed is that deadbolts are very tough to defeat with firearms, with even multiple shots leaving the bolt locked into place. They tested deadbolts set in both steel and solid wood doors, using 9 mm, 5.56, and 12-gauge buckshot. In none of the cases were they able to blow the door open by shooting the deadbolt even after multiple shots. An excerpt:

    The 9-pellet buckshot seemed to do more damage than the pistol or rifle. On the steel door, the faceplate blew off the front, it also removed the locking knob on the back of the door, and the key wouldn’t go in the lock. The damage to the door was more noticeable, with a large exit cavity in the rear. That being said, even after taking 9 pellets of 00 buckshot, the deadbolt didn’t fail, and the door remained closed.

    Shooting the wooden door was similar. There was nothing left on the front of the lock, the back of the wooden door around the lock was blown out, and the knob was locked into place. The back of the door looked splintered and you could see daylight through it. The deadbolt was non-functional but was still securely locked, and the door never swung open when shot. Myth totally busted.

• It may not be exciting but it is important: "A Beginner’s Guide To Shooting Glasses"--The Weapon Blog. As the author explains, when looking at Military glasses or goggles, check for the MIL-PRF 32432 Ballistic Fragmentation Standard. For civilian eye wear, look for ANSI Z87.1 or Z87+ ratings. He then goes over your basic clear lenses, polarized lenses, and goggles, the latter of which may be useful when shooting suppressed to keep gas from jetting back into your eyes. 
• "Safariland Duty Holsters for Field and Concealment"--Mason Dixon Tactical. The author relates: "Although I still have a number of the Blackhawk Serpa type holsters, I generally use the Safariland, hardshell types (ALS and SLS) when I use a mechanical holster." I've noticed that these seem to be a common pick from the operator types in the videos I've watched on setting up and using battle belts. Anyway, after going over some holsters he used in the past, the author writes:
  

The primary mechanical holster I personally use now is the Safariland 6378, ALS Holster. The ALS is secure enough for what I need, without the redundant ALS/SLS features of the last holster I used in Law Enforcement for a .40cal S&W M&P. Unlike a kydex friction fit holster, the best thing about the ALS is that it has positive retention, but no friction to slow down your draw once the lever is pulled back. Also, the lever is placed in a location that is intuitive to the draw stroke.

He goes on to explain some differences between the ALS and SLS holsters, including ride height.

• Related: "BATTLE BELT SETUP 101: HOW TO SET UP A WAR BELT?" by John-Caspar Jaanus, Tactical Brute. A comprehensive guide to selecting and setting up a battle belt.
• Related: "HOW TO SET UP YOUR BATTLE BELT"--The Armory Life. Some more on battle belts, including accessories for your Safariland holster to make it work better with the system.
• Related: "Load Bearing Equipment: History, Personal Use, and Pro-Tips"--Everyday Marksman. Moving away from the battle belt concept is the more traditional load bearing belt and harness systems. These involve belts that fit high to ride around your actual waist--above your hip bones--rather than around your hips, and generally attached to harnesses (suspender systems). The author goes over some historical examples, including the ALICE system, before looking at a few setups of his own.

• Stepping down from carrying a duty pistol: "Why Carry a .22?" by Greg Ellifritz, Active Response Training. Ellifritz admits to a carrying .22 magnum Smith & Wesson 351C J-frame and .22 long rifle Ruger LCP pistol on occasion. One of his main reasons is that he no longer is actively chasing criminals so he no longer needs to carry a "get into trouble" gun but can go with a smaller and lighter "get out of trouble" gun. As he explains:

My days of hunting and incarcerating criminals are over.  In armed citizen gunfights, the .22 has remarkably similar “stopping power” to a service pistol in 9mm or greater caliber.  It’s simple. No one wants to get shot with anything.  If I put a couple of .22s into the bad guy’s face, he’s almost certainly going to disengage if he isn’t immediately incapacitated.

The latter point is important because Ellifritz also notes that he has the skill and ability to accurately put his shots into someone's face at close range, and into their head out to 15 yards. As he remarks, "If I didn’t have this skill level, I’d probably want a bigger gun so that I could do more damage with less accurate torso (or even limb) shots.  Higher skilled shooters can simply get away with carrying smaller guns than the average CCW holder." Other reasons he mentions are that he appreciates the lower recoil due to arthritis, he carries in a lot of states and believes that a mistake as to what is legal in a jurisdiction would be more likely forgiven with a .22 than a larger caliber handgun, and carrying a smaller gun makes him think before rushing in where angels fear to tread.

