Gun & Prepping News #15

 Just some articles that caught my attention for one reason or another: 

• First up, Jon Low published another of his Defensive Pistolcraft newsletters last week. One of the comments he makes is: "If you cannot fight, RUN!  Always run." And he backs this up with a link to a video interview of a woman caught in the October 7 attacks, where she and a group of friends fleeing the attack were hiding in a ditch. Another attendee of the musical festival saw them in the ditch and urged them to run because otherwise the terrorist would find them and simply shoot them. She and some others followed him and survived--those that remained in the ditch died. I remember watching a video of an incident from several years ago about something similar to a police officer that had engaged a terrorist armed with a rifle. The officer had taken cover behind a concrete pillar and stayed there a bit too long, because the rifleman had time to move up to the pillar, then pop around one side and shoot the officer. As Jon adds:
  

 Never hide.  Hiding is criminal stupidity.  Only the stupid advise hiding. 
If school administrators are teaching your children to hide, take your children
out of that school. 

On the topic of terror attacks, Jon links to an a piece by Gabe Suarez entitled "Countermeasures To The Vehicle Borne Terror Attacks" addressing some of the things you can do to avoid becoming a victim to a vehicle terror attack like we saw recently in New Orleans.

    Moving to the more "mundane" self-defense against an armed robber or burglar, Jon links to a video about a magic card trick, because knowing misdirection can help you if you are forced to draw a weapon but you don't want your attacker to realize it. And Jon provides some instructions on drawing and presenting a pistol:

     The following is what I consider a correct shot process.  Initially, it is very long and complex.  But with practice (2000) correct repetitions, it will compress in time and become very fast.  Practice the shot process correctly.  Engrain the correct shot process, and you will never lose it, no matter how fast you go.  

     Establish a correct grip while the pistol is still in the holster.  (An incorrect grip will destroy your shot process.)

     Present to the target by pushing the sights straight forward to the target.  (You may want to shoot from a close contact position.  That's a different situation.)  

     When your sights are on the target and you've decided to shoot, move your trigger finger from the register position to the the trigger.  Correctly placing your finger on the trigger.  (I know other instructors teach taking the slack out as you present to the target.  They are WRONG.  They are setting you up for a negligent discharge.  The situation can easily change from grip to shooting.  Two to three seconds for most of us.  Reaction time is 0.25 seconds for an anticipate stimulus.  Much more for an unanticipated stimulus.  The bad guy can drop his weapon and turn to run away in about 0.3 second, depending on which study you read.)  

     Touch the trigger.  Actually, you don't know where the trigger is, because you drew the pistol in a high stress situation.  Perhaps while being punched (George Zimmerman).  Touching the trigger lets you know exactly where the trigger is.  

     Take the slack out of the trigger.  

     Smoothly press the trigger.  If you are striving for a high precision shot, recite your mantra, "Keep pressing.  Keep pressing.  Keep Pressing.  . . ."  While holding your sights on the point that you are aiming at.  (The point, not the area.)  

     Your shot process determines where the pistol is pointed when the striker hits the primer.  Your follow through determines where the pistol is pointed when the bullet exits the muzzle, a millisecond later (more than enough time to move the sights off target).  

     Keep pressing the trigger.  Trap the trigger to the rear.  

     Get your sights back on the target (the one you just shot, not the next one.)  

     Reset the trigger.  

     Take the slack out of the trigger.  

     Assess the situation. 

 There is a lot more there, so be sure to check out the whole thing.

