Weekend Reading #67

Some longer or more involved reading:

• First is the Weekend Knowledge Dump from Greg Ellifritz at Active Response Training. These posts are generally collections of articles related to self-defense or firearms articles with a self-defense bent, but also articles on other topics such as prepping, first aid or trauma care, travel, and self-improvement. Some of the links that grabbed my attention in particular this week were:
• The August 2026 Rangemaster news letter. These generally feature one or more drills to practice, a couple/few articles of interest to concealed carriers or trainers, reports on one or two classes, and the like. For this reason, I try to read the Rangemaster newsletter when it comes out. If Greg doesn't mention it in his Weekend Knowledge Dump, Jon Low will link to it in his bi-weekly newsletter. In any event, one of the articles in the August issue is distances in self-defense shootings. Typically the statistics we see for this are actually derived from police shootings, not civilian self defense. This article instead look at FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) statistics whose agents generally wear plain civilian clothing, with concealed pistols. The hope is that it more generally represents what a civilian would face. The FBI/DEA statistics are roughly 70% at 0-7 yards, 20% at 7-15 yards, and the remainder at over 15 yards. But the article also notes:

In the case of our students who had to shoot in self-defense, the distances involved were:
Contact distance 4%
3-7 yards 91%
Beyond 7 yards 4%

The 3 shootings beyond 7 yards were at 15,17 and 22 yards, so some work at that sort of distance is needed, but not a lot. 

• You may have heard about changes to the Post Office's rules on mailing firearms, which now allow firearms to be mailed. But the important part to remember is that the rule does not do away with other firearms laws and their requirements. The article Greg links to explains:

    ... The Gun Control Act of 1968 still generally requires that handguns transferred between unlicensed individuals across state lines go through a Federal Firearms Licensee in the recipient’s state. What the USPS rule change does is remove the additional federal mailing prohibition that sat on top of that framework — a prohibition that applied even to fully lawful FFL-to-FFL shipments, FFL-to-customer shipments where permitted, and other transfers that were otherwise completely legal under the GCA but could not move through the Postal Service specifically.

    In practical terms: an FFL shipping a handgun to another FFL for a customer transfer, a manufacturer shipping a pistol back to a customer after warranty service, or an individual shipping a handgun to a licensed dealer for consignment or sale — all of these transactions were legal under the GCA before April 2026, but could not use USPS. Now they can. The universe of handgun transactions that require an FFL has not changed. The shipping options available for those transactions have expanded significantly.

•  An article discussing pocket carry, including this observation: "A small pocket pistol can be easily slipped into a pocket regardless of weather conditions and takes virtually no time to don. The convenience of pocket carry means you'll probably carry your gun more often." IMHO, everyone that conceals carry should at least have a handgun and holster for pocket carry even if they don't intend it to be their primary carry gun. 
• Lucky Gunner trashes the Walther PPK as a carry gun. He notes that it was actually quite groundbreaking when it came out in the 1930s--and frankly it would still have been a good option in the 1960s when the original Bond films were made--but there are far better options today. Which is probably why Walther pulled it from the market with the intent to update it. 
• Greg included an article from The Truth About Guns on selecting the correct barrel length for your .300 BLK pistol, carbine, or SBR if you intend to silence it. You can't go wrong with a 9" barrel for either subsonic or supersonic loads. However, I wish now that I had gone an inch or two shorter just to make it easier to put into a pack. 
• A great article on managing the grip and manual safeties on a 1911 style pistol. 
• An article reminding us that criminals do not think like most of us--at least in the West. They suffer from antisocial thinking patterns, with many sociopaths and psychopaths among them. 

Criminals think in such selfish all or nothing terms because believing themselves omniscient and knowing everything, they sense no need to evaluate a situation at any length (unless casing out a place to commit a crime). For the criminal mind, just thinking something makes it so. If a person is certain of his omniscience and infallibility, he has no reason to engage in the rational mental processes that are necessary for making decisions, like defining the problem, establishing a realistic objective, suspending judgment, gathering facts, evaluating alternatives, and selecting a rational, thought-out solution. If criminals want something, they obtain it very quickly, one way or the other without rational decision-making and concern for their victims. 

•  And an article on first aid for animal bites, useful for anyone in the outdoors, but also for SHTF which might see feral or scared animals. And, frankly, there are some urban areas that have problems with feral dogs. 

•  "The Cost of America's Broken Immigration System" by Ken Salazar, Time Magazine. I include this, not because I agree with or value Salazar's opinions (I don't), but as an example of leftist propaganda. It starts with a personal story of tragedy--specifically focusing on a single female migrant and her son injured when the trailer they were riding in rolled over in an auto-accident--in order to create a sense of sympathy and disarm your critical thinking skills. He wants you to think "this poor woman...she deserves an opportunity to come to the United States" and then expand that sympathy to include all of the hordes trying to breach our borders. 

    And then the switch from sympathy to guilt (Western societies are unique in being driven by guilt). This he does through these two sentences: "This incident, and countless other tragedies like it, is what inaction looks like. And for decades, both American political parties have been responsible for it." No, our country and our politicians were not the one's that told that woman to get into a trailer packed with dozens of other people, nor did we cause the accident. The woman did something stupid and suffered consequences. 

    Salazar continues: "As U.S. ambassador, I urgently and passionately made the argument to people in the White House and the halls of Congress that we needed to fix our border and find durable solutions. I warned Democrats that if we did not address this, it would contribute to defeat in the November 2024 elections. I’m sorry to say I was correct." Well, this seems reasonable. We need to fix the borders. But here is the reversal:

Trump was right that the border was broken and needed to be fixed. But his plan of enforcement, tearing families apart, terrorizing communities with mass ICE raids, and pitting nations against nations is not the solution. 

In other words, he is saying that if you don't want illegals to remain here and believe they have to go back--because sending them back will require arrests--you are no better than a terrorist.

    So at this point Salazar hopes the reader will be nodding his (or more likely, her) head in agreement, waiting with baited breath for Salazar to offer some reasonable solution. And that is?

I propose the creation of a New American Alliance, a North America where the borders, migration, and our nation's deep economic and cultural ties are fixed to create an untapped opportunity rather than a manufactured crisis. It is a truer expression of who we are as Americans—people who achieve greatness when we are united and when we work together toward common goals. 

In other words, his idea of fixing the border is to simply do away with borders. Just let them all in and f*** all you lessor mortals that will actually have to live with the consequences.  

    And we have an example of this right now from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on the North Africa coast, with the New York Post reporting:

    An unprecedented wave of 60,000 illegal migrants from Africa has flooded the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, prompting Spain to deploy its military – as locals liken the invasion to an “apocalypse.”

    Harrowing local media reports reveal residents and business owners in Ceuta – a Spanish territory located on the north African coast – are terrified to open their doors amid the rush of migrants, many of whom arrived wearing nothing but swimwear without a penny or possession to their name.

    “Businesses closed. Shops shut because if you open a business, it gets overrun … We’re scared. The streets are packed. There are no measures in place. It’s every man for himself. They’re not giving us any help,” a terrified downtown restaurant owner who didn’t want to give their name told state-owned Spanish media outlet RTVE. 

• "Discover the Mysteries of Italy’s Park of Monsters, a 16th-Century Garden Filled With Strange, Colossal Stone Creatures"--Smithsonian Magazine. From the lede:

    Visiting the Sacro Bosco (Italian for Sacred Grove), a 16th-century garden in Bomarzo, Italy, is no ordinary walk through the park. The seven-acre site’s sculpted monsters, open tombs and dramatic depictions of supernatural combatants make the experience more akin to braving a Renaissance version of a haunted house. Visitors can wander through a tilted building, run away from a giant gaping mouth and—if they manage to get past Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guards the gates of the underworld—descend into hell.

    The Sacro Bosco’s colossal stone statues are frightening to behold. But what makes this garden extra eerie is that no one knows for sure why monsters haunt these woods. “No receipts, account books or commission documents survive to tell us about the Sacro Bosco’s creation,” says John Garton, an art historian at Clark University and the co-author of an upcoming book about the garden. Pier Francesco Orsini, the duke who commissioned the Sacro Bosco in the mid-1500s, left no explicit clues.