    As to ammunition, he likes the Federal Punch ammo, but indicates that the CCI Velocitor is the most reliable in his .22 LCP.

• Related: ".22 LR for Self Defense: Ammunition Test and Review" by John P. Snow, Outdoor Life, with the ballistic gel testing done by Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills Ammunition. First of all, despite the title, this is only a test of the .22 Punch ammo from Federal. Also, the thing to remember is that with such a small, low power handgun caliber, you can get expansion or you can get penetration, but you are not going to get both. With that in mind, the Federal Punch did pretty well in their testing both as to accuracy and with the ballistic gel, giving between 13.5 and 14.5 inches penetration from .22 pistols (but only 8.75 inches from a 10/22 rifle due to bullet expansion).
• Related: "Federal’s 22 Punch" by Richard Mann, Shooting Illustrated. From the article:

    Now, I do not think Federal believes the .22 LR is the ideal defensive-handgun cartridge, but it does recognize that some (perhaps even many) people carry handguns chambered in .22 LR for personal protection. Also, depending on the individual, in some cases a .22 LR handgun might be a best option. (The old adage that “any gun is better than no gun” might not be settled science, but it’s good advice.) With 22 Punch, Federal wanted to maximize penetration while giving a .22-caliber rimfire bullet fired from a compact handgun the best opportunity to damage as much tissue as possible.

    To do this, Federal took a lead core and applied thick nickel plating. But, most importantly, it shaped the bullet so that it had a flat meplat, or nose. Essentially, what Federal has done is create a 29-grain, .22-caliber rimfire bullet that delivers terminal performance similar to a flat-nose, hardcast, non-deforming bullet. Non-expanding, flat-nose, hardcast bullets have been used for hunting with handguns for many years because they can deliver the necessary, straight-line penetration, and because the flat nose destroys tissue better than a round nose. Federal also loads this new bullet in nickel-plated cases, which improve cycling and resist corrosion better than brass cases.

Also:

From a personal-protection standpoint, terminal performance is what really matters. Blocks of Clear Ballistics gelatin covered with a single layer of denim were used for all terminal-performance testing, and the distance from the muzzle to the blocks was 7 feet. Out of the little Beretta, the 22 Punch load “punched” out to 11 inches. Because of higher velocity and no expansion, out of the 4.62-inch-barreled Ruger the Punch bullet pushed much deeper. But, with the much higher velocity out of the 18-inch-barrelled Savage, the bullet mushroomed, and this drastically limited penetration. 

• Related: "Federal Punch 22 LR Review: Is Rimfire Relevant?" by Frank Melloni, Tactical Life. In his gel tests, it compared favorably to 73-grain FMJ .32 ACP against which he compared it, having less penetration but a straighter path through the gel.
• Related: "The Rimfire Report: Review of Federal Punch 22LR Personal Defense Ammunition"--The Firearm Blog. Some more ballistic gel testing, but using a variety of .22 pistols. 
   
• Since we are on the topic of .22s: "The Rimfire Report: The Basics of Suppressing 22LR"--The Firearm Blog. Some advice on selecting a sound suppressor and why you don't want to use one intended for centerfire ammunition with .22 LR.
• "Classic Arms Review: M1 Carbine"--International Sportsman. The author begins by warning readers that his "review is intended to outline general M1 Carbine use and practicality. Readers looking for a detailed discussion of carbine evolutionary changes and parts breakdown should consider other, M1 Carbine-centric sources." Nevertheless, he discusses the purpose for the carbine, its history, a bit about its design, basic breakdown of weapon, discusses the major component parts, and finally a range report. An excerpt from the latter:

Most sources I’ve seen rate the M1 Carbine as a three to five minute of arc (MOA) rifle. While it is far from a sub-MOA shooter, I feel that it is much more accurate than five MOA. Even my well-worn M1 (2+ muzzle erosion) is capable of stacking rounds at 25 yards, and hitting clay pigeons with it at 100 yards is relatively trivial. The M1 Carbine’s peep sights are excellent for range work, and as long as the barrel is in decent shape, groupings in the two to four MOA range should certainly be manageable.

