The Realist: Mr. Heater Big Buddy Radiant Heater

This is a guest post from The Realist. He sends:

The Big Buddy heater in operation, supplied by a 
common 20-pound propane tank.

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this review were purchased by myself. I did not receive samples, evaluation models, or other compensation from any manufacturer or retailer. I have no formal relationship with any manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this review - I have only been an arms-length customer. All brand names and product names used in this review are the trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Further, this review reflects my unique circumstances and subjective opinions with regard to performance and other characteristics of the products being reviewed. Your mileage may vary.

    February 15, 2021 my home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area lost power for twenty-eight hours during the two coldest days in several decades. I described my experience in the article "The Realist: The Texas 2021 Winter Storm" (http://practicaleschatology.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-realist-texas-2021-winter-storm.html). One of the lessons from that event was that I needed a heat source that could keep the central portion of my house warm during similar conditions in the future.

    As soon as the power came back on, I started looking for emergency heating solutions for my home. I talked with friends and coworkers, watched YouTube videos, and did a lot of online research. Two heating options presented themselves: a kerosene heater or a propane heater.

    Many people I talked to recommended kerosene heaters, and I have used a small one in the past. Other people I talked to recommended propane heaters.

    Based on my past personal experience, I was less than satisfied with kerosene heaters. Replacement wicks were hard to find at the time. Kerosene was and is hard to find in my area. And, even though my kerosene heater burned with a nice blue flame, it emitted an odor that my family did not like. So, I decided against a kerosene heater.

    I have also had experience with small propane heaters, and have been happy with their performance. Propane heaters emit very little odor. And, propane is readily available.

    I looked at propane heaters that attached to the top of 20-pound propane cylinders and heaters that sat on the floor and got their propane from a cylinder through a hose. I eventually settled on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy radiant heater, model MH18B (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q82MG8S/), after seeing it used in several videos by Canadian YouTuber Steve Wallis (https://www.youtube.com/c/thestevewallis).

    After deciding on the Big Buddy heater, it took several months to find one in stock for less than scalper prices. I was finally able to purchase one mid-July.

Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B

    The box the Big Buddy heater came in plainly states it is "indoor safe." The Big Buddy heater can produce 4000, 9000, or 18,000 BTU per hour. It can operate from either a large propane cylinder, or one or two one-pound disposable cylinders. Heat is produced from one or two ceramic "tile" burners on the front of the heater. In the center below and in front of the tile burners is the pilot light assembly, which incorporates the gas jet, igniter, and thermocouple.

    On each side of the heater, behind doors, are two propane regulators where one-pound cylinders can be screwed on. The regulators swivel to make screwing on the cylinders easier. On the left side, there is also a quick-disconnect fitting. When using the one-pound cylinders, the doors can be closed over the cylinders.

    On the right side near the top is the control knob for igniting the pilot light and selecting the amount of heat. Pushing down on the knob and rotating it counterclockwise to the pilot light position will trigger a spark to ignite the pilot light, and turning it further counterclockwise will ignite one or both burner tiles.

    Older models of the Big Buddy heater had a small battery powered fan, but the fan was deleted a year or two ago to avoid import tariffs. My heater does not have the fan. Fan assemblies are available as a replacement part, but I have not yet decided if I want to add a fan.

The supply hose, with filter, connected to the left
propane tank connection.

Accessories

    To use the Big Buddy heater with a larger propane cylinder, a hose is required and a fuel filter may be required. Some of the Mr. Heater hoses and after-market hoses can exude oils from the hose material when attached to the high pressure propane cylinder, and those oils can clog the gas jets in the heater.

    The Mr. Heater documentation is full of warnings about dangers of improper use of the heater, and how to use the heater. However, the documentation is not very clear about which accessories are required to use the heater with a large propane cylinder.

    I ultimately purchased the F273704 10-foot Buddy Series Hose Assembly (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CFWF5U) and the F273699 fuel filter (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HE8P2O). While the fuel filter is not required with this particular hose, I felt having it might protect the heater if there were contaminates in the propane or foreign matter got into the hose during storage. (I did not purchase the Mr. Heater F271803 quick disconnect hose (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UC7966/), which can also be used to connect to a
large propane tank. The fuel filter cannot be used with this hose.)

    Some users recommended that a carbon monoxide detector be used when operating this heater in an enclosed space. I have not yet purchased a carbon monoxide detector.

Operation

    Be sure to leave plenty of open space around and above the heater. The manufacturer recommends a minimum of six inches on each side, twenty-four inches in front, and thirty inches above the heater. Based on my testing of the heater, I would recommend at least a foot on each side, and several feet above and in front of the heater - it produces a lot of heat on the high setting. When operating the heater, periodically check nearby surfaces to make sure they are not getting unreasonably warm. Also make sure there is adequate ventilation to avoid low oxygen conditions and avoid carbon monoxide risks.

    When used with a large propane tank, optionally screw the fuel filter into the propane tank connection heater. (I decided to use the left connector since that is the side where the quick disconnect fitting is located, but there is nothing in the owner's manual to indicate one side over the other.) Then attach the POL connection of the hose to the propane tank, and the other end of the hose to the fuel filter. Verify all propane connections are tight before opening the valve on the propane tank. (I verified that with the hose attached to the left connector and the heater in operation, no propane comes out of the right connector.)

The control knob for the Big Buddy heater.

    Pushing down on the control knob and rotating it counterclockwise from OFF to the pilot light position will trigger a spark to ignite the pilot light. (If the pilot light doesn't light, rotate the knob clockwise toward OFF, and then counterclockwise toward PILOT to produce another spark. When the hose is first connected to the heater, it may take several attempts to purge the air from the hose.) Continue holding the knob down for a several seconds after the ignitionof the pilot light to allow the thermocouple to heat up. After the pilot light is stable, push down on the knob again and rotate counterclockwise to the LO (low, 4000 BTU) or MD (medium, 9000 BTU) position to light the left burner tile. After the left burner tile is lit and glowing a bright orange, you can rotate the knob counter clockwise to the HI (high, 18,000 BTU) setting to ignite the right burner tile.

    Unlike most gas heaters and stoves that can be adjusted continuously from low to high, the control knob on the Big Buddy heater only has discrete steps for burner operation - low, medium, and high.

    You can return the knob to the pilot setting if you just want to turn off the heat for a short period of time - the pilot light will remain lit. Note that the pilot light is an exposed flame.

    If you want to turn off the heater completely, close the valve on the propane tank, and let the heater burn off the propane in the hose. This will only take a couple minutes. Then turn the knob to the OFF position. Let the heater cool before detaching hoses or moving the heater.