An interesting read and lots of photos. 

Gun & Prepping News #89

Some links that may be of interest: 

•  "Why Does the .44 Special Keep Hanging On?"--American Rifleman. With Lipsey releasing a Nightguard revolver in .44 Special, the author decided to look into why this cartridge refuses to die, including the following:

    Like the .45 Colt, the .44 Special launches large-caliber bullets at moderate velocities. This provides suitable levels of bullet energy at typical handgun distances. This round has been used successfully to harvest medium-sized game, including whitetail deer and hogs, along with smaller game at closer ranges of around 75 yards or less. Although it would not be correct to call the .44 Special a "soft-shooting" round, it can yield desirable results without the muzzle flash, noise and wrist-snapping levels of recoil associated with magnum cartridges.  

    These shooting characteristics have also led to the .44 Special finding its way into various snub-nosed carry guns. Over the years, the .44 Special has proven to be an effective defensive option. And because this round operates at slightly lower pressures (15,500 psi) than the .38 Special (17,000 psi), it has been paired with smaller, lighter models, like the Charter Arms Bulldog, along with medium-frame configurations including the Ruger GP100 and, of course, the Smith & Wesson Model 396.

• "America’s Lever Revolution"--American Rifleman. The lever action rifle is a uniquely American weapon--it was invented and refined in the United States, and saw much wider use in the United States than anywhere else. The article goes over the history of this style of action before ending with a note on its renewed popularity. 
• And speaking of the renewed popularity of the lever action: "Henry’s Lever Action Supreme Rifle (LASR): Old Meets New"--The Truth About Guns. The key features is that it uses detachable box magazines (with the author noting that Magpul magazines work best), it uses an internal hammer with a tang mounted safety, it has a threaded and free-floated barrel, and adjustable trigger. It is available in .223/5.56mm, .300 Blk, and .450 Bushmaster. 
• Some more firearm history: "The Blunderbuss: Roar of the High Seas"--NRA Blog. An excerpt:

    Boasting a short stock, the blunderbuss was a hybrid of a pistol and a carbine, often hip-fired due to its short length and powerful recoil, comparable to a modern shotgun. The blunderbuss fired a cache of lead balls propelled by a large powder charge, though users, whether by necessity or imagination, could and often did fill the firearm with anything that would fit and cause damage when fired, including nails, rocks, glass, or “bundle shot,” a series of metal rods packed together that, when blasted from the bore, effectively became tiny spears. Needless to say, the more crudely fashioned projectiles were not good for the integrity of the barrel, but in the heat of battle, served as dangerous implements. Blunderbusses were also used for crowd control or clearing the decks, as the mere sight of the gun in hand served as a deterrent to potential challengers.

    Blunderbusses could also be found affixed to ship’s railing or gunwales via a mounting swivel, becoming an improvised boat gun to clear decks when approaching alongside another vessel. The gun’s flared muzzle made it easier to load in the chaos of battle, particularly in some of the more precarious places aboard ships, such as rigging and water-slicked decks rocking port and starboard.

    Blunderbusses appeared in the 17th century, seeing use up until about 1840. The height of the blunderbuss coincides with the “Golden Age of Piracy” in the mid-1700s, ....

• "The Fire Control Sequence: 3 Steps to Perfect Round Placement"--American Rifleman. The author lists the three steps as follows:
• "Step one: draw out from your holster like your life depends on it."
• "Step two is visual verification."
• "The third and final step is the trigger press without disturbing alignment."

As to step two, take note:

 

    Step two is visual verification. Using either irons or a dot, you have a very short time to call the shot. If it’s good, then move on to step three. If not, you will need to make micro-corrections. Micro corrections are needed because of any unnecessary input into the gun on the way out or at the very top of your drawstroke. Input and corrections cost time. 

 

[snip]

 

    Step two depends on if you are shooting irons or optics. If irons, it’s a focal-plane shift from hard-target focus back to the front sight, or at least to the front of the muzzle. If you're using a carry optic, you stay target-focused and remain simply aware of the dot.

    Either way, you don’t have all day. You only have time for rapid verification. If you do not have alignment, you will need to make time-consuming micro-adjustments. 

Another factor that might require corrections is if the gun doesn't naturally point for you. Perhaps you can train your way out of it, perhaps not. 

• "Is the Weaver Stance Dead? Reasons Why It Still Matters"--Shooting Times. An excerpt:

    ... I’ve shot both the Weaver and the isosceles, and I do not believe the isosceles is a good stance for real-life combat situations, any more than a trap stance is good training for driven grouse or that firing a .458 off a bench prepares you for buffalo in the long grass. Certainly, it is not as natural and flexible as the Weaver, no matter how many IPSC hot-shots have used it to win matches.

    Before Jack Weaver came along, handgunners had tried various methods of two-handed shooting. Weaver ingeniously took the age-old human “prepare to fight” position and adapted it. The Weaver is, essentially, the stance used by boxers. It is also the stance used by top wingshooters on wild birds. A right-handed shooter stands with the left foot forward, feet about 18 inches apart, body angled, weight on the balls of the feet, but mostly on the forward foot. The shooter is leaning into it, eyes focused like a wolf on a caribou.

    This boxing stance is the most natural human fighting position. Modern attempts to discredit it as being “outdated” have proven misguided, as witness an aging Floyd Mayweather’s almost laughable demolition of MMA Conor McGregor last August.

    The isosceles is praised as a “rigid platform,” but in most tactical situations rigidity is not nearly as useful as flexibility. You never know what you’ll be faced with. You might be carrying a child on one arm and have to shoot one-handed. You could be on the ground, shooting under a car, or having to shoot around the corner of a building. Once you learn the Weaver stance, you can adapt its principles to almost any situation.  

The primary advantage to the isosceles is when wearing body armor as it presents the strike face squarely at the target. Mass Ayoob has noted, however, that if you are in an isosceles stance and have to twist the torso, it will convert to a Weaver stance. 

    And speaking of Mass Ayoob, here is an article he wrote on "Basic Two-Handed Shooting Stances" covering the Weaver, isosceles, and Chapman (aka, modified Weaver) stances, including how to stand and hold the gun for each, and the pros and cons of each. 

• "Remington Performance Wheelgun 22 Rimfire Built for Classic Revolvers"--Shooting Sports USA. The round uses a 39 grain truncated bullet with a muzzle velocity of  770 fps. The subsonic speed is supposed to provide less recoil and less noise when at the range. 
• "Rising Costs Threaten to End Hunting as We Know It"--Petersen's Hunting.  The author asks "if we price out the next generation and current hunters that don’t have extra discretionary income, how are we making hunting on public land inviting? How are we honoring the heritage of hunting?" Hunting has historically been an activity for the wealthy and I suspect that is the future of hunting. 
• "MOLLE vs PALS: Key Differences Explained"--Chase Tactical.  Short version:

MOLLE (pronounced as Molly) stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. Introduced by the U.S. military in the late 1990s, it replaced the older ALICE system and fundamentally changed how soldiers and operators carry gear. MOLLE is not a single product. It is the entire load-bearing ecosystem, encompassing plate carriers, tactical vests, magazine pouches, dump pouches, utility pouches, backpacks, and every other modular accessory that attaches to a PALS-equipped surface.

And:

PALS, or the Pouch Attachment Ladder System, is a grid of webbing that allows MOLLE-compatible gear to be attached to any MOLLE-equipped surface. Often confused with MOLLE itself, PALS is the framework or infrastructure behind the modularity of MOLLE gear. The horizontal rows of stitched webbing you see on backpacks, plate carriers, chest rigs, and other tactical gear are the PALS system.

