Gun & Prepping News #23

First up, David Canterbury has started a small series of videos evaluating survival guns. The first video reviews the Henry AR-7 take down survival rifle, while the second video goes over Ruger's take down 10/22, both the standard version and a custom version Canterbury has put together:

VIDEO: "Top Five Survival Firearms with Dave Canterbury Henry AR7"
David Canterbury (12 min.)

 

 VIDEO: "Top Five Survival Firearms with Dave Canterbury Ruger 10/22 Takedown"
David Canterbury (11 min.)

More linkage:

• "Mental Models: How to Train Your Brain to Think in New Ways"--James Clear. 

Relying on a narrow set of thinking tools is like wearing a mental straitjacket. Your cognitive range of motion is limited. When your set of mental models is limited, so is your potential for finding a solution. In order to unleash your full potential, you have to collect a range of mental models. You have to build out your decision making toolbox. Thus, the secret to great thinking is to learn and employ a variety of mental models.

I see or hear a lot of people that seem to focus on a particular mental model: for instance, in self-defense, focusing on deploying and using a weapon while ignoring other tactics or techniques to deal with an confrontation or even avoid one altogether; or in prepping, the classic dispute between "bug-out" versus "bug-in" as if one will always work.  The author suggests even looking outside the particular "silo" in which you are working. As an example of this, Greg Ellifritz recently published a post entitled "A Tactical Guy Goes to Relationship School." The class was apparently aimed at people in or wanting to be in a romantic relationship, and used breathing techniques, eye contact, and "energy projection," to make the other person like you. But, as he discovered, the techniques work outside the context of romance: he had people open up to him on the street, and even had a crazy homeless person suddenly become lucid and wish him a good evening. Thus, there is a potential for applying these principles in everyday life or even the self-defense field.

• Speaking of mental models, "Gunfight Myths"--Tactical Anatomy Systems.  The author lists out the 13 most common gunfight myths he has heard and then discusses why they are so dangerous:

    We could go on and on about why all of the above myths (and many more) are unrealistic and lead to a false sense of security.

    But why, exactly, is belief in Gunfight Myths so dangerous?

    Because believing in myths sets us up for unrealistic expectations. Unrealistic expectations, when countered by hard, cold reality, lead to cognitive dissonance. And cognitive dissonance in a life-or-death situation leads to Brain Freeze and a Death Spiral.  

The author summarizes the death spiral, but recommends that you read Training At The Speed of LIfe by author and police trainer Ken Murray which goes into more detail about the death spiral.

• "Mec-Gar’s New Steel Glock Mags – More Rounds, Same Size | IWA 2025"--The Firearm Blog. Per the article and looking at Mec-Gar's website, it appears that they are releasing metal bodied magazines that, because of the thinner body, they can squeeze an additional round into. The two offerings on hand are an 18-round flush fit magazine for the Glock 17, and an 18-round extended magazine for the Glock 19. The MSRP is $29 for both models. The article indicates that a 16-round flush fit magazine for the Glock 19 is in the works, and possibly a magazine for the 43X. Although the article does not address this issue, we've seen with aftermarket metal body magazines for the Glock 43X and 48 models that the cut out for the magazine catch will damage the plastic magazine release/catch that comes standard on Glock pistols, requiring a switch to a metal catch. Maybe not a big deal, but it still is going to take money and time. Also, while we've seen that metal magazines for the 43X/48 allow for a significant increase in capacity (from 10 to 15), that these are only giving a 1-round boost for the flush-fit models doesn't seem that impressive. 
• A detailed history and technical look at this cartridge: "The Short, Happy Life Of The .40 Smith & Wesson"--American Rifleman. I've long argued that the .40 S&W only gained the popularity it did among civilian shooters because of the Assault Weapon Ban and it limiting magazines to 10-rounds. The author of this article seems to agree:

    In the first few years of actual service, the .40 S&W ammo and guns did very well. Glock actually got its pistols on the market before S&W, and the remainder of the makers quickly followed suit. Nobody seemed to view the new cartridge as a hunting or match shooting cartridge, although it was accurate enough for either mission. This was a police-service or personal-defense cartridge, designed to halt criminal assaults. In those first few years of the Forty, I watched closely as possible to its effect in police shootings. Obviously, the cartridge was very effective, and there was little complaint about a lack of stopping power. And there was another factor that helped the .40 S&W fix its place in the hierarchy of latter day preferences.