At night, the Big Buddy heater gives off a
reassuring orange glow

Outdoor Operation

    While some promotional photos show the Big Buddy heater being operated outside, the pilot light may not remain lit if there is more than a slight breeze. And, with the breeze, it will take longer for the burner tiles to properly ignite than if the air is still. I would recommend using the heater only where it can be sheltered from the wind, such as in a tent or building.

Conclusions

    After evaluating several emergency heating options, I decided to purchase the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B radiant heater, which was advertised to be safe for indoor use. To use the heater with a larger propane tank, I purchased a hose assembly and fuel filter. I also purchased a couple 20-pound propane tanks so I would have an adequate supply of fuel available.

    Doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, a full 20-pound propane tank should operate the heater on high for 24 hours. Two one-pound disposable cylinders should operate the heater on high for 2.4 hours.

    I cannot tell you how well the Big Buddy heater heats my home, since at the time of this writing, it is August with typical hot Texas summer weather. All of my testing was performed outside.

    Honestly, I hope I never need to use this heater in emergency conditions like I experienced in February of 2021. But, several converging trends suggest I will likely need it sooner rather than later.

Review of the Olight Obulb

The Obulb comes with the light, instructions, a metal disk with adhesive backing and charging cable (Source)

So yesterday I discussed a couple reviews of Olight's Odin weapon light. As a weapon light, I haven't actually used mine too much. If there is a zombie apocalypse, that might change, but for now, of the various Olight products I've purchased, the one that I use the most is the Obulb. Which is ironic because the reason I got it was because it was something like $5 or $6 more when I was purchasing a flashlight on a flash sale, so I thought, "why not?" and added it.

    Before we go any further, let's discuss the Obulb and its features. At the time of this writing, it is selling for $19.95 at the Olight store, not including shipping or taxes (if applicable). It is literally shaped like a barely squashed sphere of 2.13 inches diameter, according to the web site, with the bottom sliced off to provide a flat base for sitting the bulb and attaching the induction recharging cable. This uses Olight's standard recharging cable that uses magnets to attach to the light being recharged. Because of this, there are a couple small magnets on the underside of the Obulb.

    To turn the Obulb on or off, you simple push on the center of the bottom of the bulb (you will feel a slight dimple). The Obulb has four light settings which you can switch between by pushing and holding the on/off "button" on the bottom of the Obulb. The settings are:

1. A 55 lumen warm light setting (the high setting);
2. A 3.5 lumen warm light setting (the low setting);
3. A 7 lumen flashing red light; and,
4. A 7 lumen steady red light.

The one that I use most often is the low (3.5 lumen) setting. I would describe it as being about as bright as a decent quality candle, albeit without the flickering. 

    The Olight is supposed to be handle a 1.5 meter drop and has an IPX7 water resistance rating. 

    I didn't actually believe that I would have much use for the Obulb except maybe as a small lantern for camping. After all, I have other flashlights that are brighter and direct a beam. The Obulb is a lantern, and its brightest setting is only 55 lumen. But the time I'm most likely to use a flashlight is if I wake at night to use the toilet or get a drink, or waking before my wife and getting showered and dressed. In those cases, I don't really want to turn on the house lights and wake people up. And that is where the low setting on the Obulb comes in handy as it has enough light to see what you are doing as you move around, but not so bright that it is going to wake my wife, the kids, or the dog. Even at the higher 55 lumen setting, it certainly is not going to be like flashing a multi-hundred lumen flashlight around.

    On top of this, the magnetic base comes in handy because I can attach it to anything made of steel, whether the bottom of a stainless steel shelf in my bathroom, the door of the refrigerator, the fender of a car, underside of a car hood, etc. And if you want to use in a closet or someplace that doesn't have a light, you can attach the metal disk to a wall or ceiling with its adhesive, and then attach the Obulb to that disk when you use that location.

    I don't remember exactly when I bought it, but I've had it at least 6 months and had no problems. The Obulb has a maximum 56 hours of runtime on the lowest setting, which I believe because I only just recharged it a second time this past Sunday; and that is without ever having let it run dead.

    In sum, it is a useful light--far handier than you might think.    

Review: Falco's Outside the Waistband Holster With Belt Studs (provided by Craft Holsters)

 Craft Holsters has once again graciously provided a holster for my review. This particular holster is made by Falco, and is listed as the OWB w/ Belt Studs (model It. C108). Craft Holsters offers it for $89 (not including shipping). 

    As you can see, it is a handsome holster made of leather and available in black or, as I requested, a mahogany brown. You can have it made for right or left hand carry and for many different makes and models of handguns, including revolvers. 

    I wanted it for a 1911A1, but in addition to the 5-inch length, they also offer it for 3-inch 1911 style pistols. For the 1911, you also have the option to have it made for carrying locked and cocked, which is the option I selected, or regular (which I presume is with the hammer down). It can also be made to accommodate a handgun with an accessory rail.   

    I requested the holster on or about May 12, 2021. It wasn't in stock, so it had to be manufactured. Nevertheless, I had it sitting on my doorstep on July 1, which is pretty good for a custom holster.

    It came via Fed Ex, and was well protected from their harsh treatment by a cardboard box featuring the Craft Holsters logo and information. Inside was a sealed bag from Falco and some extra information and swag from Craft Holsters. 

    More specifically, it had information concerning Craft Holsters "Holsters Club" which apparently gives you free economy shipping, a loyalty discount, and a 10 year warranty on products ordered by members. 

    It also came with instructions for breaking in the holster and the thumb strap (including a link to a video), as well as a bit about holster care. 

    And, finally, some swag: a Craft Holsters sticker to put on your bench, gun safe, or what have you.

    I put these aside and opened the plastic bag in which the holster shipped. In this was the holster, of course, and a bright green chamber safety flag with Falco's logo.

    Turning to the holster, I found the typical good quality that I've seen with Falco holsters. The leather is standard thickness for holsters, but the color was a rich brown and very evenly applied. The stitching was well executed: even and tight. 

    You will notice looking at the photographs that the leather on either side of the handgun is double stitched, so there is no worries about that coming undone. The outside edge of the holster is single-stitch, and the edge is so smooth that it is hard to discern where the two leather pieces meet.

Front side of holster (note: each square is 1 inch)

   

Backside of holster (note: each square is 1 inch)

    The outside of the holster is smooth. The interior is rough, which aids in retention. The mold marks are sharp and deep. But the sizing was so accurate that I did not have to break in the holster to get my pistol to fit or to snap shut the retention strap.

    The belt loops, as you can see, are also straps that snap shut. The snaps are metal and very tight. The advantage that they provide is that you can unsnap the loops and just pull the holster off your belt without having to undo your belt. They are sized for standard 1.5-inch belts. 

The holster I'm replacing (left) and the new holster (right)

    I haven't carried my 1911A1 very often, but when I did, I used the pancake holster shown in the photograph. The old holster is not a very good holster really. The leather is soft, so it collapses easily, which can make it challenging to reholster the pistol. 