• More: "The .30 Carbine: History & Performance" by Dave Campbell, American Rifleman.
• And another classic: "History Of Britain's L42A1 Sniper Rifle: Full Review"--Rifleshooter Magazine. The British learned in the Falkland Islands War that it needed a dedicated sniper rifle--the FAL just didn't cut it. Their solution was to bring old  World War II era No. 4 Mk I (T) sniper rifles out of storage and upgrade them from .303 to .308 caliber. This was ostensibly a stop-gap until a new sniper rifle could be selected (the Brits eventually went with the the M85 Parker-Hale), but "[w]hen the M85 Parker-Hale sniper fell short in the first Iraq War, the L42A1 was called from retirement to serve again. When the L96 began having similar troubles in the Afghan War in the mid-2000s, the L42A1 was called up again, serving with Royal Marines and Commandoes once more."
• Moving from classic firearms to what could have been: "The USMC M16A5 Concept: History and Build"--Kommando Blog. Short take: "the Marines made a concept that essentially emulated the Canadian C7A1- a 20 inch barreled upper mated to a lower with an adjustable stock." This was to retain the ballistic advantage of the longer barrel while addressing issues with using the weapons with body armor, moving in and out of vehicles, and for CQB. However, this is what stuck with me the most from the article:

With the recent adoption of the Sig MCX Spear in 6.8×51 as the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon, there seems to be a sense among some that “what’s old is new again”. Reverting from an intermediate cartridge to a full size cartridge, 30 round mags back to 20 round mags, viewing future warfare through the lens of Afghan combat at 600 meter distances rather than the short range urban engagements more commonly seen in Iraq or, more recently, Ukraine. What’s ironic is that this is typically the attitude you see with the USMC, and they don’t seem to be too inclined to touch the NGSW with a 10 foot pole.

• "The DOE Shoot On the Move Rifle Qualification"--The Mag Life. The "DOE" being the Department of Energy. The DOE apparently has different shoot on the move qualifications for various weapons, but this article only looks at the submachine gun and rifle qualification.
• "How to Shoot From Unconventional Positions: Learn How" by Richard Nance, Handguns Magazine. Nance notes that "there are times when shooting from a different position would be beneficial to maximize available cover, make yourself a smaller target, fire more accurately, or fight your way back to your feet if you’ve been knocked down or have fallen." He describes a high kneeling, low kneeling, seated and prone positions for shooting. An excerpt:

If your mobility has been compromised due to a leg injury, you may be relegated to shooting one-handed, as your other hand pushes off the ground to compensate for your wounded leg and propel your body away from the threat and/or behind cover. While this shooting position may occur naturally, being able to register accurate hits one-handed—while scooting across the ground, wounded—is as challenging as it sounds. As such, practicing from this awkward position is a must.

• "Strength training for self protection – a weight lifting program"--Tactical Self Defense. No magic pill here. As the author notes, "[t]he best way to build strength is by pumping iron." He describes the exercises in his program and then goes over each set and the routine, the latter of which is over a two week cycle that repeats for a 3 month period. After that, he recommends learning some new exercises to switch up your routine.
• "All About MIM–Part Two"--Revolver Guy. More on MIM manufacturing and when it is better than machined parts, and when it is not.
• When seconds count.... "Sheriff in California county with 65,000 people will STOP all daytime patrols due to 'catastrophic staffing shortage'." From the article:

    Tehama County, where about 66,000 people live about 120 miles north of the state capital in Sacramento, is ending daytime patrol because employees keep leaving and salaries are comparatively low. 

    This could prove dangerous, as the county's most populated city of Red Bluff has a violent crime rate higher than around 97 percent of the country, according to Neighborhood Scout. There are about 9.79 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

• The real reason you need to own guns and know how to use them: "Data on Mass Murder by Government in the 20th Century." The article explains:

    During the 20th century, governments murdered over 200 million people. This figure excludes battle deaths from wars. The tables below are from my just-published article Guns Kill People, and Tyrants With Gun Monopolies Kill the Most, 25 Gonzaga Journal of International Law 29 (2021). The data cover 1900 to 1987 and are mainly based on the scholarship of the late University of Hawaii political science professor Rudolph J. Rummel. The few instances in which different figures are used are explained in my article.

    The tables below do not used the word "genocide," because that term, as defined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, is too narrow. At the insistence of Josef Stalin, the Genocide Convention applies to some mass murders by government (e.g., targeting racial, ethnic, or religious groups) but not to others (e.g., targeting victims for class warfare or ideological reasons). Hence, prof. Rummel coined the term "democide" to describe noncombat mass murders for any reason.

    As the tables indicate, mass murders are perpetrated by dictatorial regimes of various stripes. Communist regimes are far away the most murderous. The tables list 17 communist regimes that murdered at least 100,000 people. Overall, the communists murdered approximately 168,759,000 from 1900 to 1987.