•  If you haven't do so already, be sure to check out Greg Ellifritz's Weekend Knowledge Dump from this past Friday. He has links to articles on tips specific to gun owners in the event of wild fires such as we've seen in California, including insurance and fire resistant safes; concepts of using cover for the civilian gunfighter; tips on carrying a .32 ACP for self-defense; an article from the Tactical Professor on safety when engaged in dry-fire practice with a revolver; what to do with a handgun when using a public toilet; and more.
• What we would expect from decades of waste and mismanagement: "TFB Review: America's New Battle Rifle - The SIG Spear in 6.8x51mm"--The Firearm Blog. Just as I and others have warned, it is a repeat of the adoption of the M14. The author tested the spear using a standard 113-grain FMJ and a 155-grain match ammunition, using the hybrid cases. Some of the takeaways: 
• Not only is it much heavier than the M4 or M16 at nearly 9.5 lbs sans optic, silencer, or magazines, but the weight is all forward making it strenuous to carry and use the firearm.
• The recoil is greater, which will probably require changes to training.
• Of course the ammo is heavier than 5.56.
• Due to the high pressures used to get the necessary velocity, it is extremely loud without a silencer attached.
• It had poor accuracy: the author was getting 5 MOA using the standard 113-grain ammo, and 2.5 MOA using the match ammunition. It was supposed to have a 4 MOA using the standard ammunition.
• It is more involved to field strip than the M4 or M16.
  
• Although supposedly ambidextrous, there is no real provision for left handed operation of the bolt, and the cocking handle apparently can be dangerous when using a scope. 

The author tries to put a bright polish on the whole thing, but it still looks like a turd.

• "Keltec’s Quirky New PR57"--The Truth About Guns. Keltec's latest offering in 5.7 is intended for concealed carry. Although it has a 20-round magazine, it is an internal magazine rather than a detachable box magazine. Supposedly this is to save on weight and complexity. It has some other features. If it had come with night sights or replaceable sights, it would have been better. But still, at just shy of 14 ounces unloaded, it could be a useful carry pistol or backpacker's gun.
  
• "Impact Expansion Bullets: The Better “Hollow Point”?"--Guns & Ammo. As the author explains, traditional hollow points used hydraulic pressure to cause expansion, but may have limited or no expansion if the hollow point becomes clogged or if the round strikes something hard like bone. One solution that had been looked at was to take something similar to a full metal jacket, but with the internal cavity filled with a compressible polymer, so when the bullet hits resistance, the tip collapses upon the polymer which then forces the sides of the jacket out.
  
• "NSSF Releases Most Recent Firearm Production Figures"–Scattered Shots. Unfortunately, the latest data to be released is from 2022. It showed a continued decline in firearm manufacturing from 2020, although it appears that sales were still robust. Also:
  

The estimated total number of firearms in civilian possession from 1990-2022 is 491.3 million, according to data in reports such as ATF Firearms Commerce in the United States, ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Reports and Congressional Research Service and including the collective ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER) reports up to the 2022 edition.

 And also noting that "[f]rom 1990 to 2022, 270,799,283 firearms have been made available to the U.S. market." More statistics at the link.

• "Snap Caps & Dummy Rounds for Dry Fire & Malfunction Practice"--Blue Collar Prepping. Tips on making dummy handgun, rifle, and shotgun rounds for practice.
• "Case Metallurgy"--Guns & Ammo. Why cartridge cases are generally made out of brass, but looking at alternative metals that have been used (and problems associated with them) such as steel and aluminum. 
• Related: "Possible Future For Russian Ammunition - Lightweight 5.45"--The Firearm Blog. The Russians are apparently experimenting with a polymer case with a steel base. It will be lighter weight than a wholly steel case--allowing more ammo to be carried--and is supposed to help reduce heat transfer from the firing of the cartridge to the chamber of the weapon.
  
• "Beyond the FGC-9: How the Urutau Redefines the Global 3D-Printed Firearm Movement" – GNET. An excerpt:
  

    On Wednesday, 21 August 2024, the build plans for a highly anticipated 3D-printed pistol-calibre carbine were released on the largely defunct Odysee open-source video hosting platform. While recent years have seen a significant proliferation in the release of new build-plans and files for 3D-Printed Firearms (3DPF), particularly noticeable from 2019 onwards, this Special Extended Insight argues that the release of the ‘Urutau’ should be considered a potential watershed moment with important security implications for several reasons.

    Notably, the Urutau is reportedly much easier to build than the FGC-9, a semi-automatic 9mm firearm primarily constructed with 3D-printed parts and simple tools. The FGC-9 has gained popularity within the 3D-printing firearm community due to its ability to be assembled without any regulated parts. Further facilitating the task, the assembly instructions for the Urutau are exceptionally well-designed. Each step is clearly numbered, accompanied by precise line drawings that illustrate the exact placement and alignment of each component. These well-constructed instructions set a new standard, potentially increasing the accessibility and proliferation of 3DPF, including among extremists and criminals.

