Gun & Prepping News #76

Some links that may be of interest:

• "'Head on a Swivel' is Stupid Advice"--Active Response Training. Greg Ellifritz notes that if you are scanning for an active threat, you are already too late. Instead, you need to determine what is the baseline behavior for your environment and then try and spot what is out of place. Also, the constant looking around just makes you look like an easy mark. 
• "Concealed Carry Do's and Don'ts"--Shooting Illustrated. The article begins:

    Carrying a concealed firearm is a serious responsibility that goes beyond simply knowing how to operate the gun. A major component of responsible carry is ensuring the firearm remains concealed. Publicly displaying the firearm, whether through printing (showing the outline of the gun through clothing), accidental exposure or a wardrobe malfunction, can alarm bystanders, attract unwanted attention and, in some jurisdictions, lead to legal consequences.

    One of the most overlooked aspects of concealed carry is the chosen cover garment. While much attention is often given to firearm choice and holster selection, clothing can ultimately determine the success or failure of true concealment. This article outlines four essential checks to perform on concealment garments to reduce the risk of public exposure, along with basic considerations to help prevent such issues and alternative clothing or carry methods that may offer greater reliability.

    Like clockwork, every time I get a new piece of gear, my first thought is: How will this impact my daily carry? These days, I don’t spend much time thinking about holsters. Within seconds of handling a new one, I usually know whether it will work for me or not. Belts are pretty similar, though I still run a quick function test before trusting one for daily use. Where I really spend the most time is with cover garments. A new shirt, a pair of shorts, even different shoes can make me pause and ask: Will this affect my carry or my drawing? To answer that, I use a dedicated practice setup that lets me run function tests before I take anything into the real world.

• "4 Common Locations For Your Pocket Pistol"--Athlon Outdoors. They are: (1) the front pocket, (2) the back pocket (although this is apparently best in jeans), (3) a coat or jacket pocket, and (4) a cargo pocket. As to the latter, the author recommends Chris Fry’s ModuLoader Pocket Shield from Raven Concealment Systems. 
• Not a pocket pistol: "Ruger Security-380 Review: A Reliable .380 Built for Defense"--The Truth About Guns.  This is a larger .380 platform that I would put into the same category as the Beretta 84--a full sized pistol compared to most firearms in .380, but still small enough it could be used for concealed carry. 
• "Ruger LCP Max Problems: What You Need to Know"--Hunting Mark.  The title to this article is stupid. The author did not identify any problem specific to the Ruger LCP Max. Rather it is a list of points applicable to every semi-auto handgun: keep it clean, use the correct ammo, autoloaders can be finicky about ammo, avoid limp wristing, etc. He makes some mention of firing pins breaking, but that issue (from what I could find) was, as the article suggests, from extensive dry firing without using a snap cap; and this is, again, a problem that can crop up with other firearms. I wouldn't have even included the article except that it does go over a lot of issues and points that new gun owners might not think of. 
• "Thoughts on defensive and emergency-use rifles"--Bayou Renaissance Man. Some good advice on training and selecting a rifle. The author, Peter Grant, recommends above all else that you learn to shoot a rifle--his suggestion is to sign up for an Appleseed course and get a .22 "training" rifle. Other points: consider who will be using your rifle; some points on selecting a rifle; a brief discussion on stocking up on ammunition; and a warning about attaching too many accessories.
• "Never Miss Again Part III: Stabilize Your Rifle"--Guns America.  Using bipods, tripods, and shooting bags. 
• "Hi-Point's AR-15 May Surprise You"--Guns & Ammo. From the article/review:

Dubbed the “HP-­15,” Hi-­Point’s foray into the AR-­15 world is available in three main configurations. The three models are an AR-­15 rifle, AR-­15 pistol chambered in 5.56x45mm, and an AR-­15 pistol chambered in .300 Blackout. Multiple camo options are also available, with upgraded furniture. Unlike other Hi-­Point firearms, the HP-­15 is direct-impingement gas operated, consistent with Eugene Stoner’s original intent for the AR-15. Both rifle versions feature carbine-­length gas systems, while the pistol version uses a pistol-­length gas system.      