    Also, the leather on the thumb break is not reinforced, and has been used so often, that it has softened even more and curled, making it difficult to unsnap the retention strap. For that reason, I have a special interest in making sure that the thumb break on holsters I get are reinforced with plastic, metal, or additional layers of leather so they will not soften and curl.

    Notwithstanding these problems with the old pancake holster, the main reason I liked it was because it held the pistol very tight to my side: a big plus when carrying a heavy steel-framed handgun.  And, given the thinness of the 1911 style pistols, it also makes the handgun very concealable notwithstanding the pistol's size.      

    This new Falco holster, I'm pleased to report, also hugs the firearm very close to the body. I haven't been able to test it out much in the short time I've used it, but I was able to carry a full day to the office, and also out shooting this weekend, and it seems to carry very well. I had a small single magazine pouch that I carried opposite it that helped balance it; a double-pouch would probably work better. But because the holster held the firearm close to the body, it did not cause me as much lower back pain as I've found with other belt holsters for lighter guns.

    As for the thumb break, Falco has done it in a way I haven't seen before. Most thumb break holsters will reinforce the strap around where the snap is located with a metal or plastic piece on the backside of the strap, or use extra layers of leather to stiffen it. In this case, however, Falco appears to have split the leather and sandwiched the reinforcing plate between the two halves. It is, of course, stitched around to make sure it stays in place and repair the split. It is a clever idea, and I will be interested in how it holds up over time.

    Carrying the firearm around is only half of what a holster is supposed to do. It is also supposed to provide ready access to draw the firearm and reholster it. So a couple comments on drawing and reholstering.

    First, because of the angle of the holster, I discovered that it was basically impossible for me to draw the handgun with the holster at a 3 o'clock position because I couldn't get the leverage to overcome the friction from the rough leather in the holster and how high was my arm. I would note that I tend to wear my belt high--pretty much at waist level--rather than around the hips. Perhaps if I was wearing it lower it would have worked better. As it was, I discovered that this is a holster that really needs to be carried at the 5 o'clock position. But, once in the correct place on the belt, it was easy to draw.

    Second, I was having problems with reholstering the pistol. I want to make clear that the holster was not collapsing--the leather was too stiff for that. Part of the issue was just trying to get my cover garment--a loose Hawaiian style shirt--out of the way. I suspect that a covering garment that was open on the front, such as a jacket, vest, or unbuttoned shirt, would work better. Part of the issue, I believe, was that the length of the slide was making it awkward to maneuver the pistol into the holster. It makes a big difference on reholstering into a thumb break holster if you can use your trigger finger to help guide the pistol home and keep the strap out of the way. Part of the issue was just not having enough experience with using the holster. And part, I believe, was that how tightly the holster rode to the body also made it harder to get the pistol inserted. This is definitely something I will have to practice. 

     In conclusion, this is a very good looking, well crafted holster. It is an excellent choice for carrying a 1911 style pistol because it keeps the pistol tight against the body which not only conceals the weapon better, but makes it less fatiguing to carry. I really like having belt loops that can be unsnapped to remove the holster without having to remove my belt and suspenders. For my pistol and how I wear it, I will need to practice reholstering more than just the little bit I was able to do before writing this review. 

Links:

• Craft Holsters' main page.
• The Falco OWB Waistband Holster reviewed herein. 
• Other holsters for 1911s at Craft Holsters in case you are interested in a different style or something to fit a length other than 3-inch or 5-inch.

The color of the holster goes together really well with the grip panels on my friend's Kimber.

Book Review: "Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years" by Israel Shahak

 Book: Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years by Israel Shahak (1994) 176 pages.

    Israel Shahak was an Israeli professor of organic chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a Holocaust survivor, and a self-described humanist. For twenty years, he headed the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights (1970–90) and was a public critic of the policies of the government of Israel, especially its policies toward Palestinians (whether Muslim or Christian).

    This particular book was written in an attempt to explain to non-Jews how fundamental Jewish beliefs of classical and orthodox Judaism informed Israeli policy toward non-Jews ("Gentiles") within Israeli and its neighbors. As you can guess, Shahak's book paints classical and orthodox Judaism in an unflattering light, and was roundly criticized by Shahak's fellow Jews. 

    Although I'm sure that Shahak would deny any such purpose, in reading the book I was left with the impression that classical and orthodox Judaism--i.e., Rabbinical or Talmudic Judaism--is very much the anti-thesis of Christianity. In fact, I can now understand why people such as Vox Day are so opposed to the term "Judeo-Christian" because, if Shahak is to be believed, it truly is an oxymoron. In fact, Judaism seems much closer to and more compatible with Islam than to Christianity.

    Obviously, Judaism rejects Christ as a Messiah, let alone the Son of God. But rather than ignore Christ as a myth as is popular with many scholars today, or even acknowledging him as a great teacher or prophet while rejecting his divinity, as does Islam, there is an express hatred directed at Christ by Rabbinical Judaism. Shahak writes, for instance:

It must be admitted at the outset that the Talmud and the talmudic literature--quite apart from the general anti-Gentile streak that runs through them ... contains very offensive statements and precepts directed specifically against Christianity. For example, in addition to a series of scurrilous sexual allegations against Jesus, the Talmud states that his punishment in hell is to be immersed in boiling excrement--a statement not exactly calculated to endear the Talmud to devout Christians.

He further relates:

According to the Talmud, Jesus was executed by a proper rabbinical court for idolatry, inciting other Jews to idolatry, and contempt of rabbinical authority. All classical Jewish sources which mention his execution are quite happy to take responsibility for it; in the talmudic account the Romans are not even mentioned.

Other popular accounts also accuse Christ of witchcraft. 

    As would be expected, and quite contrary to their treatment of the Qur'an, the Jews have a special hatred of Christian scripture. Shahak relates: "Or one can quote the precept according to which Jews are instructed to burn, publicly if possible, any copy of the New Testament that comes into their hands." (He notes, in support, an incident in March 1980 where "hundreds of copies of the New Testament were publicly and ceremonially burnt in Jerusalem under the auspices of Yad Le'akhim, a Jewish religious organisation subsidized by the Israeli Ministry of Religions"). 

    He spends considerable time explaining how this anti-Christian attitude, which resulted in a backlash from European Christians beginning in the 13th Century, informs many Jewish teachings allowing deception, bribery, and other unethical attitudes toward Christians. One of the acts of deception, he notes, is that in response to growing criticism in Europe, the Rabbis of the time removed Talmudic references to Christians (or to Gentiles generally) with terms such as "idolator", "heathen", "Canaanite" or "Samaritan"; but that Jews understood that the terms were mere substitutions, with Rabbinical authorities even distributing handy sheets explaining what was truly meant by the terms. But, Shahak relates, "following the establishment of the State of Israel, once the rabbis felt secure, all of the offensive passages and expressions were restored without hesitation in all new editions." 