    It was the 1994 ban on so-called "assault weapons," a poorly conceived and written piece of legislation that had several undesirable results for defensive shooters. For this discussion, the most important aspect of that ban included setting a maximum capacity of just 10 rounds for all newly made magazines. That was for any newly produced pistol magazine, no matter what the chambering. Those who clung to the idea of purchasing new 9 mm pistols on the basis of their capacity lost the argument in that they were statutorily limited to 10+1. They could have a 10+1 .40 S&W just as easy as the same size gun in 9 mm. Down-range, on-the- target performance favored the bigger bullet. For tens of thousands of civilian handgunners the 10 unhappy years of the 1994 ban destroyed the capacity argument for 9 mm semi-autos. It also drove the price of second-market, pre-ban, higher-capacity magazines to stupid levels.

• "Why 'Gun Guys' Really Should Try an Airgun"--NRA Family.  

    Over the past few years I have reviewed and tested military look-alike airguns that felt like the real deal. I've fired a BB gun at full auto--laying waste to cans in my big backyard--without disturbing my neighbors one bit. I have also tested silenced air rifles that are capable of knocking squirrels out of trees at 70 yards. GAMO makes a number of break-barrel guns that are used for small game hunting, and also for controlling invasive iguanas in Florida. They are so accurate that they can be safely used in suburban areas in the right hands.

    There are also large-caliber air rifles that will down big game. I tested a few such guns that will send a .35 caliber pellet through a sheet of plywood without an issue at 50 yards! They are real tackdrivers, too: There are now air rifles on the market that are so accurate that they punch one hole with multiple shots when firing at the range.

• "Flow-Through Technology: How Modern Suppressors Manage Gas"--The Truth About Guns. The article relates:

    When a firearm is discharged, it creates an intense burst of high-pressure gases that follow the projectile out of the barrel. Traditional suppressors attempt to trap and slowly release these gases through a series of baffles and chambers. Flow-through technology, however, takes a fundamentally different approach.

    Instead of purely containing the gases, it creates carefully engineered paths that direct and manage gas flow. I’ve observed that this approach is particularly effective at reducing both back pressure and the dreaded “gas face” that many shooters experience with modern sporting rifles and conventional suppressors.

I don't know if it based on a Tesla valve, it the description certainly reminds me of that invention.

• A look at the future of weapon optics: "Insane Thermal Reflex Sight - and It's German: The Vected TRS"--The Firearm Blog. It overlays a thermal outline onto the window with the reticle. I know this has been done when combining thermal and night vision, but this is with what appears to otherwise be a standard red dot sight picture. The purpose is to "allow[ ] users to quickly acquire targets in low light, darkness, or through smoke and camouflage."
• Finally, frame mounted decockers: "TFB Review: Beretta 92GTS Full Size Standard"--The Firearm Blog.
• Some diversity and inclusion we can all believe in: "Davidson’s Exclusive Pietta King Trio: Versatile Revolver Option"--The Firearm Blog. This is a SAA style revolver with interchangeable cylinders for  .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .38 Super, and 9mm.
• "How To Get The Most From Your Self-Defense Pistol"--NRA America's First Freedom.  Richard Mann discusses ammo selection, some accessories, and maintenance. 
• "Discover The Coated Lead Advantage"--Shooting Sports USA. An article about the Hi-Tek polymer coating for cast lead bullets, such as used in the Syntech and CCI's clean .22 LR lines of ammunition. For the hand loader, the advantage is that you get prices that are nearly as cheap as plain cast lead, but you don't have to worry about lubing bullets and it reduces lead fouling. The article indicates that while lead bullets are generally discouraged for Glock pistols (those with the polygonal rifling, anyway) the coated bullets apparently work fine. Unfortunately, I can't speak from experience: while I bought some a couple years ago for loading .44 Magnum, I haven't actually ever gotten around to loading and shooting any. The author adds this tip for hand loaders:

Coated bullets load in the same manner as lead, but there are two things to watch for. First, make certain that the belling die puts enough flare into the case mouth to avoid scraping the coating from the bullet when it’s being seated. Second, don’t over crimp as that can also remove the coating. A moderate taper crimp works best for me with either semi-automatic or revolver. If the coating is compromised, smoke and some leading can occur.

 He also notes that you shouldn't use them for velocities higher than 1,250 fps.

• "What are langets on a polearm for?"--Arms & Armor. Langets are the strip of metal you sometimes see on the shafts of polearms just below the head. While most people (including myself) believe that they were used to keep the shaft from being cut by another bladed weapon, like a sword, they were actually to reinforce the shaft of longer pole arms so the shaft won't break from the force of using it. 
  