 The carbine, which was reviewed, seems to be a solid but basic AR-15 and accurate at 100 yards with the scope that the author mounted: "The best group measured just a half inch, while the overall average of five, five-­shot groups with three loads of differing bullet weights was a respectable 1.2 inches."  

• "A Brief History Of Rimfire"--Guns Digest. While today rimfires are synonymous with light, small caliber rounds, it wasn't always that way. The first rimfire does appear to have been the .22 Short in 1860, but these were quickly followed by larger calibers. The article relates, for instance:

In 1860, B. Tyler Henry patented a rimfire repeater with a cartridge called the .44 Henry Flat. By 1865, repeating carbines utilizing .56- and .58-caliber rimfire cartridges like the Sharps and the Spencer outmatched all muzzleloading small arms on the battlefield and helped the North win the Civil War. The U.S. Army reportedly resisted the Spencer rifle, chambered in .56-56 Spencer, but after President Abraham Lincoln shot a Spencer himself in 1863, he insisted a large order get placed. After the war, the Winchester 1866 “yellow boy” in .44 Rimfire went on to win the West—and Winchester the imaginations of shooters everywhere. By 1880, a catalog for Union Metallic Cartridge Company listed 40 rimfire cartridges for sale. Only two were .22s. More than half ranged between the Colt .41 and .58 Joslyn. 

• Some more history: "Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, & Pyrotechnics: History of Explosive that Changed the World"--Ammo Land.  A review of a book of the same title. The author begins:

    Gunpowder by Jack Kelly is the best history on the subject this writer has encountered. It is not a “how to” book, although the essentials of how to make black powder are covered in enough detail that one could do so. The book elaborates on the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of persons who died while making black powder over the roughly 800 years of its primacy. “Gunpowder” starts with an examination of the long development of the “fire drug” in China, from about 1050 A.D. to 1230 A.D. During this 180-year period, Chinese “fire drug” producers learned to increase the amount of saltpeter to the optimum amount of about 75% of the total by weight, with 15% softwood charcoal and 10% sulfur. The type of wood used for charcoal is critical to the quality of the gunpowder produced.

    The formula for gunpowder was likely transmitted to Europe through the Muslim world. While both Chinese and Muslim cultures had access to the information, it was Europeans who perfected gunpowder to a form that was relatively stable and could be transported across oceans in usable condition. In this form, it was ready to use at a moment’s notice in relatively fast loading, reliable and accurate cannon, and handheld individual weapons. 

• "The Best Free Medical References Available- Updated"--Active Response Training.  Some PDFs and training courses on medical care: everything from "Where There Is No Doctor" to trauma care, to caring for radiological injuries (i.e., caused by nuclear weapons). 
• "Honest Medical Training"--Tactical Wisdom.  The author writes:

I know we all love our T-CCC classes and the coolest of the cool-guy tactical medical classes, but can we talk a little about realistic training for what you are really going to face? Sure, gunshot wounds and explosive trauma are a part of it, but to be fair, it is a VERY small part of the medical skills you actually need. In this we are going to talk about the bare minimum I feel we all need. ...

He recommends taking a basic first aid class (either from the Red Cross or a local college or university) followed with a wilderness first aid class. He also suggests a pet first aid class and learning a bit about holistic medicine. I will note that your experience with a Red Cross class may vary. I attended a Red Cross First Aid class with one of my sons (which he needed for a Merit Badge) and everyone else in attendance were from various businesses who were just there to check a box with no real interest in the class--and the instruction was about the same level. It was only after I insisted (because no one else was interested) that the instructor gave some hands on training to my son on applying bandages. 