• "Editor’s Notebook Handgun Trends"--The Tactical Wire. The two main trends identified were the rise of double-stack, polymer framed 1911 clones; and the rise of Glock clones such as the Ruger RXM. The author notes that the Ruger RXM does not accept the Langdon Tactical Striker Control Device.
• Not everyone is thrilled with Trump's election: "LGBTQ people reveal outrageous reason they're buying guns"--Daily Mail. As one gay man put it, they don't want to be put in concentration camps. So does this mean that they've changed their minds about "big government"?
  
• "GOP Rep. Introduces SAGA Act: If You Like Your AR-15, You Can Keep Your AR-15"--Breitbart. The bill, if passed, would ostensibly "prevent states from banning rifles and/or shotguns that are legal federally." I'm of two minds on this or similar legislation mandating all states recognize carry permits from other states. While I appreciate the federal protection of the right to own and carry firearms, I also recognize that it furthers the precedent of federal control over firearm ownership and possession. If the federal government can grant a right, it can also take away that right. 
• "Virginia Church Disrupts Pre-Attack Surveillance: Are Churches Being Targeted?"--Christian Warrior Training. The article describes a couple obvious surveillance attempts at churches, where the people entered the church, taking photos and videos, and questing church employees about security plans and measures. In the Virginia incident, the men left without being identified; but in the California incident, one of the men was identified by police as having ties to the Taliban.
  
• "The Game is a Foot"--Blue Collar Prepping. Advice on caring for your feet including keeping them clean and dry, protecting them against injury, and keeping the toenails trimmed. On the latter point, the author advises that "keeping our toenails trimmed is important for comfort as well as health. When wearing closed toe shoes, long toenails can impinge against the shoe, frequently leading to pain on even a relatively short walk. Bacteria can also find a cozy home under untrimmed nails." Which is why I've long recommended that preppers need to keep nail clippers and snips, emery boards, and nail brushes to keep their nails (both hand and feet) clean and neat. Good hygiene is half the battle for survival.
• "How one sailor survived 76 days lost at sea after colliding with a whale... and what he learned"--Daily Mail. Revisiting Steve Callahan's 1982 survival experience. An excerpt:

    Callahan ultimately plugged enough holes (sometimes literally), taught himself how to use the solar stills and caught enough food to just barely survive until he was rescued by fishermen on the island of Marie Galant, southeast of Guadalupe. In fact, it was the ecosystem of marine life that had formed around his raft which drew a swarm of birds above - and attracted the attention of his eventual saviors, who correctly figured that fish were nearby.

    'Yes, it was a horrible event, but I saw things, I witnessed things, I learned things about the world and about myself that I could only have done in by going through that,' he said. 'I guess if there's a hopeful message to people, it is that: we go through all these things, but hidden within them are opportunities and gifts, and that includes talking to you right this minute, and doing the film.'

    One lesson that Callahan learned in the two-and-a-half months stranded at sea: just how intertwined the physical and mental are.

    He recalls dreaming about steak as the struggles of his his 'mind', 'body' and 'spirit' all melded into one.

It's why Cody Lundin and other survival experts spend so much time on the mental/spiritual preparations and skills for survival.

•  "My First Thru-Hike Wrecked My Feet. Now I Never Trek Without Toe Spacers"--Outdoor Magazine. The author writes:

    After staying up late one night in an AT lean-to for a tailspin into online medical sleuthing, I realized it was cuboid syndrome, when the pointy joint on the side of your foot shifts slightly out of line for a spell. With just enough bandwidth to stream a few video tutorials, I learned something called the cuboid squeeze and fixed it myself.

     But now, I don’t even need that technique. After 11,000 miles of hiking and countless more miles of road running in almost every state in the country, I simply never leave home without a 1.5-ounce piece of sculpted silicone that’s changed my fitness and the way I travel: toe spacers.

He discusses some different brands, but his recommendation (but also the most expensive) are those from Correct Toes because of how well they have stood up to use. The author also discusses how to use them.