    On the whole, the most-murderous fascist regimes proved to be less durable than their communist counterparts, so their killing sprees did not last as long. The 1900-87 murder count by fascist regimes was 27,848,000.

    Fascist regimes are those that were explicitly aligned with the political theories of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Mussolini had been a socialist, but he broke with the party because of its internationalist class perspective and its opposition to World War I. Mussolini recast the totalitarian side of (some) socialist ideology into a nationalist mold.

So, really, we should stop using the term communist and fascist and, instead, use the terms "international socialist" and "national socialist". The Democrats have become international socialists. Anyway, the author adds:

As detailed in my article and the citations therein, the overwhelming majority of the above murders were perpetrated against victims who had been assiduously disarmed by dictatorships before the killing began. The behavior and statements of mass-murdering regimes indicate that armed victims are a serious impediment to mass murder by government. As also detailed in the article, the historical record indicates that resistance by intended victims who do have arms can save many lives, even when the targeted groups lack the power to overthrow the regime.

VIDEO: "longhouse: Saws and Choppers"--Hill People Gear (33 min.)

A look at the advantages and disadvantages to saws versus axes, different type of saw blades, different types of ax heads and hafts, and what the author likes best for use in the field.

Prepping & Survival:  

• "Throwsticks"--Functional Self-Defense. The author writes:

The throwsticks or kylie that Ben is making are awesome survival tools. They’re designed to fly straight and level, and you can throw them a solid 85 meters if not farther. The Australian Aborigines used them primarily for hunting, but they also doubled as close range striking weapons, and you could use them as a close range throwing weapon too.

• "Emergency Winter Shelter Tips from an ‘Alone’ Contestant"--Backpacker Magazine. The contestant is Jessie Krebs. She begins:

First, find a safe place to construct your shelter. “Make sure it’s an area that will meet all of your needs, including shelter-building materials and a good signaling site so rescuers can find you,” Krebs says. Check for safety concerns. Are you in an avalanche path? Are there large dead branches or trees above or near you? Once you’ve settled on a location, figure out what kind of shelter you’re going to build.

The remainder of the article discusses a few different types of emergency/improvised shelters and what to do to attract the attention of rescuers.  

• "Your kitchen pharmacy — How common culinary herbs and spices can help you feel better" by Rebekah L. Cowell, Backwoods Home Magazine. The article discusses brewing herbal teas before turning to medicinal purposes of common spices and herbs. An excerpt:

    Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)—Thyme is a natural source of iron and is found widely in culinary dishes all over the world. It was used by ancient Egyptians in the embalming process, and has long been believed to purify the body and environment.

    Another herb most flavorful in its dried state, thyme is found in many lamb, tomato, and egg dishes. Its natural expectorant properties make it excellent for throat or bronchial problems. Thyme is a natural antiseptic, and you can make a thyme infusion and gargle with it to coat a sore throat up to three times daily to reduce inflammation. Its antibiotic properties makes thyme a well favored herb in a first-aid kit—ancient doctors used thyme to coat bandages, and it is believed to have anti-fungal properties that assist in healing an infected or fungal toenail. In the event of a respiratory infection, you can make an infusion and then let the affected individual bend over the steaming thyme infusion and inhale. Traditional use of thyme included giving it to children at bedtime to help control bed wetting and nightmares. Tea is the easiest way to administer to children; if they are worried about the taste you can mix it with apple juice (half-and-half).

• "Gear Standardization for Prepared Citizen Groups"--Von Steuben Training & Consulting. The author begins:

    If you look at a photograph of a squad of US Marines, you will see that everyone has the same uniform, weapons, optics, and load-bearing equipment (excluding special weapons like automatic rifles). This is partly due to logistical simplicity of the military buying a single piece of kit for everyone, and partly due to effectiveness on the battlefield. If you need to use your buddy’s weapon, you can because it’s exactly like yours. If you need to strip ammo and radios off of your buddy so he can be MEDEVAC’d, you know where everything is because your gear is set up the same way.

    For the Minuteman/prepared citizen, however, it is not always feasible to achieve this level of uniformity. This does not mean that the concept is discarded, just that we need to take a different approach when working with other volunteers in a team. In this article I will describe the advantages of standardization, how to approach this topic with your team, and a list of goals to strive for.