• "SurviveX Large First Aid Kit Review"--Apartment Prepper. The author describes the kit thusly:

The SurviveX Large First Aid Kit is primarily focused on general wound care. It is stocked with medical supplies for treating cuts, scrapes, wounds, lacerations, burns, blisters, and fractures (bandages, gauze, splints, burn gel, antibiotic ointment among others) rather than ailments needing internal medication. It is a kit you can keep in your home, vehicle, as well bring with you on camping or hiking trips. It contains 200+ items (in the Large version) enough for general care for around 3–6 people. 

    The kit sells for $120 on Amazon. So why get this instead of a commercial kit intended for businesses or schools? There are seems to be three things that stood out in the review: (i) the bag into which it fits has Molle attachments allowing it to be secured to a pack or the attaching devices you can purchase for vehicles; (ii) it's wound treatment goes beyond the basic gauze and adhesive bandages found in most kits to include actual medical shears and zip stitch wound closures; (iii) it included additional items needed for outdoors such as a splint, survival whistle, and glow sticks. The downsides, mentioned in the article, is that "it does not include pain relief medications, allergy medicines, or stomach aids, or tourniquet" or any clotting agents. In other words, you will still need to add items or carry a separate trauma kit; as well as any medications you want to carry. 

    Is it the best deal? That is something you will have to answer yourself. For instance, you can get almost everything in the SurviveX kit in another kit that costs only $53, then add a SAM splint for $15. The bag isn't as good as the SurviveX, but if you are going to be carrying it in another bag, it probably won't make a difference.  

    The reviewer's conclusions, however, is that "[t]he SurviveX Large First Aid Kit is an excellent investment for anyone serious about upgrading their first aid supplies. For an apartment dweller, it’s like a 'mini-ER' in a small footprint that won’t clutter your living space.​ If you’re tired of digging through a chaotic mess of loose gauze and adhesive bandages that no longer stick, this kit is a worthwhile purchase."

VIDEO: Backcountry Splinting

This video goes over wilderness treatment of a suspected fracture, stating with removing of a boot or other clothing that might cause injury as the limb swells, and then demonstrates the shaping and securing of a SAM splint. They used a dark colored splint, but my thought with emergency equipment is to have it in bright colors to make it easier for rescuers to spot you. 

VIDEO: "Splinting in the Wilderness (Survival Doctors & PrepMedic)"
PrepMedic (12 min.)

VIDEO: Backcountry Trauma Care And Improvisation

 VIDEO: "Backcountry Trauma and Improvisation"
University of California Television (UCTV) (1 hr. 20 min.)

Gun & Prepping News #86

 Some links that may be of interest:

• "Dollars Per Mile: Long Range Rifles for the Rest of Us"--Recoil. The author describes a rifle he put together for shooting out to one mile which final cost (including optic) of  $4,974.
• If you think that is expensive.... "American SA80: The British Problem Child Reborn In The USA"--Recoil. An American company is attempting to produce copies of the SA80. And it will only set you back $12,000. 
• "Taurus RPC Review: MP5 Feel Under $1,000"--Guns America. A roller delayed 9mm large format pistol:

The receiver is aluminum with a serialized steel chassis. The barrel is steel, 4.5 inches long, and threaded 1/2×28 for direct suppressor mounting. A thread protector ships standard. The gun includes a full-length Picatinny top rail, M-LOK slots on both sides and the bottom of the handguard, a flat-face single-stage trigger, and an AR-15-compatible grip, which means any standard AR grip drops straight in, a detail Taurus got right.

• "Is the VZ 58 A Good AK Alternative? Personal Experience"--The Firearm Blog. The author relates:

 VZ58 is incredibly lightweight for what it is; it is more accurate than many AKs and has a bolt hold-open mechanism. But the unfortunate reality is - in the 21st century, VZ 58 faced the same problems as AK. Mounting accessories is hard and requires serious modifications.

• "Accurized AK-103 - the 7.62x39mm AK-103 Upgrade Program to AK-203"--The Firearm Blog. 
• ".300 AAC Blackout: History, Ballistics, and Ammo Selection"--Mag Life. An excerpt:

    Both the 5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout use the same case. However, the 5.56 NATO utilizes a .224-inch diameter projectile, which is noticeably smaller than the .300 Blackout’s .308-inch bullet.

    At close ranges, .300 Blk offers superior ballistics and higher muzzle energy, whereas 5.56 produces higher velocities and less drop, as well as improved performance at distances past 300 yards. Additionally, .300 Blackout delivers retained terminal performance with short barrels (especially between 8 to 11 inches), and it offers close to a 90 percent increase in frontal area.

    The main determining factors that will affect your decision between the two will likely be your intended engagement distance and the overall cost of ammunition. .300 Blackout ammo can typically be twice as much as comparable 5.56, making volume training much more difficult. However, you may decide that the benefits of the .300 Blk easily justify the increase in cost.

    Today, the .300 Blk has excelled in hunting, defensive, and competitive shooting applications, with a wide variety of manufacturers offering ammunition tailored to specific uses. 

• "Federal's New 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak: The Peak Alloy Case Goes Mainstream"--American Rifleman. 

    In American Rifleman's 2025 coverage of the new Federal 7 mm Backcountry cartridge, much of the story wasn't as much about the new chambering as it was about the cartridge case itself, a case that Federal called its "Peak Alloy" design. The single-piece, all-steel cartridge case, in the words of Federal Managing Engineer Jake Burns, "acts as its own mini pressure-containment vessel, absorbing some of the energy without cracking or stretching. That’s part of the case’s ability to manage pressure." Now, that design has moved from a proprietary chambering to the mainstream cartridge world with the introduction of Federal's new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak.

[snip]

     At the heart of this ammunition revolution is the one-piece Peak Alloy cartridge case design, which Federal says can safely handle chamber pressures of 80,000 psi compared with the SAAMI-MAP of 62,000 psi chamber pressures of similarly configured brass cartridge cases. ...

• "USSOCOM's HICAR Program Wants to Double the M4's Effective Range"--The Firearm Blog. The article begins:

    The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane has quietly posted one of the more interesting small arms solicitations in recent memory. The Hypervelocity Improved Capability Assault Rifle program, HICAR for short, is USSOCOM's ask for a carbine that can do something current M4-based platforms simply cannot: reach out past 600 meters with a standard 5.56mm package, without making operators carry anything heavier or bulkier than what they're already running.

    The core problem the government seems to be trying to solve is the range gap. The current URG-I (Upper Receiver Group - Improved), which sits on most SOCOM M4A1 lowers today, is optimized for standard 5.56 NATO and tops out at a practical effective range of around 300 meters. That's fine for a lot of situations, but it leaves a hole on the modern battlefield where adversaries can engage from distances where the round simply runs out of steam. HICAR is meant to close that gap by leveraging next-generation hypervelocity 5.56x45mm ammunition, specifically M855A1+ loaded to 82,000 PSI chamber pressure, a significant step up from standard loads.

The author concludes with this question: "Do you think there is any currently available carbine platform genuinely built to handle sustained fire with ammunition loaded to 82kpsi, or will every vendor need a clean-sheet bolt and barrel design to compete?" Perhaps this is a program that can benefit from the Peak Alloy case. 

• "Concealed Carry Corner: Does Size Really Matter?"--The Firearm Blog.  The author argues that it is weight not size that is the issue:

When it comes to being comfortable long-term while carrying a handgun, the real culprit is how much your handgun weighs. Having an all-steel or metal-framed firearm can speed up how fast you become fatigued, rather than the overall size of your handgun. Looking at the Glock 43X versus the longer Glock 48 variant, both feel almost identical to carry, with the Glock 48 having a longer barrel than the smaller Glock 43X. Everyone likes to stress about overall size, but the weight of a handgun will make you fatigue and become uncomfortable faster than anything else.  

I can guarantee that if the something the same weight as the 43X or 48 was a foot long, size would matter. 

• "OSD 373: Guns suck, drone edition"--Open Source Defense. Drones are the next generation of defensive tools. 
• "FGC-9 bedroom factory discovered"--Impro Guns.  
• "No Gunpowder, No Recoil: Electromagnetic Guns Are Here!"--Guns America. Covering some recent developments and products in civilian rail guns, but there is also this:

    According to the report, China has already moved beyond prototypes and into early deployment of a handheld electromagnetic small arm, with adjustable power levels that can range from non-lethal applications up to armor-penetrating capability, including the ability to punch through 10mm steel at 50 meters in high-power mode.