• "This Is the Workout That Actually Builds Bone Density"--Self.  An excerpt:

    To support bone density, your routine should include two pillars: weight-bearing (impact) activity and strength training. Dr. Bukata recommends aiming for at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing movement each day—walking, running, dancing, or even climbing stairs all count. “The key is to get up on your feet and move for those 30 minutes,” she says, noting that consistency matters more than doing it all at once.

    Then, layer in resistance training at least two to three times per week. Kelly suggests gradually working toward heavier loads. “Around 70% to 85% of your one-rep max for three to eight reps is a good range for bone stimulus,” she says, or about an 8 to 9 out of 10 effort level. If you’re newer to this style of training, start small and build up. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progression. 

• "So, How Long Can an Overweight Person Live Without Food?"--Modern Survival Blog. From the article:

An overweight person will live about as long as anyone else when starving, around 8 weeks, maybe 12. Fat can supply calories and some nutrients when starving, but it is not nutritionally complete and will not guarantee survival in the total absence of other food.

 So he's saying I should be okay if I have a multivitamin? Anyway, the bulk of the article (heh!) discusses starvation and goes into more detail about the short conclusion set out above. 

• A couple articles on solar panels from CNET:
• "What Type of Solar Panels Should You Get?" discussing different types of solar panels.
• "This Is How Much Sunlight Your Solar Panel System Needs." Discusses peak sun hours and how to calculate it. Your location is good for solar power if it receives 4 peak sun hours per day. There is also a table that shows peak sun hours per day by state. The entry for Idaho, for instance, indicates peak sun hours as ranging between 3.4 and 4.8, so perhaps marginal depending on what part of the state you live. 

•  "9 Missed Meals From Anarchy"--Modern Survival Blog. The author delves into our food distribution networks and just-in-time inventory systems, and advises that we work on securing our own food supplies:

    Not only do I mean acquiring food, but literally your security thereof. If the worst should ever happen and you’re surrounded by hungry neighbors having missed 9 meals (for the sake of argument), what’s going to happen next? Yes, anarchy and chaos.

    Do your neighbors know that you have stored away a bunch of food for ‘just in case’? Do they have an inclination that you are a ((GASP!)) ‘prepper’? (I rather prefer to say something like, ‘sensibly prepared person’).

    Have you thought about how you might handle the ensuing anarchy? Just remember, loose lips sink ships. Be the ant, not the grasshopper.

    There are a ton of helpful articles on the blog within these categories. Search and read them for ideas of your own.

    Don’t delay. We are living in dangerous times. Secure your food situation. Should nothing ever happen, well, it’s only going to cost more later – so you’ve saved money on what would have been some future food purchases. It’s insurance. And you just might need it. 

• "Stock up Suggestions"--Stop Shouting. It's not just food to worry about in the event of supply chain disruptions. The author of this piece has suggestions based on her actual experience living overseas on stocking up on supplies like medications, supplements, canned protein sources, hygiene supplies, etc.
• "How to Store Onions for Up to 3 Months, According to Our Test Kitchen"--Better Homes & Gardens. The first step is to store them in mesh bag or basket that allows air circulation. Don't wash them. Store in a cool, dark, dry location, but not a refrigerator. Keep them away from apples and potatoes (the onions release a chemical that caused the apples and potatoes to rot). The article also has some tips for specific types of onions. Onions also freeze well. 
• "Half of America’s Cities Are Depopulating. We Could Be Headed for a Ghost Town Era."--Popular Mechanics (via AOL). Cities have always relied on sucking in workers from the countryside, but never to the extreme seen in the modern world. An excerpt:

    A study published in Nature Cities forecasts the behavior of U.S. populations by investigating a variety of trends, data, and models. The results paint a rough picture of the future for cities across the country.

    “We found that, by 2100, close to half of the nearly 30,000 cities in the United States will face some sort of population decline, representing 12-23 percent of the population of these 30,000 cities and 27-44 percent of the populated area,” the authors wrote. “The implications of this massive decline in population will bring unprecedented challenges.”