He goes on to discuss why standardization, to a reasonable degree, can be good; how to start your group on the path to standardization; and some standardization goals for a Minuteman type group (or, I would add, a security team) including standardizing on rifle ammunition and magazines, the contents of the kits each rifleman will carry (so no one forgets something critical), medical gear location, radios, certain consumables (like batteries), and clothing (to help prevent a friendly fire incident).

• More: "Fighting Logistics: Weapons In Community Defense"--Mason Dixon Tactical. Some more on the importance of standardizing on caliber and magazines, if not weapons. Also:

Although uniforms can be a big deal in a combat environment for identification purposes, a more important subset of that need can be one’s headgear, or more specifically, the silhouette of that headgear in a low light environment. In one Unit I served with, all team members were required to wear the same headgear on a patrol, whether it was a watch cap, patrol cap, or boonie hat. This was to help aid in identifying each other in low light.

• Another from Mason Dixon Tactical: "Defense Logistics: Signaling The Community of Danger." Some non-radio means of signaling a community of an attack or other danger. His system uses an air horn and a flare. Each house or guard post will be assigned a number of blasts to make which can be used to locate where the trouble is at with the flares used to supplement at night or in low light conditions. From the article:

    The signal system works like this. Everyone who is tagged as a “Beacon” will be assigned a number of blasts and have a flare gun. When an attack takes place, the “Beacon” initiating the “Call” (we’ll call it Post #1) will initially give a long blast (example, 5 seconds) twice to get everyone’s attention. After waiting at least 30 seconds, the “Beacon” will then give the number of short blasts they are assigned (example, 3 blasts) twice, ten seconds apart.

    At that time, every “Beacon” down the line will repeat the same number of blasts (the number of blasts assigned to Post #1) to alert everyone in the “Beacon Chain”. Repeating it down the line is to assure the group that everyone will hear it, and everyone knows what number of blasts are assigned to what posts.

    If the attack takes place in a low or no light condition, the “Beacon” initiating (Post #1) will wait thirty more seconds, then fire a red flare from the flare pistol straight up in the air. At that time, the responding Defenders (from different areas) will fire a green flare into the air, acknowledging they know of the attack and are on the way.

He has some advice and tips as to the type of flare pistols, and using the items, so be sure to read the whole thing. 

• Like a dog returning to its vomit: "Now doctors want children to mask-up in schools to stop the spread of FLU — despite fears they stunted children's development."
• While we are on the topic of the flu, the Washington Post reports that "So far, this flu season is more severe than it has been in 13 years." 

    Influenza is hitting the United States unusually early and hard, resulting in the most hospitalizations at this point in the season in more than a decade and underscoring the potential for a perilous winter of respiratory viruses, according to federal health data released Friday.

    While flu season is usually between October and May, peaking in December and January, it’s arrived about six weeks earlier this year with uncharacteristically high illness. There have already been at least 880,000 cases of influenza illness, 6,900 hospitalizations and 360 flu-related deaths nationally, including one child, according to estimates released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Not since the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic has there been such a high burden of flu, a metric the CDC uses to estimate a season’s severity based on laboratory-confirmed cases, doctor visits, hospitalizations and deaths.

• Related: "Ten Myths About the 1918 Flu Pandemic"--Smithsonian Magazine.
• Related: "Flu comes from outer space, claim scientists"--The Guardian. The article relates that distinguished astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle, and his colleague at Cardiff university, Chandra Wickramasinghe, have noted that all major flu outbreaks since 1761, including the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, coincided with the 11-year solar maxima cycle, and suggest that influenza viruses may be from "dust deposited high in the atmosphere by passing comets being forced down to earth by energy generated by cooler patches on the sun's surface, known as sunspots." You can find out more about this theory at this panspermia website.

VIDEO: "Daylight Saving is a Disaster"--Amy Shira Teitel (12 min.)

Probably more than you wanted to know about the history of Daylight Savings Time.

News & Analysis:

• This is your future: "1 in 6 hiring managers have been told to stop hiring white men, survey finds." The article reports:

    A recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers in the United States found that one in six, or about 16%, have been told to stop hiring white men.

    Additionally, 14% of hiring managers said they have also been told to deprioritize hiring white women.

    The survey, published by Resume Builder and Pollfish on Wednesday, found that 52% of hiring managers believe their company practices “reverse discrimination” – passing over members of racial and gender majorities in order to meet diversity benchmarks.

    In addition, the survey found that 48% of hiring managers have been asked to prioritize diversity over qualifications, and 53% believe their job will be in danger if they don’t hire enough diverse employees.