    Performance-wise, it’s pushing 1,000–2,000 rounds per minute, minimal recoil, low noise (around 65 decibels), and no visible muzzle signature, features that would clearly matter in specialized operations. 

• "Front Line Friday #20: In-Car First Aid and Trauma Kit Configuration"--The Firearm Blog. Aimed at law enforcement, but of obvious interest to preppers, the article describes going beyond the IFAK to something that can be used to treat a number of people, such as victims of a mass shooting or a multiple casualties from auto accidents. As the article explains:

    The issued IFAK solves a specific problem: one officer, one patient, one acute hemorrhage or airway event, immediate intervention. It is sized and configured to be carried on the body, which means the contents list is constrained by what fits on a belt or a vest panel and what an officer can access one-handed under stress. Those constraints are correct for the problem the IFAK is designed to solve. They are the wrong constraints for what a patrol vehicle medical kit needs to do.

    The vehicle kit operates in a different scenario envelope. It is not a backup IFAK. It is a second-tier capability that extends the officer's ability to manage trauma before EMS arrives, support multiple patients, supply arriving officers or bystanders rendering aid, and hand off organized resources to EMS so they can move faster upon arrival on scene. A vehicle kit that is just a larger IFAK is missing the point. A vehicle kit that is organized around that handoff function, stocked for multi-patient scenarios, and configured so items can be located and retrieved in low light and under stress is doing what it is supposed to do.

• "Geiger Counter CPM Readings: Safe vs Dangerous Radiation Levels"--Modern Survival Blog. From the article:

    CPM stands for counts per minute, but CPM alone is not a universal “safe” or “dangerous” number. It depends on the detector, tube size, calibration, radiation type, distance from the source, and exposure time.

    Still, if your meter uses the example conversion used in this article, 120 CPM ≈ 1 µSv/hr, then 500 CPM ≈ 4.2 µSv/hr, 1000 CPM ≈ 8.3 µSv/hr, 4000 CPM ≈ 33 µSv/hr, and 10000 CPM ≈ 83 µSv/hr. Those readings are elevated compared with typical background dose rates and should be taken seriously, especially if sustained.

The author presents a chart addressing different CPM levels and when it becomes worrisome or dangerous. He also goes into more detail on how radiation exposure is measured, health risks, shielding for different types of radioactive radiation and more. 

• "How to Maintain and Care for Your Field Jacket So It Lasts for Years"--Propper. Specific instructions for caring for, cleaning, and proper storage of the M65 field jacket. For instance, for storage, the article says to avoid "[p]lastic vacuum bags that crease fabric Damp basements or unventilated closets." Best practice for storage: "For long-term storage in garages or sheds, use a sealed metal container with red cedar shavings. This will keep the insects and rodents away."
• "VHF vs. UHF Handheld Radios: Which Is Better?"--Modern Survival Blog.  Short answer:

    VHF handheld radios generally have an advantage for longer-distance communication across open outdoor terrain, especially in rural areas and over water. UHF handheld radios generally work better around buildings, inside structures, and in urban environments because their shorter wavelengths are better suited to passing through or around many common obstructions.

    In the woods, there is no universal winner. Forest density, hills, antenna quality, radio height, and line of sight can matter more than the frequency band alone.

    For hiking, hunting, or property communications, the best approach is to understand the general tradeoffs and test both bands in your actual environment.

VIDEO: Don't Forget These Items In Your Medical Kit

Now that many in the self-defense and prepping community are packing around IFAKs to deal with serious trauma, a reminder that not every injury needs a tourniquet, pressure bandage, or a 5-foot roll of gauze. The author reviews a few pre-made kits of lessor items--"boo boo" kits--packaged and sealed that you can slip into an IFAK, a backpack, or into a pocket.  

VIDEO: "The Medical Layer Most IFAKs Are Missing: Field Austere Medical"
PreparedAirman (6 min.)

Gun & Prepping News #81

Some links that may be of interest:

• The Associated Press has suggested gun control for muzzle loading muskets. They apparently were upset at learning that such items are not "firearms" for purposes of federal gun laws. As I've noted many times, the biggest fear of the modern "liberal" is that somewhere, someone is doing something fun and wholesome without government permission. 
• This past week I linked to a video where the author cautioned against painting your optics if you were likely to change optics; but just in case you want to anyway: "Scope Painting: Rattlecan Those Optics!"--Breach Bang Clear.
• "Glock Gen 6: Upgrades & Optic Problems"--Recoil Magazine.  A concerning problem which the author describes with the optic system:

    The wheels came off not on the range, but at the workbench. Doing a final series of inspections and cleaning to see how the Gen 6 is faring after 1,000 rounds of fire, the optic twisted noticeably in my hand. Witness marks on the screws appeared unmoved, and checking the torque, it was still at 18 inch-pounds. I removed the optic and remounted it just in case to check. After torquing it again, the optic feels solid.

    A quick range trip to throw a couple hundred down in practice, and the optic can now shift again. Witness marks were maintained, torque was maintained, but the optic again can shift. Both times the screws were installed using thread locker, both times they were properly torqued, both times they were witness marked. 

    Losing zero is bad enough, but losing zero with almost no external sign is much, much worse. At least with MOS, you knew when it failed because your optic went flying. 

• "Maintenance Musings for the Wheelgunner"--American Fighting Revolver.  Some tips on lubricating a revolver. An excerpt:

Some things need grease, some need oil. For instance the lock work in a S&W revolver need a thin film of oil. I don't care for grease because of its tendency to collect debris and keep it stuck to the parts, eventually this sludge becomes a hindrance to your pretty trigger job. I prefer light non petroleum base oils for internals of a revolver.  My preferred brand and flavor is from my pal Mick Schuch's company Gunfighter Gun Oil I am not a paid endorser of the company, Mick is a friend and makes a fantastic product. If you go back in the Maintenance Monday archives I do several disassembly videos and after a good cleaning I apply Gunfighter Oil to the pivoting part etc. The stuff works absolutely great and doesn't get fouled up too bad even with a heavier firing schedule. Gunfighter oil is the only thing I ran on the last few Stoner pattern rifles I carried for business as well and it made clean up easy and I honestly cannot recall a stoppage from my rifles after I started using it. 

• "Singer M1911A1: The Rarest WW2 1911"--Forgotten Weapons. Only 500 were made. Singer had other military contracts of higher importance, so, according to the article, it forsook further 1911 production and the tooling was sold to Remington Rand and then went to Ithaca. 
• "Fudd Friday: Guns For Small Game Hunting In 2026"--The Firearm Blog.  By small game, the author means "ruffed grouse, jackrabbits, squirrels, snowshoe hares, raccoons and most other animals around this size". He then goes over shotguns and rifles suitable for hunting small game. One of the rifles he mentions is the Savage Mark II F, writing:

    This is one of the most accurate-for-your-money .22LR rifles ever made, embarrassing big-buck competitors at rimfire precision matches across the continent as long as the shooter can find the ammo the rifle likes. MSRP for the AccuTrigger model starts at $299, but Wal-Mart sells the non-AccuTrigger model for $179 in the U.S., and that gun will fill the pot just fine. The Savage Mark II is made in their Lakefield plant in Canada; it’s a design that goes back for many decades, and it’s also available in .17 HM2 and the new .21 Sharp.

    But the .22LR version is the one I’ve personally owned in the past and found very accurate. I once earned the eternal respect of my neighbor by head-shotting a cormorant (legal in my region) in his fish pond on a very windy day; the old guy thought I was a real Deadeye Dick after that, although it was simply a combination of dumb luck, plus a rifle that shot far better than its price tag would imply. It did the same thing every time I took it rabbit hunting, too, as long as there were rabbits around to hunt. The magazines were a bit janky, the rifle felt a bit crude in the hand, but it was excellent value for the money and I’d recommend it to anyone.