So now one can read quite freely--and Jewish children are actually taught--passages such as that which commands every Jew, whenever passing near a cemetery, to utter a blessing if the cemetery is Jewish, but to curse the mothers of the dead if it is non-Jewish.

And, in another example of both continued deception and animosity toward Christians:

In 1962, a part of the Maimonidean Code referred to above, the so-called Book of Knowledge, which contains the most basic rules of Jewish faith and practice, was published in Jerusalem in a bilingual edition, with the English translation facing the Hebrew text. The latter has been restored to its original purity, and the command to exterminate Jewish infidels appears in it in full: 'It is a duty to exterminate them with one's own hands.' In the English translation this is somewhat softened to: 'It is a duty to take active measures to destroy them.' But then the Hebrew text goes on to specify the prime examples of 'infidels' who must be exterminated: 'Such as Jesus of Nazareth and his pupils, and Tzadoq and Baitos and their pupils, may the name of the wicked rot'. 

Of course, none of the latter is set out in the English translation, nor have Jews objected to the omission.

    But there are other basic differences which are antithetical to Christianity. For instance, contrary to popular belief, Shahak observes that Rabbinical Judaism (especially in the last several hundred years) is not monotheistic. He observes that "[t]he decay of monotheism came about through the spread of Jewish mysticism (the cabbala) which developed in the 12th and 13th centuries, and by the late 16th century had won an almost complete victory in virtually all the centres of Judaism." He describes classical Judaism as representing "a process of degeneration, which is still going on; and this degeneration into a tribal collection of empty rituals and magic superstitions has very important social and political consequences."

    And, per the kabbalah, "the universe is ruled not by one god but by several deities, of various characters and influences, emanated by a dim, distant First Cause."

Omitting many details, one can summarise the system as follows. From the First Cause, first a male gold called 'Wisdom' or 'Father' and then a female goddess called 'Knowledge' or 'Mother' were emanated or born. From the marriage of these two, a pair of younger gods were born: Son, also called by many other names such as 'Small Face' or 'The Holy Blessed One'; and Daughter, also called 'Lady' (or 'Matronit', a word derived from Latin), 'Shekhinah', 'Queen', and so on. These two younger gods should be united, but their union is prevented by the machinations of Satan, who in this system is a very important and independent personage. The Creation was undertaken by the First Cause in order to allow them to unite, but because of the Fall they became more disunited than ever, and indeed Satan has managed to come very close to the divine Daughter and even to rape her (either seemingly or in fact--opinions differ on this). 

Shahak also explains that "[t]The creation of the Jewish people was undertaken in order to mend the break caused by Adam and Eve, and under Mount Sinai this was for a moment achieved: the male god Son, incarnated in Moses, was united with the goddess Shekhinah."

    Shahak also relates that, per kabbalah, the fortunes of the Jewish people is associated with the union or disunion of the divine pair. So, for instance, when Jews were driven from the Holy Land and the First Temple destroyed, it was not only a sign of the divine disunion "but also of a real 'whoring after strange gods': Daughter falls closely into the power of Satan, while Son takes various female satanic personages to his bed, instead of his proper wife."

The duty of pious Jews is to restore through their prayers and religious acts the perfect divine unity, in the form of sexual union, between the male and female deities. Thus before most ritual acts, which every devout Jew has to perform many times each day, the following cabbalistic formula is recited: 'For the sake of the [sexual] congress of the Holy Blessed One and his Shekhinah ...' 

Other prayers are also intended to promote this sexual union. 

    Additionally, according to Shahak, "[o]ther prayers or religious acts, as interpreted by the cabbalists, are designed to deceive various angels (imagined as minor deities with a measure of independence) or to propitiate Satan." "Indeed," he adds, "the cabbalists believe that some of the sacrifices burnt in the Temple were intended for Satan." Thus, certain prayers or rituals carried out today can mean different things to different Jews: to one it may be a means of worshiping God, but to another it is a way to propitiate Satan.

    Shahak also explains that the classical and orthodox Jews believe that they, and only they, are truly "humans" capable of worshiping the true God. Gentiles are considered "to be, literally, limbs of Satan". While they do recognize the possibility of conversion, they believe that people that convert were "in reality 'Jewish souls' who got lost when Satan violated the Holy Lady ... in her heavenly abode."

    Nevertheless, they believe that certain peoples were incapable of being Jewish: the Mongols "and the nomads in the North, and the Blacks and the nomads in the South, and those who resemble them in our climates," because "their nature is like the nature of mute animals" and "they are not on the level of human beings, and their level among existing things is below that of a man and above that of a monkey...." Of course, in English translations, in order to conceal this, the word "Blacks" is changed to Kushites, "a word which means nothing to those who have no knowledge of Hebrew[.]" 

    Shahak wonders at those Jews and rabbis that supported Martin Luther King Jr., "some of whom must have been aware of the anti-Black racist attitude which forms part of their Jewish heritage." 

Surely one is driven to the hypothesis that quite a few of Martin Luther King's rabbinical supporters were either anti-Black racists who supported him for tactical reasons of 'Jewish interest' (within to win Black support for American Jewry and for Israel's policies) or were accomplished hypocrites, to the point of schizophrenia, capable of passing very rapidly from a hidden enjoyment of rabid racism to a proclaimed attachment to an anti-racist struggle--and back--and back again.

Similarly, he notes that the Yiddish word Shaygets--meaning a Gentile boy or young man--is derived from a Hebrew word meaning "unclean animal; loathsome creature, abomination ... wretch ...." In Hassidism, a Jewish mystical movement, "all non-Jews are totally satanic creatures 'in whom there is absolutely nothing good'." Hence, "[i]n one of the first sections of the daily morning p[r]ayer, ever devout Jew blesses God for not making him a Gentile." And, "an Orthodox Jew learns from his earliest youth, as part of his sacred studies, that Gentiles are compared to dogs, that it is a sin to praise them, and so on and so forth."

    As you can guess, the consequence of such teachings is a belief in Jewish supremacy. Thus, to Jews, according to Shahak, "[t]he very existence of a non-Jew is 'inessential', whereas all of creation was created solely for the sake of the Jews." In another example, Shahak relates:

One of Marx's early friends, Moses Hess, widely known and respected as one of the first socialists in Germany, subsequently revealed himself as an extreme Jewish racist, whose views about the 'pure Jewish race' published in 1858 were not unlike comparable bilge about the 'pure Aryan race'.

    It shows up in other Jewish attitudes and behaviors toward Gentiles. He notes, as an example, of these beliefs being "stepped up before Israel's invasion of Lebanon in March 1978, in order to induce military doctors and nurses to withhold medical help from 'Gentile wounded'." Shahak explains:

The famous verse 'thou shalt love they fellow as thyself' (Leviticus, 19:18) is understood by classical (and present day Orthodox) Judaism as an injunction to love one's fellow Jew, not any fellow human. 