• Related: Modern day red-lining: "Big banks setting actual loan rates to big businesses based on 'diversity' quotas instead of ability to repay."
• "You Won’t See This On The Evening News" by Arthur Sido. A look at the latest interracial crime statistics. Key points: 
• "In 2021 there were 480,030 reported incidents of black on White violent crime versus only 69,850 White on black. That works out to 1,315 black on White violent crimes per day, or 54 per hour or almost one per minute."
• "…When blacks and Hispanics commit violence, whites are their most frequent victims, followed by their own race, and then the other race. So, it’s all very well to worry about black-on-black violence, for example, but according to the NCVS, there were actually 121,000 more cases of black-on-white than black-on-black violence. Hispanics attacked about 2,400 more whites than they attacked fellow Hispanics."
• Mass shootings only happen in the U.S.: "Mexico bar massacre leaves nine dead: Waitresses among those killed after gunmen open fire on drinkers and leave handwritten notes signed by cartel fronted by 'Sledgehammer' boss."
• The Deep State in action: "ABC national security producer hasn't been seen since APRIL when FBI mysteriously raided his house: Journalist was writing a book about Biden's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan." The missing reporter is James Gordon Meek. 
• More: "FBI Raids Star ABC News Producer’s Home"--Rolling Stone. A selection from the article:

The first thing Meek’s neighbor John Antonelli noticed that morning was the black utility vehicle with blacked out windows blocking traffic in both directions on Columbia Pike. It was just before dawn on that brisk April day, and self-described police-vehicle historian Antonelli was about to grab a coffee at a Starbucks before embarking on his daily three-mile walk. He inched closer to get a better vantage, when he saw an olive-green Lenco BearCat G2, an armored tactical vehicle often employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, among other law-enforcement agencies. A few Arlington County cruisers surrounded the jaw-dropping scene, but all of the other vehicles were unmarked, including the BearCat. Antonelli counted at least 10 heavily armed personnel in the group. None bore anything identifying which agency was conducting the raid. After just 10 minutes, the operation inside the Siena Park apartment complex — a six-story, upscale building for D.C. professionals, with rents fetching about $2,000 to $3,000 a month — was over.

• Relying on Chinese parts? "Putin 'tried and failed' to test 'doomsday' Poseidon nuclear-powered torpedo in recent weeks and submarine is returning to base from Arctic, says senior US intelligence source." An excerpt:

    Russia boasted at the time [the Poseidon was revealed in 2015] that Poseidon would be capable of destroying entire cities by triggering a tsunami.

    But on Thursday, U.S. sources told CNN they had observed the Belgorod preparing for a test - then leaving the testing area in the Arctic Sea, and returning to port without carrying out the trial.

    The failure to test the weapon was likely due to technical issues, it is believed. 

    'This can be seen as part of the bigger picture and Russia's recent military practice, sending ill-trained and under-equipped troops to Ukraine,' a Western diplomat told CNN. 

    'Russia's military industry is going through difficult times, and we can also see that Western sanctions on high-tech military goods are having an effect and must continue.' 

• Speaking of Russia: "The flag of freedom flies over Kherson: Ukrainian troops are treated to a hero's welcome as they arrive in city centre after final Russian troops fled under barrage of rocket fire." It appears that the Russians have withdrawn behind the the Dnieper (aka Dniepro) River which, in reality, should have been the limit of their advance in the first place since, as you may remember, one of the key justifications for the invasion was Ukraine cutting Crimea off from water supplied from the Dnieper. The article also relates:

    Losing Kherson means any Russian assault on Odesa is now all-but impossible. It also means that Ukraine can now strike parts of Crimea - the crown jewel of his last invasion, in 2014 - with long-range artillery. Kyiv has already said it plans to take the peninsula back. 

    Russia is now thought to have taken up defensive positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro comprising three lines made up of trenches and canals, covered by artillery and backed by reinforcements from Crimea.

    Western officials briefing journalists last week said they do not expect Ukraine to begin an offensive across the Dnipro any time soon.

• Related: "'Well over' 100,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured during Putin's invasion and 'probably' a similar number of Ukrainian soldiers have perished, US general claims." The only problem is that this statement came from General Mark Milley who I wouldn't trust farther than I could throw him.
• Related: "Russian Troops Stand Up Against ‘Incompetent’ Generals in Latest Mutiny." 