• "277 Fury vs .308"--The Shooter's Log.  Comparing ballistics of the two using 130, 150, and 155 grain projectiles. As expected because of the high BC bullet used by the .277, it has a flatter trajectory and better retained energy at distance. But it comes at a cost of greater recoil compared to the .308. This ballistic comparison comes with an important caveat:

The 308 may be loaded with substantially heavier bullets than the 277. Such bullets are characteristically more resistant to wind drift, and conserve higher percentages of their velocity and momentum downrange. In other words, the 308 may offer arguably superior ballistic performance when it is loaded with a bullet [weight] that the 277 cannot have. 

•  "Picking the Best M1 Garand Ammo"--The Shooter's Log. The first consideration is getting ammo that is safe for use in the M1 Garand. The M1 was designed for chamber pressures of 50,000 PSI, but many modern hunting loads are 60,000 PSI which, if used in the M1, could damage the operating rod and/or receiver. The author lists some commercial ammo specifically made for the M1 Garand and potentially offering great accuracy. He also relates using his M1 Garand for a hog hunt:

    Recently on a South Texas hog hunt I put my M1 Garand to the test in the field. If you have ever been around feral hog’s, you know these animals can be tough and resilient. While the 30-06 cartridge is more than adequate of course for taking hog’s, good shot placement is a must.

    I selected the Underwood 168-grain HPBT for a try out on these hog’s that are in fact, built like a tank. The Underwood delivered sub-MOA accuracy out of my rifle at 100 yards while pushing a hollow point bullet rather than the traditional FMJ for the M1 Garand. Interestingly, both the 150-grain Hornady FMJ, and the 150-grain Sellier & Bellot FMJ provided the best groups overall in my rifle.

    Sitting an elevated stand late one evening near a water hole and a food source, it didn’t take long for a hog to show up. Guessing the range was somewhere between 80 to 100 yards, I quickly aligned the front sight in the rear aperture with a sight picture on the hogs’ vitals. Pressing the trigger the hog was down before I could recover from recoil. Watching the pig, that looked to be a boar, he kicked once or twice then was still.

    The boar weighed around 125 pounds and with decent cutters. A good tryout for the ammo and helped the ranch eliminate one more of these feral critters that most landowners do not want on their property and tend to be a real nuisance. 

•  "Ayoob: How to Discreetly Carry Larger Handguns"--Armory Life. After discussion and illustrating specific types of carry or holsters, including a tip for the ladies, Ayoob offers the following general tips:

    There are going to be fashion sacrifices. Skin-tight clothing and concealed handguns simply don’t play well together. To conceal a full-size handgun, you want the concealing garment (un-tucked polo shirt, jacket, whatever) to be about one size larger than perfect fit without the gun. That gives you enough fabric drape for better concealment. The Fashion Police will probably only give you a warning instead of dragging you into Fashion Court, but no one is likely to look at you and scream “OMG, they’ve got a gun!”

    If you carry on the hip, don’t reach for high shelves in public with the hand on the holster side. That tends to pull up the concealing garment and reveal the pistol. Use the other arm. Bending over at the waist causes “printing” of holstered guns at hip or small of back, so pretend you’re a back patient and kneel or bend the knees to prevent the printing. 

• And how to discreetly carry eight (8) AR magazines. Not an article, but a product--the "Heat Rig" from Kommando Store--inspired by the setup used by Val Kilmer's character in the movie Heat. Anonymous Conservative linked to this recently and it looks interesting. 
• "Mountain Man Medical’s Chest Seal Trainer"--Swift Silent Deadly.  This product is intended for people that teach first-aid or trauma care because it has little use outside that market. Basically, it is a no-stick silicon baking pad with the bones of the torso and lungs printed on it. The idea is that you can use it to train on the proper application of chest seals without getting the gum on an expensive training mannequin, and the no-stick part makes it possible to re-use chest seals for training, cutting down on costs.  
• "Sopakco MRE’s: Survival On A Budget"--The Truth About Guns. Sopakco is one of the Department of War authorized MRE manufacturers and, according to the author, the best reputed of the "big three". The author goes over his considerable use of MREs in the military, the general contents of MREs, and reviews the "chicken chunks" MRE. He sums it all up:

    Ordering from Sopakco gets you a case of MREs for $113.40, or $9.58 per meal. So not only is this more food (and healthier) than a Big Mac meal, it’s cheaper as well. Shopping around online has found me Sopakco MRE cases for even cheaper than the MSRP. Cheap enough I’ve started buying a case a month to stock up for hunting season, emergency meals in the vehicle, and to try and replace the MRE’s my kids are constantly ravaging.

    Sopakco Sure-Pak MRE’s are the real deal, and a good deal at that.

• "Condiments and Seasoning to Stockpile"--True Prepper.  A list of each with tips on storage; and some comments about shelf life. I would recommend against long term storage of the little disposable packets, at least for ketchup or salsa, as they do not have a long shelf life. Something I learned from experience. 
• "Prepping Your Automobile For Those Long Trips"--Gat Daily. Basically, make sure that you have a spare tire and the jack and other tools to change a flat tire; and a few tools to make simple repairs. The author also recommends jumper cables or a portable jump starter, and a roll of paper towels. Finally, he recommends making sure that someone knows where you were going and when you were expected to arrive (or return home).

I'm old enough to remember when prepping a car for a long trip meant checking the spark plugs, checking the tire pressure, checking all the fluid levels (and maybe even an oil change), as well as checking the hoses and belts--you didn't just fill up the tank and go. A couple items I found useful at one time when I was regularly making trips through areas thick with bugs was to carry a soft plastic scrub pad and water so I could wash the bugs off the windshield when they became too much for the wipers to handle.  

•  "How to Identify Chemical Attacks by Symptom"--True Prepper. Going over the symptoms and signs of nerve agents, blister agents, choking agents, riot control agents, and blood agents (which must be breathed or swallowed--per the article, "They are named blood agents because they stop cells from using oxygen, causing victims’ blood to be bright red."). 
• "CS Tear Gas In Hong Kong And Elsewhere: Assessing The Hazards"--Bellingcat.  A deep dive into CS gas, how hot the canisters burn, how it works, and other considerations. CS grenades can be used to cause fires (e.g., the Waco siege) and the gas can decompose into other gases, including Hydrogen Cyanide, when heated. 

Gun & Prepping News #79

 Some links that may be of interest:

•  "You Want To Be A Modern Minuteman"--Security & Cigars. The author offers some general advice on (1) getting a quality handgun, some training, and practice; (2) the importance of physical fitness and recommendations of certain exercises/activities; and (3) learning first aid including for traumatic wounds.
• "Terrifying doorbell cam captures knife-wielding maniac stalking Sacramento neighborhood"--New York Post.  My point in referencing this article isn't just that some kook was ringing the doorbell cameras and then making stabbing motions with a knife before running away, but this:

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Lt. Amar Gandhi said multiple frantic residents reported the armed prowler as deputies rushed to the scene within minutes.

But by the time they arrived, the suspect was gone. But if the suspect had concentrated on one home instead of going door-to-door, he would have had enough time to kick down a door, kill someone, and then flee. This isn't to fault the deputies, but as a reminder that you are your own first responder.

• "Enhance Your Shooting Skills: The Power of Dry Fire Training"--Close Quarter Combat. The author begins:

 In the realm of firearms proficiency, consistent practice is the cornerstone of mastery. Yet, not all practice requires live ammunition and a firing range. Enter dry fire training – a method often overlooked but immensely powerful in refining shooting skills. In this blog, we'll delve into the benefits and techniques of dry-fire training and how it can transform you into a more adept shooter.