This certainly puts the parable of the Good Samaritan in a different perspective!  Consequently, "a Jew is in general forbidden to save the life of a Gentile, because 'he is not thy fellow'." Even the word "man" (adam) is interpreted to mean "Jew" and not as men or mankind in general. Thus, "[a] Jew who murders a Gentile is guilty only of a sin against the laws of Heaven, not punishable by a court," and "[t]o cause indirectly the death of a Gentile is no sin at all." 

    In another example, although the Talmud forbids a Jew from charging another Jew interest on a loan, "[a]ccording to a majority of talmudic authorities, it is a religious duty to take as much interest as possible on a loan made to a Gentile." Similarly, although giving alms to needy Jews is considered a religious duty, "[t]he Talmud bluntly forbids giving a gift to a Gentile," even alms. And, in yet another similar teaching, although a Jew is forbidden from deceiving another Jew, "[a]gainst a Gentile it is only forbidden to practise direct deception." A lie of omission is perfectly fine. Similar reasoning applies to fraud, and robbery. 

    Shahak also observes that per other Talmudic teachings, although a Jew cannot raise his hand to harm a Gentile, he may harm him indirectly, "for instance by removing a ladder after he had fallen into a crevice...." But this only applies to Gentiles with whom Jews are not at war. For enemies at war, "various rabbinical commentators in the past drew the logical conclusion that in wartime all Gentiles belonging to a hostile population may [be killed], or even should be killed." This doctrine, Shahak alleges, has been "publicly propagated for the guidance of religious Israeli soldiers." In short, according to Shahak, "[a]s for Gentiles, the basic talmudic principle is that their lives must not be saved, although it is forbidden to murder them outright."

    Although Judaic law calls for the death of a married Jewish woman who has sexual intercourse with an man other than her husband, Shahak observes that the attitude toward Gentile women is much different:

The Halakhah presumes all Gentiles to be utterly promiscuous and the verse 'whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue [of semen] is like the issue of horses' is applied to them. Whether a Gentile woman is married or not makes no difference, since as far as Jews are concerned the very concept of matrimony does not apply to Gentiles ('There is no matrimony for a heathen'). Therefore, the concept of adultery also does not apply to intercourse between a Jewish man and a Gentile woman; rather, the Talmud equates such intercourse to the sin of bestiality. (For the same reason, Gentiles are generally presumed not to have certain paternity.)

Shahak is quick to explain, however, that "[t]his does not imply that sexual intercourse between a Jewish man and a Gentile woman is permitted--quite the contrary. But the main punishment is inflicted on the Gentile woman; she must be executed, even if she was raped by the Jew[.]" In such case, the reasoning goes, "because he [the Jewish man] had wilful coitus with her, she must be killed, as is the case with a beast, because through her a Jew got into trouble." The punishment for the Jewish man, however, is only a lashing. Shahak later notes that, per Talmudic law, "all Gentile women are presumed to be prostitutes." This puts Harvey Weinstein's and Jeffrey Epstein's conduct in a different perspective.

    In fact, the differences in how the Orthodox Jew interprets the Bible is so great, according to Shahak, that he claims that "the more such a person [i.e., a non-Jew or non-Orthodox Jew] reads the Bible, the less he or she knows about Orthodox Judaism." 

    Of course, there are exceptions to many of these rules to the extent that it would benefit Jews, such as not antagonizing Gentile rulers or Gentile peoples among whom Jews live. But Shahak goes into great detail explaining how these attitudes toward Gentiles proved to be very useful to non-Jewish rulers in controlling their populations; especially for enforcing and collecting taxes. Thus was born the Jewish middle-class during the Middle-Ages and Renaissance. Shahak goes so far as to argue that most massacres against Jews during those same periods were the consequence of popular revolt, the high ranking Jews being treated as minor nobility, and notes that such massacres were quite opposed by European political leaders. 

    Although Shahak does not go this far, I have the impression that he believes some blame for the Holocaust lies at the feet of the Orthodox Jews. It surely can't escape the reader's notice that much of the racist, totalitarian aspects of Nazism actually mirror those of classical and orthodox Judaism as described by Shahak. One could say that the Nazis did to the Jews what the conservative and orthodox Jews had hoped or wished to do to Christians. 

    Rather than learn from the lessons of the Holocaust, Jews seem to have doubled down. Shahak writes:

It is also of particular interest in a Jewish context, in view of the fact that since the second world war Jewish opinion has--in some cases justly, in others unjustly--condemned 'the whole world' or at least all Europe for standing by when Jews were being massacred. 

Although the Holocaust obviously resulted in retrospection by some Jews, including Shahak, as he describes in his book, the old beliefs are still prevalent among the more observant Jews.

    I have read enough from various Jewish news and commentary sites that I don't believe that Shahak is necessarily exaggerating. In fact, you can get a sense of what he says is true by watching the video linked to below:

VIDEO: "Israelis: Do you see non Jews as equal to you?"--Corey Gil-Shuster (9 min.)

    The video shows the varying attitudes of Jews toward Gentiles, and some of the answers are quite telling. In fact, most telling is one gentleman who wanted to verify whether he was giving his answers to Jews or not. 

    So what should we learn from this book? 

1. We need to keep in mind that like members of any other religion or religious sect, opinions and behaviors differ greatly. The fact that Shahak was willing to share what he did is an example that not all Jews view Gentiles as animals. In fact, notwithstanding orthodox Jewish beliefs, we must remember that they are our "neighbor". 
2. Nevertheless, enough Jews have the attitudes of which Shahak complains that it not only informs Jewish behavior toward Palestinians, but, we must assume, behavior toward other Gentile peoples. Accordingly, we need to temper our enthusiasm for Israel and remember the maxim that "nations do not have friends, they only have interests." More so than some of our long time European or Anglo allies, I believe Israel will abandon the U.S. if and when it is expeditious for them to do so.
3. I was impressed while reading this that much of the Old Testament is about God trying to get the Israelites to humble themselves before God, using losses in war, and, finally, being taken into captivity, to force them to submit to his will. Many of the attitudes Shahak criticized are apparent even in New Testament times, and yet even after the destruction of Jerusalem, we do not see the Jews, as a people, abandoning their overweening pride. The later persecution they began to suffer in the modern era did not change them. The Holocaust did not change them but seemed to have had the opposite effect--I read an article some time ago where an influential rabbi suggested that God should apologize to the Jews for the Holocaust! As Christians, we should learn from this to avoid pride; for we are saved by grace after all we can do, and not by our works alone.
4. We may need to rethink the influence and motives of Jews in our own country, especially given the long hatred of Jews for Europeans which, according to Shahak, is even greater following World War II. I'm not suggesting any sort of pogrom, of course, but to be more conscious of how our politics, academia, and entertainment may be adulterated by various groups with agendas, including Jewish writers, producers, and actors.