• "‘Pretty’ doomsday prepper shares extreme survival skills: ‘End of the world basics’"--New York Post. Looks like someone using their pretty face to garner attention in a crowded market. I haven't watched her YouTube videos so I can't comment on how solid is her advice. But it is a rare article about prepping in the main stream media, so I thought I would include it.
• What with the Chinese and Europeans making noises about war with the U.S., this might be useful: "How I’m Prepping for War"--Organic Prepper.  Daisy writes:

    A friend of mine has been researching shortages from WW2, and that’s a great place to start. In America, we faced the rationing of things such as food, shoes, metal, paper, and rubber. The priority was given to the soldiers, and whatever was left over was divvied up by civilians. I’m not sure we will have the exact same shortages this time, as war, like many other things, has moved into the digital age, but soldiers will still need food, shoes, rubber things like tires, and metal for manufacturing vehicles and weapons.

    What with things being digital, a wise person might also look into things that require motherboards and circuits – computers, other devices, and vehicles.

    It’s important to note that the Defense Production Act is already in place to force our factories to produce what is needed for national defense and prioritize national defense customers over civilians.

    We don’t know if this conflict will all be fought overseas or if it will creep onto our shores. In my opinion, it’s best to prepare for the worst case scenario and hope that it doesn’t happen.

    Here’s where I’m putting my money right now as far as preps are concerned. 

The general areas she is concerned with are: food, medicine, ammo, precious metals, communications, and some miscellaneous items, all discussed in more detail in her article.

• For those looking at storing food, this is a resource you might find useful: "Food Storage Calculator"--Family Survival Planning. You enter the number of people in your family in their respective age groups (basically adults and children) and it shows how much of different basic food items you would need for a one-year store of food and water. 
• In a similar vein, Option Gray has a "Prepper & Emergency Survival: A Comprehensive Checklist" which, as the title implies, provides a detailed list of items or categories of items to consider for prepping and long term survival.
  
• "Ultralight Backpacking Hacks No One Tells You About"--Popular Science (via Get Pocket). Also applicable to those who think they may be bugging out on foot in the event of a SHTF incident: 
  

    If you really want to cut weight, focus on the big four—your tent, sleep system (i.e. your sleeping bag and pad), shoes, and backpack.

    Select ultralight versions of every item to save the most weight. Think lightweight sleeping pads and bags, and frameless packs, which can be several pounds lighter than their heftier counterparts. After all, a three-pound tent will cancel out any weight savings you’ll scrounge by sawing the handle off your toothbrush.

    Also, keep in mind that ultra-luxe gear tends to be heavier and bulky. Brown says she once saw a backpacker ditch full-size pillows and twin-sized sleeping pads with integrated foot pumps only after a few days on the trail. You don’t want to have to do that.

    Next, consider what you put on your feet. According to Brown, many people start a long hike with heavy-duty hiking boots, but only a few days into the trip, most are ready to swap them for lightweight trail runners like those from Altra or Hoka. It might not seem like it to more inexperienced hikers, but after a few days on rugged terrain, heavy footwear starts to feel like they are slowing you down.

    Finally, move on to swap smaller gear for lighter alternatives. Trade in your Nalgene for a disposable SmartWater bottle or a collapsible water bottle. Consider going stove-less in warmer months to save yourself from carrying fuel canisters. Instead, pack ready-to-eat meals like tortillas or tuna, and foods you can cold-soak, like noodles or couscous. Just a few smart swaps like these could save you ounces or pounds instead of grams.

• "Assembling a Stealth Prepper Group" (Part 1) (Part 2) by Prepper Doc at the Survival Blog. Just some tips on setting up a prepper group and becoming an asset to your group, and some other miscellaneous tips. He recommends taking some independent study courses offered by FEMA and  the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) both for the knowledge and being able to network with the people that will be in charge after a disaster and other like-minded individuals that might be interested in forming a group.
• An article from 2023: "$160K apocalypse Super Trucks, $2M doomsday bunkers and a $3B emergency food industry: As 20M Americans get ready for Armageddon, DailyMail.com investigates the booming business of 'Prepping' the Preppers"--Daily Mail.  One of topics discussed in the article is an old ammunition storage depo in South Dakota called Fort Igloo, which had been purchased and was being repurposed to a community of shelters for up to 10,000 people. You've probably seen the heavily fortified ammunition bunkers used by the military. Well, this base has a lot of them and each of them is being remodeled into a shelter. And it seems more practical in terms of space than large steel or concrete tubes favored by a lot of companies building shelters (video: "Powering Up a 35 Year Old Fallout Shelter").