Fed Rate-Hike To Trigger ‘Next Crash’ In 2016?
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Items from Mr. Econocobas:
David Stockman Interview——-Kick-The-Can Economics Is Entering The End Game
Traders Watch for More Signs of Economic Stall in Week Ahead
Bond-Market Crash Has Wall Street Divided on What’s Next – some in the main stream pushing off from the September rate hike theory. At some point even the Lemmings have to start to realize it’s all a show..
Fighting Entropy – The survival of civilization. – S.G.
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Video: Five ways to hide something in plain sight
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SurvivalBlog reader T.S. notes that anti-virus firm AVG has recently acquired Privax, the parent company of HideMyAss. The following is from an AVG license agreement, according to Wikipedia:
“The AVG license agreement includes a clause (Section 9) authorizing AVG to collect, from your computer, any Non-Personally Identifiable Information they desire and to share it with their business partners anywhere in the world. It also authorizes AVG to track your computer usage.”AVG is also controversial in its use of software that can’t be removed easily and annoying pop-ups. We’re not sure what that means for users of the VPN service, but it certainly raises a flag or two.
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Jim Rogers On The Coming Water Wars. – B.B.
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One more reason I despise public schools: ‘He’s got a gun!’ Surprise school intruder drill traumatizes elementary students. – D.S.
“It’s important to have fun. Survival is more than making sure we have enough food and water.” ? Scott Cramer, Night of the Purple Moon
May 18th, 1825 was the birthday of Daniel B. Wesson (of Smith and Wesson fame).
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Safecastle has launched a big Mountain House sale called the Road Warrior Bounty Sale. Not only do they have MH discounts of up to 32% with shipping included, but there is a long list of items thrown in for members qualifying purchases, just because they can. Check them out.
This review is something of an exploration of the AK platform by one with limited familiarity to it as well as a review of the Century Arms C39V2, a U.S. made AK.
I should first explain that the reason I have little AK time is that I am something of a gun snob. I have always thought that the United States, a nation founded upon riflemen and being unique in having the Second Amendment, was first among gun makers, so most of my shooting is with American arms. Folks like John Moses Browning, Horace Smith, Daniel Wesson, Eugene Stoner, and of course Samuel Colt have cemented this belief in my being. After the U.S. probably comes Germany. The Mauser brothers had a pretty profound effect, and then there are all of those German machine guns, submachine guns, and sturmgewehrs that profoundly altered military small arms. The British fielded many excellent military small arms, but you see a lot of influence from elsewhere in most of them. Their shotguns, though, take my breath away. The Swiss are known for their accurate rifles, while the Spanish and Italians produce remarkably beautiful sporting arms.
So what of Russia? They are known for serviceable weapons suitable for peasants, right? In other words, they make simple and easy to maintain weapons that are perhaps on the crude side. While I like refined firearms, I have begun to ask myself what is wrong with simple guns that can be maintained and used by relatively unskilled and untrained shooters? Not much, I have to admit, despite the fact they may sacrifice the ergonomics, smoothness of operation, and accuracy valued by gun lovers.
I recently wrote about the Mosin Nagant, and I found it to be a very useful weapon, though not my first choice in a bolt action rifle. I am a lot happier with my Enfield, Mexican Mauser, or Savage Scout. All that said, the Mosin would get the job done, and it cost less than my preferred choices.
When we get to more modern weapons, the AK-47 comes up, though technically what we subjects of the current United States can own aren’t really AK-47’s. A true AK-47 is a select fire weapon capable of semi-auto or full automatic fire. The first AK-47’s had stamped receivers, but production issues led to AK’s with a milled receiver. Once they worked out the stamping process, though, they went back to that style receiver to ease production. To be precise, the final version of the AK-47 with a stamped receiver is called an AKM, but to most of us it is easier to just call them all AK’s. AK’s have been made in numerous countries; some have made excellent rifles, while others are sloppy.
The semi-auto only variants that we get to buy are from a number of manufacturers with both milled and stamped receivers. The milled ones are generally heavier, but many of us like milled steel better than stampings. That’s often snobbery again. Theoretically, milled parts should offer more strength, though stamped ones can be plenty strong. Some argue the milled ones should be more accurate by being more rigid and having a barrel that is screwed rather than pressed in as on the stamped receiver. I’ve listened to the arguments, but I am unconvinced that either side is more right than the other.