    I've noted before the disproportionate Jewish influence and membership in communism and the radical student groups of the 1960s and 70s. Critical theory, in all the forms it inflicts itself on our nation, arose from the Frankfurt School: socialist and communist Jewish scholars that having fled to the United States from Nazism immediately repaid us by seeking to undermine our country and our way of life.

    Outside academia, we can see the influence in other fields, such as Hollywood. For instance, I recently re-watched Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, and was rather struck by the scene where Indy needed to cross a floor of tiles etched with letters, and the only way across was to step only on those letters that spelled out the name of God. But instead of Jesus--that is, Yeshua--which is what Crusaders probably would have used, Spielberg used Jehovah. More generally, one has to wonder if the overall negative portrayal of Christians in movies is perhaps as much or more due to a Jewish bias than a general elitist dislike of the "deplorables" in "fly-over country."

 In any event, it is an interesting look at Judaism and its beliefs--probably much different than you might get from a comparable religion course or similar.

First Look: DeSantis "Wild Hog" Ambidextrous Holster

In researching one thing or another, I came across articles about the Talo exclusive edition of the Ruger Wrangler .22 revolver. (See this article at The Firearm Blog and this one at American Handgunner). Besides coming with a nice set of wood stocks, the Talo version also comes with a rather handsome leather holster from DeSantis called the Wild Hog. In fact, I liked it well enough that I decided to get one to replace the rather uninspiring nylon holster I've been using. 

    DeSantis lists the MSRP for the Wild Hog as $52.99, but I purchased one from Amazon for right around $40. It arrived in a zippered plastic pouch with some instructions. 

    The main body of the holster is in a soft light tan suede leather, with the the areas that need to be stiff or stronger, such as for the belt loops and the retention strap, made of a thicker finished brown leather. Stitching was generally good. In fact, the overall fit and finish looked good, although I doubt that the soft suede leather would hold up to long term use, especially if worn often and/or for long periods of time. This is more a holster to wear for the shooting range than for the cattle range. On the other hand, the suede leather will probably better protect from finish wear, which is important to those using blued handguns.

    There are belt loops on both sides of the holster, and the retention strap has snaps on both sides, allowing the holster to be used ambidextrously. The strap also has a slot cut in it to accommodate the hammer spur and providing a better hold on the handgun. However, at least the little bit I've fiddled with it, having the hammer through the slot on the strap also slows down the speed of accessing the firearm. In other words, with the strap in place, this is not going to be a fast draw holster.

    Although I came across the holster as one for use with a the Ruger Wrangler, a .22 reproduction (or interpretation, rather) of the Single Action Army (SAA), DeSantis indicates that it can be used with most SAA revolvers. So I decided to put it to the test.

    On the top is my son's full sized SAA chambered in .45 Colt. Below is my Ruger Wrangler chambered in .22 LR/Long/Short. First, I decided to try the Wrangler, which fit into the holster without problem. In fact, the holster was almost (but not quite) too big. Below are views from both sides:

    The full-sized SAA was, obviously, tighter in the holster, but with a little effort it fit and I was able to snap the retaining strap shut. If the holster was going to be used for the SAA, I would probably use some leather softener on it to stretch the retention strap just a bit and make it a bit easier to fit the handgun in the holster.

    

    The only real issue I encountered with the holster was when trying to draw the larger SAA revolver which seemed to hang up a bit on the tightening strut running through the holster. (See the photograph below). The tensioning strut seemed to be catching the nob on the end of the extractor rod, and required that the firearm be pulled out at a slightly forward cant. I don't know if this is something that could be corrected by reducing tension or otherwise getting the holster better molded to the firearms.

    The smaller Wrangler could be holstered and drawn without any problem. 

  

Book Review: "Neural Based Training - Retrospectives" by Marcus Wynne

Book: Neural Based Training - Retrospectives by Marcus Wynne (2020). To the best of my knowledge, this book is only available for the Kindle. Price is $4.99.

    Marcus Wynne's has had a lengthy career in law enforcement, writing, training, and research into training. That is, not just figuring out what to teach people, but how to teach them so that they learn faster, better, and retain more: i.e., neural based training. Although he has worked for entities such as NASA, most of his work, it appears, has been with teaching shooting and tactical concepts for police and military special units. 

    This book is the first of a planned series, and gives you an overview and examples of neural based training as applied in the realm of shooting and self-defense. As Wynne writes in his introduction, "[t]his book is not intended as a textbook, but rather a notebook that provides a map one can follow in subsequent books." In a way, it stands to firearms and self-defense training in the same way that Hatcher's Notebook stands to gunsmithing. A collection of notes and ideas, some abstract and some very concrete examples that you can put to use immediately, interspaced with advice and lessons learned.

    For instance, early in the book, Wynne provides his "Random Tips for Winning On The Street":

• The number one option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
• Make up your mind right now about what you are willing to do to win in a fight.
• Be alert to your surroundings.
• Avoid conflict.
• There is always someone better than you.
• Keep moving.
• Action beats reaction.
• There is no "second place" on the street.
• Always cheat. Always win.
• Keep breathing and moving your head.
• Don't escalate the situation. If they escalate, finish them.
• Keep your head moving and your vision in play.
• Always, always check behind you (check six); always, always check around you (check 360).
• Have the mentality to do what-ever has to be done. Make up your mind in advance.
• Fight until the threat is over. Be sure it is over.
• Watch the triangle (head (eyes) to shoulders) and the hands.
• Have a plan.
• Have a backup plan, because the first one won't survive first contact.
• Don't drop your guard.
• Be aggressive enough, early enough.
• The faster you finish the fight, the less hurt you will be.

And what he terms the Golden Rule: "Know when you're in a fight. It starts long before the blows get thrown. Most people get hurt because they don't recognize an interview or the impending cues around that that tell you--you're in a fight."

    Wynne's mindset for training combatives is that you don't train it by reading about it; you don't train it by listening to somebody else talk about it; and you don't train it by watching a video or playing a video game. Much of the book is about how to train someone in it by focusing on the mental aspects because, as Wynne relates, there are aspects of mental training that relate specifically to enhancing performance, including visualization,  mental rehearsal and techniques drawn from kinesthetic learning. Other aspects of mental training install attributes such as the willingness to engage in personal violence, the ability to recognize and manage stress, situational awareness, etc. And then training that enhances control of what he describes as "the physiology in the mind/body matrix: autogenics breathing and psycho-physiological state management (or access)." 