    Marines from Russia’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade wrote a scathing letter to their regional governor, claiming they had lost 300 servicemen in a four-day massacre in Pavlivka thanks to the catastrophic planning of Generals Rustam Muradov and Zurab Akhmedov.

    The soldiers claimed Russian commanders were ‘hiding’ the mayhem in the Donetsk region and ‘playing down the number of losses for fear of being held responsible.

• Interesting: "In the Early Days of World War II, Britain and France Planned to Bomb Russia" by Michael Peck, National Interest. Before Germany turned on the Soviet Union (or, as some argue, pre-emptively invaded the Soviet Union to prevent its planned secret attack on Germany), the two countries were nominally allies, sharing in the conquest and subjection of Poland and with the Soviet Union selling critical raw materials to Germany. From the article:

    ... In the early days of World War II, Britain and France planned to bomb Russian oil fields. The goal was to impede Hitler. The outcome would probably have helped Hitler win the war.

    The idea was foolish, but not irrational. By late 1939, Britain and France were convinced that Germany and Russia were already friends. Stalin had tried hard to form an anti-Nazi coalition before the war, only to meet such resistance and hesitation that he became convinced that the capitalists were plotting to embroil Germany and Russia in a mutually exhausting war while the West stayed on the sidelines.

    While London and Paris dithered over whether to ally with the Communists, Berlin had no such hesitation: on August 23, 1939, Germany and Russia signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Russia gained Eastern Poland and the Baltic states, a prospective breathing space to build up its military strength, and the prospect that Germany and the Western powers would exhaust themselves while Russia bided its strength.

    Yet the real winner was the Fuhrer. The treaty left the Third Reich free to gobble up Poland and Western Europe without fear of a second front in the East. Just as important, the Soviets agreed to supply vital raw materials – especially oil – to the Third Reich, keeping the German war economy running and breaching the Allied naval blockade that had proved so decisive in World War I.

    In Allied eyes, the Soviet Union had changed from Germany's nemesis into Germany's ally. So why not strike the Soviet Union and kill two birds with one stone? Perhaps there was also the frustration of the sitzkrieg, as Allied armies sat impotently behind the Maginot Line while the Germans overran Poland and Scandinavia. Bombing Russia must have seemed easier than confronting the German army on the battlefield.

    Thus was born Operation Pike. Flying from Allied bases in Iran and Syria, as well as neutral but anti-Soviet Turkey, more than a hundred British and French bombers would continuously attack Soviet oil fields in the Caucuses in a night strategic bombing campaign. This was more than idle planning. Unmarked British reconnaissance planes flying from Iraqi airfields actually photographed oil installations at Baku and Batumi in March 1940.

• Speaking of World War II: "New research provides theory on why women stopped menstruating upon arrival at Nazi death camps" by David McFadden, Medical Xpress. 

    The horrific toll of the Holocaust, with its crimes against humanity amid the state-sponsored mass murder campaign that killed six [sic: 3.5 to 4] million Jews and millions of others during World War II, has been scrutinized in numerous academic studies, books, films, and other works over decades.

    But one aspect of the extreme cruelty and suffering during this rock-bottom point of human history was never fully examined: Why did roughly 98% of women imprisoned at Nazi concentration camps experience amenorrhea—or the absence of menstruation—shortly after their arrival?

    In a new paper published in Social Science & Medicine, lead author Dr. Peggy J. Kleinplatz of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine suggests the sudden cessation of menstruation among Jewish women at concentration camps was too uniform to be effected only by trauma and malnutrition—a set of explanations readily accepted by the late 1940s and rarely investigated further.

    Her study, blending historical evidence and the testimony of Holocaust survivors, submits an additional hypothesis: Synthetic steroids were being administered in the daily rations given to female captives in a bid to stop their menstrual cycles and perhaps impair their ability to have children altogether.

• "The Most Dangerous Post-Election Lie" by Rod Dreher. That lie, Dreher asserts, is the belief that Christians will be able to save themselves from persecution via politics. Quoting from Aaron Renn's discussion on the repudiation of pro-life advocacy in this election (my underline):

This is just more evidence that we live in what I called the negative world. Conservative Christians need to understand that the majority of the public simply does not agree with their social positions. This is one reason that the culture war approach is obsolete. This is going to be a painful adjustment for a lot of people who are used to thinking of themselves as a “moral majority.”