• "Quick Tips on Setting up a General Purpose Carbine"--Green Ops. Some advice on setting the right length of pull (LOP) on an adjustable stock, as well as advice on mounting optics and why you need a sling.
• "Concealed Carry Corner: Best Cover Garments for Concealment"--The Firearm Blog. The author considers some garments for concealing a firearm in the summer: a leather biker vest, suit jackets/blazers, fishing vests (or a photographer's vest). On the latter options--the fishing vest--make sure you have one long enough to cover the weapon if wearing an outside the waistband (OWB) holster; many seem cut pretty short. 
• "Fudd Friday: Parker Hale Classic Hunting Rifles"--The Firearm Blog. Parker-Hale was a British company probably best remembered for their sniper rifle, their sporterizing military rifles after WWII for commercial sales, and their relatively inexpensive hunting rifles based on Mauser actions but with their own hammer-forged barrels. Outside of gun forums, however, it is hard to find much information about them anymore. 
• "Is Aero Precision Going Out of Business? Here’s What We Actually Know"--The Truth About Guns. The firm is obviously having problems, but they haven't filed for bankruptcy. And their associated business--Ballistics Advantage--doesn't seem to be having the problems that you see with Aero Precision. It is too bad because they made very good AR receivers and other parts. 
• "6mm ARC Basics – What you Need to Know to Get Started"--AR Build Junkies.  Some history, what the cartridge does well, best twist rates, common barrel lengths, etc.
• "Barnes 6mm ARC Ammo Review: 1,000-Yard Test"--The Truth About Guns. A test of Barnes' VOR-TX 90 grain TAC-TX and the Harvest 100 grain GameKing loads. Conclusion:

Both loads shot sub-MOA out of my Howa 1500 mini action, and the GameKing proved capable of consistent hits on steel out to 1,000 yards. For hunters and shooters looking for accurate factory ammunition that doesn’t require handloading or extensive load development, Barnes has delivered two solid options that punch well above their weight class.

• "Bear Guns: 300 Win Mag VS 7mm Mag"--Bear Hunting Magazine.  I had recently linked to an article about the 7mm Rem. Mag. and a reader commented that it was good for bear. This article bears him out. Short take:

When using quality bullets and with good shot placement, both the 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag are excellent for hunting black, brown, and grizzly bear at all practical hunting ranges. However, since they are such flat shooting and hard hitting cartridges, the 7mm Mag and .300 Win Mag really shine in situations where hunters need to take shots out past 200-300 yards. 

• "Spin Difference: The Impact of Barrel Twist Rates on Terminal Performance" by Richard Mann, American Rifleman. An excerpt:

    Legacy American self-defense pistol cartridges like the .45 ACP (1905), .380 ACP (1908) and .38 Super (1929) all use a rifling-twist rate of 1:16-inch. A number of more modern American pistol cartridges like the 10 mm (1983), .40 S&W (1990) and .357 SIG (1994) have the same slow twist rate, and the .38 Spl. and .357 Mag. have an even slower twist rate of 1:18.75-inch. But, the 9 mm has a rifling twist rate of 1:10-inch, and that can give the cartridge an advantage. 

[snip]

    As ballisticians began to work to develop better bullets—bullets that would perform better in the FBI’s testing protocol—the faster rotational velocity of the 1:10-inch-twist 9 mm cartridge began to show its worth and made it easier to make bullets work better. For example, a 124-grain 9 mm bullet has a rotational velocity that is 73 percent faster than a 165-grain bullet fired from a .40 S&W. By leveraging this additional rotational energy, 9 mm bullets could be designed to perform better over wider velocity ranges, and in some cases rival and even exceed the terminal performance of bullets fired from larger-caliber cartridges. The slow twist rates and rotational velocities of other handgun cartridges—especially the .38 Spl.—are why you commonly see special short-barrel loads for them. The projectiles need to be made differently to work at slower linear and rotational velocities. 

• Sometimes firearm accessories are just for fun: "Ripley Rail - 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night"--The Firearm Blog. A handguard and rail attachment for the AR that mimics the look of the M41A Pulse Rifle from the movie, Aliens.
• "The strange reason why wildlife agencies want Americans to buy more guns"--Vox.  The reason is the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, which imposes an excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and certain other outdoor gear and equipment and channels that money to state wildlife agencies. The tax is 11% for rifles and 10% for handguns and ammunition. 

Over the last decade, the law has channeled close to $1 billion a year into state wildlife agencies across the country, amounting to a substantial share of their budgets. One recent analysis found that Pittman-Robertson made up about 18 percent of state agency budgets, on average, in 2019. (License fees for fishing and hunting, along with a hodgepodge of other revenue streams, including a similar tax on fishing gear, make up the rest.) And revenue from Pittman-Robertson has been increasing, roughly doubling in the past two decades — in no small part because gun sales have surged. 

So just remember, as a gun owner, you have probably done more to preserve the environment than have most liberals who claim they care for the environment. And the anti-hunters? They are actually trying to harm the animals they pretend to care about. 

• "Choosing the Right First Aid Kit for your Needs"--Alpha Survivalist. Because you are going to need a boo-boo kit more often than a trauma kit. The article covers issues of what are your requirements, whether to assemble one yourself or buy a pre-made kit, what to look for in a pre-made kit, the top brands, and some other tips. 
• "How To Use an Israeli Bandage To Stop Severe Bleeding"--Modern Survival Blog.  The author explains:

An Israeli Bandage, also called an Emergency Bandage, is a compact pressure dressing used to help control serious external bleeding. It combines a sterile wound pad, elastic wrap, built-in pressure applicator, and closure bar in one bandage. The basic idea is simple: place the pad over the wound, wrap the elastic bandage around the injury, use the pressure bar to increase direct pressure, then secure the closure bar so the bandage stays tight. 

The article goes on to discuss why you want to include one in your kit, a discussion of the 4" versus 6" sizes, a couple brands available on Amazon that he recommends, step-by-step instruction on applying one, a link to an instructional video, when to use an Israeli bandage versus a tourniquet, and some additional information. 

• "Bleach, Hand Sanitizer, or Natural Cleaning Products? What to Use When"--Organic Prepper.  The author points out:

    Staying clean is a critical part of staying healthy. We have a wide array of disinfectants and cleaning products to stock up on. This guide takes the most common disinfectants, breaks down their pros and cons, and sorts out how and when to use each item.

    Staying clean becomes even more important when access to medical care is not guaranteed, such as during or post-disaster. Therefore, we need to know to know how to remove pathogens from surfaces and fabrics. 

The rest of the article discusses why cleaning is not optional, cleaning versus disinfecting, and then goes over cleaning and disinfecting products: bleach, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, vinegar, and herbal washes, as well as when and how to use each. 

• On a related note: "How to get rid of common stains: the science behind your top tips"--Which? Magazine.  How to get rid of stains from blood, red wine, grass, bolognese and tomato sauce, and sun screen creams. As a quick note, several of the tips mention using "washing-up liquid" which apparently is the British term for liquid dish soap, like Dawn. 
• "Boot Care: How to properly care for your boots."--Joint Force Tactical. Good advice for anyone who uses leather boots for work or play.  Covers cleaning, waterproofing, and storage.
•  "Quick Breads"--Blue Collar Prepping. The author explains:

Quick breads usually operate without yeast, often substituting a chemical leavening agent such as baking powder and/or baking soda to generate a similar result. Chemical leaveners require an acid to activate, which is why quick bread recipes will include sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk, or even vinegar.

The author includes recipes for a flat bread, soda bread, and basic scones.

•  "Yard Carts & Wagons for Homesteads, Gardens, and Preparedness"--Modern Survival Blog. If you don't know what these are, think of a child's wagon except with a beefed up frame, pneumatic tires, and the ability to lift the bed to dump out materials. They do a lot of things that the wheel barrow does, but are more stable and can be easier for some people to use. I have both because the wheel barrow is oft times faster to move around, but for going over irregular ground nothing beats the yard cart. And if you have a bunch of potted plants that you want to transport around your yard, the yard cart is less likely to jostle and overturn the pots. 
• "‘God of chaos’ asteroid will be once-in-a-lifetime event visible to the naked eye — and closer than many satellites: NASA"--New York Post. On Friday, April 13, 2029--yes, Friday the 13th--the asteroid Apophis will pass "approximately 20,000 miles from the Earth’s surface, closer than many satellites floating in space — nearly 12 times closer than the moon’s average distance from Earth." It is believed to be 1,230 feet in diameter. Given its size and how close it will pass, it should be visible to the naked eye. It is supposed to return again in 2036. 