    Wynne then gets into some more concrete work and examples, such as training and improving situational awareness, including paying attention to what our senses are telling us. One of the concrete examples he provides is teaching young children (up to 5 or 6 years old) how to recognize or spot evil. I think the book is worth the $5 just for this. Wynne explains:

    Set up a relaxed, casual environment. I like to think of setting the stage for this learning as similar to "Come here and sit, I want to tell you a story..." Don't preface with a lecture. Their brains aren't ready for that. Tell a story, ask questions, get simple answers. Start with this: "Can you think of time when you were really, really SUPER happy?"

    Watch their faces. If you know your kids, you'll see a change that shows they are remembering that time. Then say, "Where in your body do you feel that SUPER HAPPY feeling ... show me! Put your finger on it!" And then they will do so. It will be different for each kid - probably their belly, or their heart region, or maybe somewhere in their face/throat. But it's individual to each kid. Have them PLACE their finger on that spot. Then laugh a little bit, talk about what they remember. Then ask this question, "Can you think of a time where you were really, really scared? In a movie, or in a story, or something you saw?" And carefully watch their faces, because you want them to remember an incident, but not go too far into the memory... and when you see their face change, ask "Where in your body, right now, do you feel that SCARY feeling?" And have them put your hand on that spot and say, "Okay, let's remember a happy feeling again!" And have them put their finger on the happy feeling spot. Hang out in that for a little bit.

    Then, if you've taught them not to talk to strangers ... give them this additional protocol, "If someone comes to you that you don't know, ask yourself, 'Do I feel something in my Happy Place ... or in my Scary Place?" Role play it a little bit, but gently. It doesn't take much to introduce that. What they need to internalize is a very fast intuitive feeling: "Is this a good person or a scary person?" And ACT.

 Of course, you then need to teach them how to react and practice it a bit.

    Moving to adults, he discusses methods of increasing situational awareness, including increasing the range of their peripheral vision. In fact, he claims that "Within 2-3 iterations [of an exercise he describes], you can change the baseline to about 180 degrees for peripheral vision."

    He also gives instructions on how to over-write bad habits or past training (including learning to shoot with the non-dominant hand), practice the draw and sight alignment, breaking down the drawstroke, and working with a raw beginner to teach shooting and weapons handling. A lot of this involves getting the student quickly involved with actually handling a weapon and working through issues before stepping in so that they don't rely on the instructor as a crutch. He finishes up with drawing from concealment and learning to shoot so that you do so in a thoughtful manner rather than simply following your training program. As he points out, "if it's easy to do, you're not learning. You're just validating what you already know." The goal is to be able to shoot fast and accurately, solving problems that crop up, all while under stress.

    Obviously, the people that probably would benefit the most from this book are trainers, whether the professional trainer that teaches classes or the parent teaching a son or daughter how to shoot and shoot well. But I think that every shooter can benefit from the information and advice that Wynne offers, especially if you have someone with whom you shoot so you can try out some of the training exercises.

    In short, it is a good book that I recommend.

Book Review: "The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15" by Patrick Sweeney

 

Book: The Gun Digest Book of the AR-15 by Patrick Sweeney (2005), 288 pp. (Amazon Link). Available in a paper-bound version or for Kindle.

     Short summary: This is a book intended to introduce the reader to the AR-15, both its history and its mechanics, how to maintain and operate the rifle, and then reviews particular rifles or carbines provided by a bevy of manufacturers. The book was published in 2005, shortly after the end of the Assault Weapons Ban (AWB), and is somewhat dated as to the rifles and other products reviewed with many references to post-ban (i.e., after the AWB took effect) weapons and products. It obviously doesn't include some of the latest coatings and products. Nevertheless, it also contains a significant amount of information that is still relevant. It may not be worth the $40 for the paper bound versions, but the $14.99 Kindle version would probably be useful for someone wanting a more detailed look at the AR-15 than you can get from reading a few articles here or there.

    The book is split into 29 chapters. Chapters 1-14 are the chapters that actually cover the useful materials for today's reader, and represent approximately 75% of the book. The remaining chapters (15-29) are reviews of firearms that were provided to the author from various manufacturers. Most of these are post-ban weapons and, therefore, probably not even offered anymore. They may be of interest to the person that is thinking of purchasing a weapon manufactured in the 2004-2005 period, but I will not be discussing them in this review.

    Chapters 1 through 14 are:

1. History
2. How it Works
3. Barrels
4. Ammo
5. Testing
6. Cleaning and Maintenance
7. Magazines
8. Myths
9. AR vs. AK
10. Patrol Rifle Conversion
11. Competitions
12. Carry Gear
13. Training
14. Legalities

    The history portion of the book is, as you would expect, primarily a history of the development of the M-16. In my Survival Weapons post on the AR, I dug quite a bit into the history of the weapon because it was at least useful, if not necessary, to understand why certain decisions and features were made--more so than most any other rifle--because the AR was quite a departure from its predecessors and contemporary weapon systems.

    The chapter on "How it Works" explains the details of (1) the gas system, bolt, and carrier, and (2) the fire control mechanism. This is as good of an explanation of the mechanics of the AR system as I've every read, and probably the best. Sweeney goes beyond just the mechanics of the system, however, and also explains the various ready positions and how to ready your rifle for shooting.

    The chapter on barrels goes into a discussion of the different twist rates and the impact on accuracy with different bullet weights, different barrel materials and coatings, and the different parts of the barrel: i.e., barrel extension, the chamber, the bore, gas port, and muzzle. And words of advice: "Almost no malfunction of the AR system can be cured by drilling the gas port to a larger diameter." He also discusses barrel marks and how different manufacturers attach the front sight post or gas block. Finally he addresses cleaning. "The BoreSnake is great on the range, in training, or for a quick clean in the field when you don't have a lot of time," Sweeney remarks. "But a thorough cleaning takes more." He recommends using a solid rod and bore guide. The rods he recommends are the Dewey coated rods or Hoppes carbon fiber rods because they won't damage the barrel.

    Sweeney describes his regimen. First he cleans the chamber, and then moves on to the bore:

1. I swab the bore clean with a powder solvent.
2. I apply a copper solvent, with brush and patch, and clean until the patches come out clean. My current solvents of choice are Shooter's Choice Copper Remover, and Hoppes Copper Remover.
3. I load up a patch with J-B Bore compound, and scrub the bore for 25 passes. I replace with a fresh, loaded patch and repeat.
4. I use powder solvent to remove the J-B residue.

Sweeny adds: "After that, bores get cleaned when I have a chance to clean them, as in after a high-volume class, or annually." He doesn't see much use in cleaning the gas tube, and, at least for the amount of shooting he does, he only cleans the locking lugs annually. He recommends at least wiping out the upper and lower, "[o]r better yet, us a bucket full of solvent [e.g., mineral spirits] to scrub them clean." 