After quoting some more from Renn, Dreher adds:

Note that he points out that religious conservatism's interests and that of the "post-Christian, post-MAGA Republican Party" diverge. This is something that is very hard for older Christians to grasp -- I mean, the idea that politics are not the solution. Don't misread me (I mean, everybody misreads me, but I'm going to make another plea here): It's not an either/or. It's not either "throw yourself completely into politics" or "head for the hills." There are no hills to head to. We are stuck in this thing whether we want to be or not. Christians (and other traditionalists) have to do the best we can within political possibility, while AT THE SAME TIME preparing ourselves and our communities for dark and difficult days ahead. We have no choice.

This is why I believe that Christians need to look at the Jewish community as an example: generally pulling together against outside forces whatever the internal disagreements, the quickness to counter-attack and vilify enemies (even ruining them financially if necessary), making sure to have politicians under their thumbs and willing to do their bidding, the willingness to engage in lawfare to advance social positions. In other words, be more like Christ, who drove the money changers from the temple, than Paul, the long-suffering servant. 

• Speaking of the election, The Babylon Bee satirically explains: "Republican Party Staves Off Red Wave."

    Amid record discontent around the economy, inflation, and education, the Republican Party has narrowly managed to stave off what many thought would be a record-breaking red wave.

    "This was a close call," said one Republican leader in Washington. "We were worried that we would achieve massive victories tonight, but we thankfully snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to achieve a much more proper and sensible red trickle, like the proper gentlemen we are."

    Some Republicans achieved major victories, which were largely ignored by party leadership due to the fact that those Republicans were loud and icky "MEGA-MAGA" culture warriors. "Ron DeSantis won by double digits, and frankly, we find that quite uncouth," said a D.C. consultant while holding up a glass of red trickle victory champagne. "Everyone knows the key to being a good Republican is to muddle your message and make it really squishy so no one knows what you stand for and everyone will like you. Duh!"

    Everyone in the room then golf-clapped politely.

    At publishing time, Republican strategists were researching ways to keep their power in D.C. without achieving so much power that they'd actually have to become compelling leaders.

Unfortunately, it wasn't even a trickle. At the time I write this, it appears that the Dems will, with the help of "independents" control the Senate and if Republicans do control the House, it will be by a very narrow margin. It appears that this was truly a bread and circuses type election with 64% of voters between the ages of 18 and 29, 68% of unmarried women voters, 83% of black voters, and 74% of Jewish voters voted for Democrats.

• As Europe depopulates, we will probably see more of this: "Salto de Castro: Spanish village on sale for €260,000." The village, which sits in the mountains on the border between Spain and Portugal, includes "44 homes, a hotel, a church, a school, a municipal swimming pool and even a barracks building that used to house the civil guard."
• "Virtue Über Alles" by Michael Walsh, The Pipeline. As Walsh observes, "For first time since the end of the Second World War, continental Europe is facing shortages: of food and, crucially, of energy." Walsh argues that Europe finds itself in this situation due to "prosperity, combined with virtue-signaling neo-Luddism." 

The dreadful toll of death and destruction of [World War II], combined with the success of European reconstruction under the Marshall Plan, which saved the devastated economies of western Europe, left Europe with two debilitating by-products: the rise of pacifism as an anti-nationalist force and the abjuration of war as a means of foreign policy; and a false sense of economic security, under which they were free to chase their own chimeras of "soft power" and "progressive" living without any heed to reality.

• Heh: "The Good Immigrants"--Vox Popoli. Vox writes:

On last night’s Darkstream, I was asked if I could think of a single group of immigrants who genuinely made their new residence a better place for the previous residents. And the only group of whom I could think that truly fit the description was the Conquistadors.

The reason he says this is because, upon realizing that they had encountered a deeply evil society in thrall to a cult of mass murder, "[t]hey fought, desperately, to kill all they must, in order to save who they could, and wipe an abomination from the face of God’s Earth." Read the whole thing.

•  I wonder how I can get one of these: "Lockheed Martin delivers record 300-kW laser weapon to US military"--Popular Mechanics. This is a demonstrator model, however, rather than something to actually be fielded as a weapon.
• "Reactor Uses ‘Supercritical’ Water To Destroy Forever Chemicals"--Futurity. The researchers used "supercritical" water--water that is heated at high pressures so it cannot transition from liquid to gas. As the article explains:

Chemicals that survive forever in normal water, such as PFOS and PFOA, can be broken down in supercritical water at a very high rate. If we get the conditions right, these recalcitrant molecules can be completely destroyed, leaving no intermediate products and yielding only harmless substances, such as carbon dioxide, water, and fluoride salts, which are often added to municipal water and toothpaste.