Weekend Reading #54

Some longer and more involved reading for the weekend:

•  First up is a new Weekend Knowledge Dump from Active Response Training. Some notable links:
• Greg has a couple articles for those of us that conceal carry but have to wear something other than jeans and a loose T-shirt. The first is from Lucky Gunner on how not to dress like a "tactical hobo" and the other from A Tailored Suit that has advice on carrying a concealed handgun while wearing a suit coat or blazer, including tips for your tailor if you can afford a tailored suit or jacket. 
• A link to the latest Range Master news letter, which itself has some articles and drills. One I recommend is on the shift in understanding of Jeff Cooper's color code from a measure of how ready were you to respond to violence to simply a measure of awareness. For example:

The core question moved from “Am I willing to act?” to “Am I paying attention?” Those are not the same question. One prepares a person to move decisively under stress. The other prepares them to observe events as they unfold.

Today, the Color Code appears in workplace safety briefings, active shooter presentations, and corporate training slides. In many versions, lethal force is never mentioned at all. The result is a framework stripped of its original purpose. 

•  An article on pepper spray because sometimes you need something between a harsh word and using a lethal weapon. An excerpt that seemed particularly important:

    But the thing is, the LE use case for pepper spray is not the civilian use case at all. Craig Douglas refers to pepper spray as “an eye gouge in a can,” which I like quite a lot. If you’ve ever been poked in the eye just in general it’s distracting and disorienting, and if it happens in a fight it’s even worse. The civilian use case for pepper spray is to create time and space for you, the civilian, to escape. We are not pepper spraying people so we can go hands on with them, we’re pepper spraying them so we can run the f[--]k away.

    I have pepper sprayed several people in a civilian context, and it’s an incredibly low bar of force, it’s easy to articulate, and the entire point is for you to get away from the attacker. It could also be to access a more effective tool than pepper spray given the situation, but we have to understand that our key use case for spray is to spray and sprint. 

•  Massad Ayoob's 5-point checklist of things to say to police after an armed encounter. Greg comments: "Despite some attorneys in disagreement, I firmly believe that Massad Ayoob created the definitive list of statements that you should make to the police after a defensive shooting."
• Some history: An article about Frank Hamer, the Texas Ranger that hunted down Bonnie and Clyde, and the Remington Model 8 semi-auto rifle he used.
• The article is at the anti-gun site, The Trace; but if you can ignore the wailing and gnashing of teeth, the article outlines some major changes in rules planned or being made by the ATF which should benefit gun owners and gun dealers.  
•  An article on "What Criminals Know That You Don't" which delves into some aspects of how criminals select victims or targets of opportunity, but also discusses some other aspects of crime statistics including the following bit (bold added):

    The numbers on armed resistance are worth knowing. Complying completely in an armed robbery still leaves a 25 percent chance of injury, and the robbery succeeds 90 percent of the time. Resistance with a firearm drops injury odds to 17 percent and rarely allows the crime to complete. Resistance before injury drops that to around 6 percent. For rape specifically, armed resistance is the most effective deterrent to completion and does not increase physical harm to the victim. Research also shows defensive gun uses frequently occur without a shot fired. The presence of a firearm alone can stop a crime in progress.

    A gun is not the first solution. It is the last. But as Hearne noted, “Most of the time, you don’t need a parachute, but when you do, nothing else will substitute.” 

•  In a recent "Gun & Prepping News" I had linked to an article on using super-glue for first-aid. Greg also links to that article, but provides some addition tips on using super-glue to close wounds. He also comments: "Vet Bond is the chemical equivalent of Derma-Bond at 1/3 the cost.  The primary difference between that and standard super glue is that the Vet Bond won’t sting as much and it lasts about one day longer than super glue."
• Finally, Greg links to an article on how humanity is about to "fork" in different directions, the first of which are how people use AI tools:

    AI has handed every human being on the planet an extraordinary set of tools: the ability to build software, design products, generate content, start companies, and pursue ambitions that previously required teams of specialists and millions in capital.

    Some people will pick those tools up and build. They’ll become creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators. They’ll use AI to amplify their vision and bring it into the world. They will be the architects of the next economy.

    Others will watch. They’ll consume: watch Netflix, play video games, scroll social media… be passively entertainment. The tools will be available to them. They simply won’t pick them up.

• "Are We Subjects or Citizens? Birthright Citizenship and the Constitution" by Edward J. Erler at Imprimis. An excerpt:

    Although the Constitution of 1787 mentioned citizens, it did not define citizenship. It was not until 1868, with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, that a definition of citizenship entered the Constitution. Here is the familiar language: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Thus there are two components to American citizenship: birth or naturalization in the U.S. and being subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S.

    We have somehow come today to believe that anyone born within the geographical limits of the U.S. is automatically subject to its jurisdiction. But this renders the jurisdiction clause utterly superfluous and without force. If this had been the intention of the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment, they would simply have said that all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. are thereby citizens. Furthermore, the principal supporters of the Fourteenth Amendment were explicit about the meaning of “subject to the jurisdiction”: it meant owing exclusive allegiance to the U.S. and none to any other country. 

The article is a deep dive on this subject including the history, predecessor laws that informed the citizenship clause, and comments and debate from the Congressmen that wrote and debated the clause. The author also closes with some comments about how duel citizenship undermines the idea of citizenship and the nation-state.   

Gun & Prepping News #78

Some links that may be of interest:

• "INTERESTING STUDY FROM THE FBI" by Mossad Ayoob. Writing this past January 2026:

    ... A recent study of justifiable homicides by the FBI shows that nationwide, law-abiding armed citizens have been killing more violent criminals than the nation’s law enforcement community.

    Why? Because the citizen is right there when the deadly attack on him or her takes place, and the waiting time for lawful armed response is essentially zero. Remember, homicide is justifiable only in situations of immediate, otherwise unavoidable danger of death or grave bodily harm…meaning that every dead criminal is potentially one or more innocent lives saved.

He also links to the study. 

• "CMP Begins Selling Reclaimed 1903A3 Springfield Rifles"--The Firearm Blog. Due to the shortage of remaining serviceable rifles, the CMP has turned to using receivers from guns rendered unfirable (such as for drill rifles) and restored them to shooting condition. 

The CMP has done extensive testing to make sure the reclaimed actions are safe to use in these guns. Those original actions are mated to new production barrels and stocks to create shootable rifles once again. These 1903A3 Springfield rifles retail for $1050, plus $35 for shipping and handling. Purchasers cannot pick the manufacturer; these are strictly sent out “luck of the draw.”

• "Lake City Strike Enters Week Three—Here’s What It Means"--The Truth About Guns. Although the plant is primarily tasked to produce small arms ammunition for the military, Olin Winchester which has the contract to run the plant, is permitted to sell any excess production to the public. Thus, it is "the source of an estimated 30% of the .223/5.56 sold on the American civilian market". Consequently, we should expect 5.56 ammo to both go up in price and become more scarce.  
• "TFB Review: Glock 17 Gen6 - First 1,000 Rounds"--The Firearm Blog.  The author used the handgun straight out of the box in a two day introduction to practical shooting course:

    The course was a two-day introduction to practical shooting (IPSC basic course, which is mandatory in some countries), designed specifically for beginners. It covered the full spectrum of fundamental skills: basic accuracy drills, static reloads, emergency reloads, strong-hand-only shooting, weak-hand-only shooting, and shooting on the move. Exactly the kind of curriculum that puts a pistol through its paces in ways a static bench test never can. 

    Normally, such a course requires about 400-600 rounds to complete, depending on the maturity of the individual(s). Of the 1,200 rounds fired with this pistol, 900 were fired indoors using GECO's Lead Round Nose Copper-Plated 9mm Luger, 8.0g / 124gr.