    Sweeney's discussion of ammunition covers the different types and bullet weights, as well as a very detailed look at the performance on barriers and terminal ballistics. On the latter point, he notes that "[b]arrel length has a lot to do with terminal performance. The slowest load, in the shortest [barrel], may not create bullet breakup, even at close range. The hottest, in the longest, could at 200 yards." He also compares the performance of steel cased ammo versus brass cased ammo, and looks at some of the different calibers offered in the AR platform at the time of his writing the book. Unfortunately, that doesn't cover some of the newer hunting and target loads that we've seen come out in the past decade.

    Chapter 5 covers his testing and testing methodology, as well as different types of scopes and sights. Again, due to the age of the book, it doesn't cover many of the red-dot sights and scopes that are currently popular.

    Sweeney covers disassembly and maintenance in Chapter 6 of his book. An important note:

You should not need a hammer to take the AR-15 apart, except for a brand new, unfired rifle. The pins and springs on a new rifle may be tight enough to need some "encouragement" in coming free. But only a little. If you have to use a hammer to get things apart or back together, then either your rifle is fitted improperly, or you are doing something wrong.

The bulk of the chapter is about disassembly and cleaning of both the lower and upper receivers (including the trigger guts and the bolt carrier group), including a discussion of specific tools, brushes and mops that will make the task easier, and lubing things before putting it back together. While the AR is generally run "wet" there are times that you might be dusty conditions that preclude "wet" lubes. I haven't tried it, or even heard of it before, but Sweeney recommends TW-25 dry lube for dusty conditions. Finally, he discusses different checks to make to spot potential breakage or wear before they become a problem, and then reassembly. 

    Chapter 7 discusses magazines for the AR. This was before Magpul magazines, so they are not included. But Sweeney discussed different materials for the magazine, different models of magazines, the differences between 20 and 30-round magazines, markings, manufacturers of the G.I. magazines, and magazine maintenance and troubleshooting, and upgrades. On the subject of troubleshooting, Sweeney observes:

Magazine failures come in three ways: failure to feed early; (commonly the "bullet-shaker magazine") failure late; sometimes the "bolt-over-base" failure, often a trapped empty or failure to strip the top round off (sometimes failure to lock open when empty) and failure randomly and frequently.

    Chapter 8 covers the myths of the AR-15 such as its supposed unreliability, fragility, bullet tumble, misuse of the term "assault rifle", false belief that it is easy to convert to full auto, penetration against walls or shoot too far, etc. 

    The next chapter is really a continuation of the subject of myths as it compares the AR versus the AK. 

    Chapter 10 discusses specific attributes, features and modifications that a police or sheriff's department would want for a patrol rifle, including a discussion of why full-auto is not very useful for law enforcement. Sweeney includes a generic patrol rifle policy for use by law enforcement agencies. 

    Chapter 11 discusses the attributes, features and modifications needed for a rifle used in competition, whether 3-gun or target shooting (e.g., NRA High Power, bench shooting, etc.). 

    The next chapter, on carrying or transporting the weapon and extra magazines, discusses the use of slings and sling attachments, web gear, how to actually hang it off your body; and carrying in a vehicle with a rack or in a case.

    Chapter 13 covers training; and, primarily, different trainers and training schools. 

    Chapter 14 covers legal issues: primarily, different requirements under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and cautions and warnings about "full auto" parts that might be floating around out there. One of the concerns Sweeney has concerns the use of an M-16 bolt carrier; something that appears to be a moot issue. But he also discusses the difference between the full auto hammer and certain other parts so you don't fall afoul the NFA just by having a collection of parts that could be used to make a "machine gun" even though there is no way they would fit in your lower receiver. Also, because this book came out immediately after the expiration of the AWB, Sweeney addresses concerns regarding magazines or rifles marked as "Law Enforcement Only" during the ban, and modifications of a post-ban weapon with parts and furniture newly allowed with the sunset of the AWB.

    All in all, I found the book helpful and interesting. I think it would be a useful addition to the bookshelf (or Kindle) of any owner of an AR. I think Green Eyes and Black Rifles is a better reference for just maintaining and using an AR, but this provides more detailed explanations as well as historical context that might actually make it more useful to someone new to the AR platform. Obviously the last chapters reviewing particular rifles is probably of little use 16 years on, but the other chapters are helpful. The chapters on cleaning and maintenance are probably, alone, worth the price of the Kindle version.

Quick Look: Mean Gene Leather's "Hot Tamale" Coin Purse

Ever since I read Saps, Blackjacks and Slungshots: A History of Forgotten Weapons by Robert Escobar, I've been thinking about getting a sap but never quite got around to ordering one. There are only a few manufacturers of good quality saps and they are relatively expensive. Also, with the spring steel in the handles, they aren't something that can easily be carried in most pant pockets. But I decided to fork over the $37 that Mean Gene Leather charges for their "Hot Tamale" to at least try out the general type. 

    The Hot Tamale is not technically a sap. It does not have a lead weight in the head, nor does it have the length of spring steel in the handle to give it the whip and strength in delivering a blow. Rather, it is a coin purse that has the rough shape of a sap, but which can be used as an impromptu weapon if the coin pocket in the head is loaded with coins (it apparently is designed to hold up to $10 in quarters). It also has a snap near the top of the head and the base of the handle which allow the device to folded around a belt, for instance, and snapped together to allow unobtrusive carry.

    I decided on one in the "antique brown" finish. Shipping was prompt and I had the Hot Tamale within just a few days of ordering. It came in a sealed plastic pouch as shown below:

Here is the front (smooth) side of the coin purse:

And the back where are the zipper and snaps:

And, because you can also strike with the edge, here is an edge-on view:

    Overall the construction was good. The finish of the leather was good and quite attractive. The stitching was even and tight. The leather seemed to be thick enough to be resilient and not break if the coin purse was needed as an impromptu defensive tool. I would have preferred double stitching along the edges just to be sure that the purse wouldn't break open if struck against something with force, but it is probably adequate for an emergency. The zipper is a sturdy YKK brass zipper that zips open and shut without issue. I haven't picked up the quarters I need, so I haven't yet filled in the pocket.

    If I were reviewing this as I would a holster, I would be somewhat critical of how sharp are the edges of the leather. But, in this case, that is a plus because it should enhance its effectiveness if striking with the edge.

    When I got it, the leather was stiff enough to make it difficult to bend. I had a Premium Leather Holster Care Kit from Craft Holsters which came with a micro-fiber covered sponge and, among other things, a leather cleaning/conditioning spray, which I applied to the Hot Tamale to soften it up a bit and was quickly able to bend it around enough to snap the two ends together. The snaps were really difficult to snap the first time, but easier after a few times--whether from use or being able to more easily bend the leather together to align the snaps, I don't know. 

    I'll provide an update after I get the quarters and fill up the pocket.