A number of parts are not interchangeable between the two types. So if you already have one version, you might keep that in mind when buying another. A collector will probably want different types, while someone equipping their family for self-defense will probably want commonality.
Many AK’s are assembled from imported parts in the U.S., often using some U.S. made parts to get around onerous legal restrictions. There are also some that are completely U.S. made.
AK weapon quality appears to vary widely. However, I was very favorably impressed with the test gun, a C39V2 from Century Arms, which is totally made in the U.S.
Before I go much further, I should comment a bit on the intent of the weapon’s designer– Lt. General Mikhail Kalashnikov. The Soviet Union had been very impressed with German assault rifles in WWII and wanted their own. Kalashnikov designed one for the new 7.62x39mm cartridge. This was considerably less powerful than the previous Russian service cartridge. Accuracy was not as important; AK’s usually shoot around 6- to 8-inch groups at 100 yards, which is disappointing to many American shooters who cherish accuracy. Regardless of American expectations, Kalashnikov’s design was a great success, and some estimates place the number of his rifles around the world at over 100 million.
Inevitably, the AK gets compared to the AR. I have looked for figures on AR production and have trouble with finding anything definitive, but many estimates say 10-11 million of all types have been churned out. Universality, then, goes to the AK.
I personally prefer the AR, though I feel it lacks perfection. I would like for it to hit harder than it does in its most common caliber, 5.56x45mm. I have doubts about the direct impingement gas system, which allow the combustion gases to enter the action. An AR clearly gets dirtier and is harder to clean than a piston gun like the AK that keeps the exhaust gases out of the action.
The worst question to pose to the AR fan is reliability. The extraction system seems weak to me. While bad ammo has been the source of virtually all of my AR malfunctions, they inevitably resulted in failures to extract which causes a difficult problem to clear that often requires a cleaning rod.
The AK, on the other hand, is probably best known for stunning reliability, even when abused or neglected. Bad ammo? That’s generally not a problem. Extraction? Ha! The extractor on the AK is huge; it could probably pull out a case you Super Glued in the chamber.
While I wish I had been able to run many thousands of rounds through the Century Arms C39V2 in question, I only had about 500 rounds available. It gobbled them up with no problems, and I suspect it would go many, many rounds without issue.
With those points made, the AR tends to be very accurate and most can shoot three inch or better groups at 100 yards. They have excellent ergonomics. While most AR’s, as issued, are not left-hand friendly, it is easy though pricey to swap out the safety, charging handle, and magazine release to remedy that. More and more AR’s are coming with some or all of these parts already in place. AR triggers usually leave something to be desired, but once again money can fix that. There are also no end of other bits and pieces available that allow you to set your AR up to meet your every specification (or becomes so heavy you can’t carry it)!
The AK, in my view, lacks the ergonomic qualities of the AR. I find that the issue safety is awkward, even for a right-handed shooter. The quirk to me about the safety is that it is on the right side of the gun, which means the right-handed shooter is apparently expected to use their trigger finger to operate it. Perhaps Kalashnikov was looking ahead to Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper’s Third Rule of Gun Safety, which is “Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target.” Keeping your finger on the safety to disengage it quickly means it is off the trigger. The difficulty is that it usually takes a good deal of force to operate most of the AK safeties I have encountered, though I have been told this can be tuned. My index finger has had problems pushing some AK safeties off. I prefer the safety to be operated with my thumb, which is stronger than the index finger. It is probably also a matter of the habit developed with the 1911 and the AR.
Oddly, I think that I, a persecuted left hander, have less trouble running the AK safety than a rightie. I place my support hand on the magazine and use the thumb to operate the safety. This goes against current fashion, which requires placing the support hand as far forward as possible, but being able to easily operate the safety seems more important to me. It isn’t as easy as operating the lever on the AR with the shooting hand thumb, but it is quite workable. There are ambidextrous AK safeties on the market that can be fitted as well as some with reshaped levers to make it easier to operate. I have not tried any of these and can’t make recommendations, but I actually think they might be more useful for right handers.
The safety is also noisy, making a distinctive click when engaged or disengaged. It annoys me, but when you think about it, it probably doesn’t matter for self-defense. It should be on until you are bringing the sights onto the target to fire and the ensuing bang should drown out the click. It should go back on once you stop shooting, and the click will probably be lost in the echoes of gunfire.