    The remaining 300 rounds or so were Hornady Critical Defense FTX 115gr, which we saved for a dedicated accuracy and V0 chronograph session at 25 meters. More on those results in a separate article, but the short version: accuracy was excellent and there were zero malfunctions with the Hornady ammunition.  

• "Review: Assembling an AR-15 Lower Receiver"--American Rifleman. Building a lower receiver for an AR-15 to be chambered in .338 ARC for controlling feral hogs, the author looks at some parts to ensure superior accuracy over the stock mil-spec AR but still be handy in the field. The main parts he discusses are (i) an Aero Precision M4E1 lower receiver, (ii) a Magpul MOE+ grip and DT-PR adjustable stock, (iii) a CMMG lower parts kit but replacing the trigger group with a Wilson Combat TR-TTU Tactical Trigger Unit. The author closes:

Are these parts the best/most expensive/recommended by the guy you know at the range who’s always weighing in? Maybe. Maybe not. I’ve tested them in previous builds and have found them all to perform exactly as advertised/just how I like it, so that’s what I use. That’s not saying that less-expensive options should automatically be discarded; with the exception of the trigger, which is still far from the most expensive one out there, most of the parts chosen for this are decidedly middle-of-the-road but fully functional. 

• "A vz. 61 Skorpion For Less: The Titus Arms TA61"--American Rifleman.  The reason it is less (about $600 or so) is because the company uses an "in-house 3D-printed, carbon-fiber fill nylon lower" which costs less and, as a byproduct, also makes the pistol lighter. However, you can't just use any .32 ACP ammo in this, but need something a bit hotter to ensure reliable function: 7.65 mm Browning (European specification) loads using a 73-grain full-metal jacket bullets velocities of 984 to 1043 fps. "The two loads in this class that the company recommends are available from Fiocchi USA and Sellier & Bellot (S&B). Geco Ammunition also offers a suitable load."
• "Before The Webley"--Guns Magazine. A history of revolver and ammunition developments that led to the development of the Webley revolver. 
• Some more history: "Fudd Friday: The Highs And Lows Of The Winchester Model 1200"--The Firearm Blog.  The Winchester Model 12 was revered as a shotgun because of its hand fitting and high quality. But it was also expensive. The Model 1200 was intended to be less expensive to compete with the Remington 870. 
• "Reloading 6mm ARC for Varmints"--Guns & Ammo. The author is using Hornady 75 GR. V-MAX bullets and, interestingly to me, using 31.5 grains of Hornady LeverEvolution powder. 
• "Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR Review: 3-Inch Model Accuracy & Range Test"--Lucky Gunner. An excerpt:

    The .22 LR version of the Colt King Cobra came out in 2022. This is their one and only rimfire model, but they do offer it in five different barrel lengths. This one is the 3-inch model because, as we’ve already established in our last video, 3-inch revolvers are objectively the best. But if you’re one of the poor unenlightened souls who objected to that comment, you can also have it with a 2-inch, 4.25-inch, 6-inch, or even 8-inch barrel. That’s more barrel length options than any other .22 revolver on the market.

    This is a King Cobra which means it’s built on the beefier magnum version of the Cobra frame. And the “Target” designation means it has an adjustable rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. They’ve also given the .22 model the vent rib cutouts on the barrel, which you do not see on the .357 version. With that and the full underlug, it kind of looks like a junior Python.    

He thought it had the best trigger of any .22 revolver on the market and the accuracy was very good--at 25 yards his 5-shot groups averaged between 1.1 and 1.5 inches depending on the ammo used.  

• "Ruger Super Wrangler Optics Mount By Skinner Sights"--Guns Magazine. It is a Picatinny mount that requires the removal of the front and rear sights, so it stretches from the back of the handgun up to the front of the barrel, so plenty of room for handgun scope.  
• "DIY Long Term Targets"--GAT Daily.  An article on using stable mats to make your own "forever targets". 
• "The Best Ways to Organize Ammo on Your Plate Carrier"--Tactical Gear Blog.  An excerpt:

    Placement determines how naturally and quickly you can access your magazines under stress. For right-handed shooters, your primary magazine pouch should be positioned on the support side furthest to your left, so your support hand can reach it without interfering with your firing grip or rifle position. From there, additional magazines are arranged sequentially toward the centerline. Number your magazines left to right, with Magazine 1 being your first reload source on the support side.

    If you are running both a plate carrier and a battle belt, exhaust your battle belt magazines first before transitioning to the plate carrier. This keeps your heavier, body-mounted load intact longer and reduces fatigue from upper-body weight early in an engagement. On the plate carrier itself, the sequencing reverses: from a battle-belt start, it works inward from the furthest point on the support side, toward the centerline.

    Consistent positioning also means your hands instinctively find the right pouch, even in low light or under cognitive load. A setup you can navigate without looking is one you can rely on in the field. If you are still dialing in your carrier fit before configuring pouches, start with our guide on how to wear a plate carrier. Correct plate height and cummerbund tension are the baseline; everything else is built around. According to U.S. Army doctrine on individual equipment, tactical performance under stress is directly tied to how well trained and predictable a soldier’s equipment layout is.

• For my Idaho readers: "New law limits technology when it comes to hunting big game animals in Idaho"--KIVI News 6. Per the article, from August 30 to December 31 of each year, those hunting birds and big game (other than wolves and mountain lions) will be prohibited from using thermal imaging, night vision, drones, or transmitting trail cameras. However, there is, as always, a de facto exemption for farmers and ranchers as the law doesn't apply to monitoring livestock or private property. Per the article, the law also "eliminated the ban on using technology for retrieving game and monitoring traps". 
• And for background: "Why Trail Cameras Are at the Center of a Heated Debate"--Petersen's Hunting.  
• "Five Common Mistakes People Make When Checking for Ticks"--Life Hacker.  Tips on spotting and getting rid of ticks that you might pick up in the field or even in a park or your backyard. Probably the best advice is to simply take a shower within a short time of getting home--it allows you to more easily spot the ticks and may even wash off ones you miss. 
• "Practical Prepping – Are You Focused on What’s Important?"--The Prepper Journal.  The author has some thoughts on keeping in mind the potential for having to bug out when prepping, including the following bit:

The decisions you make, on a day to day basis, have survival implications.  Perhaps you’ve opted for an under-the-sink water filter, instead of a filtered pitcher.  That’s great for now, but if you have to bug out, you won’t be taking your installed water filter with you.  If you stay in your home, but city water no longer flows, the installed water filter will be of no value to you.  That’s not to say you shouldn’t install a water filter, but if you have to choose between the two, a filtered pitcher is a better choice from a survival standpoint.

• "Prepping 101: Mini-Alcohol Gas Stove"--Tactical Hermit.  
• "U.S. Farmers Are Facing Two Historic Catastrophes At The Same Time In 2026"--SHTF Blog. Those are (i) higher fertilizer prices due to increased oil prices; and (ii) drought because of lower than normal snow fall.
• "FIFO Can Organizer: Best First In, First Out Can Storage Racks"--Modern Survival Blog. This is to help avoid digging around in your cupboard and finding 10 year cans of Ravioli stuck in the back.
• "How to Use Super Glue for First Aid"--Organic Prepper.  

    Super glue is one of the greatest inventions. It will bond almost anything. Army Medics and Navy Corpsman were the first to ever use it in the field,  during the Vietnam War. They glued more patients back together than they sewed. Placing a standard interrupted suture for every stitch you make two new wounds – two new avenues of infection. Super glues eliminated that route of infection.

    You can use super glue when you have a cut. Deep or shallow, it doesn’t matter – you need to protect it from infection. Sealing the wound is your best bet. Why should you worry about a tiny cut? In the SHTF world, more people will die of infection than major trauma. Why? Because no matter how much people like me preach about diet and washing hands, its human nature to find 5000 more important things to do when you’re trying to survive.

The author goes on to provide directions (including photos) and recommendations as to what glue to use and which to avoid.

• Some prepping related e-books: "Index of /pdf/Books/Survival/Self-Reliance/Emergency_Preparedness/".