I was pleased that the safety has a notch to allow you to lock the bolt back. Many AK’s lack this notch and I really dislike weapons that can’t be locked clear. As with other AK’s, the bolt does not lock back when the last round is fired, which I dislike.
Changing the magazine is a bit more troublesome with the AK. On the AR, we simply press the button, and most of the time the magazine falls clear; we can then slam another one in straight up the magazine well. With the AK, we have to press a lever and then rock the old magazine out and the new one in. It is clearly a more cumbersome chore but quite similar to what one does with an M14 or Mini 14. I prefer the AR method, but hitting the lever and rocking magazines in and out is quite doable, even at speed. I have noticed that many AK’s are showing up with enlarged paddle levers, like the one on the C39V2 that make it quite easy to remove the magazine. They are very left-hand friendly as well.
I am a huge fan of aperture sights, and that’s another let down for me with the AK. The open rear sight is placed forward of the action, producing a shorter sight radius than found on recent U.S. military small arms. This can magnify shooter error.
Optics are a big deal, especially for those of us with older eyes. The stamped receiver AK’s often have rails to mount an optic over the action. The ones with the milled receiver usually don’t, and other strategies must be taken to get a scope or red dot sight attached to the rifle. The two primary ones are replacing the receiver cover or the gas tube. The receiver cover mounts place the sight in the more conventional location closer to the eye, while the gas tube versions place it ahead of the rear sight in what is usually called the Scout position that is favored by Lt. Col. Cooper. Both positions are serviceable, particularly for red dot sights, which I think suit this weapon very well.
The big issue with either type of mount is whether or not they provide solid mounts for the optic. It is a greater problem with the receiver cover as this must be removed for routine maintenance. Yes, it is an AK, but you should clean and lube it occasionally. You need the sight to return to zero, since we usually clean after shooting. The gas tube mount doesn’t need to be removed anywhere near as often, but it still has to be solid. It should also return the sight to zero if removed and replaced for maintenance.
Ultimak http://ultimak.com/BuyAK.htm, whose Scout mount for the M1 Garand I recently reviewed, makes gas tube mounts for $98 that I would like to try, but I didn’t get a response when I asked to borrow one. I like the fact that it has clamps to hold it to the barrel and that it allows the user to retain the existing rear sight for emergency use after removing the optic.
Texas Weapons Systems http://www.texasweaponsystems.com/, which also didn’t reply to a request to borrow a mount, makes both a receiver cover mount and a gas cover mount. Century Arms recommended their mounts and I have gotten good reviews on them from people I respect. Their $140.00 receiver mount requires removal of the issue rear sight, but you can buy an aperture sight to use as a backup on their receiver cover for another $40.00.
AK quality seems to vary widely, and I often hear arguments about which one is the best or worst. I’m not sure who is right, but the Century Arms C39V2 surprised and impressed me. I was actually shocked when I pulled it out of the box. I expected to see something a bit on the crude side. It’s an AK, right? This rifle, however, is very nicely finished with a black nitride finish. There were no ugly machine marks, though there is a slight bit of texture on the receiver that I found pleasing. The sight block and gas block have what appears to be slight casting textures, which didn’t bother me at all. I had expected something crude, and instead I found something that was as nicely finished as a top tier AR.
The nitride finish, besides being attractive, offers a number of advantages over other gun finishes. It is also called salt bath nitro-carburizing and is essentially the same type of finish as the Tenifer on Glocks or the Melonite used by S&W. It has wide industrial use, and I believe that Glock was the first to use it on firearms. I am not competent to explain it chemically, but it involves dunking parts into a heated liquid that causes the surface to harden and turn black. It comes close to making it rust proof as well as reducing friction. It is highly wear resistant. It seems to me, especially after watching it on Glocks for 30 years or so, to be an ideal finish for firearms, and I suspect that it will eventually dominate the market for steel guns.
The next shocker for me was the trigger. It is quite clean and crisp. At five pounds, it is just a touch heavier than I would prefer, but the crispness and lack of creep makes it very workable. I have never gotten an AR with this quality trigger without spending some serious bucks after purchase.
The stock, forend, and handguard are walnut, and while not what one would find on a British or Spanish best-grade shotgun, it is pleasing to the eye and much nicer to look at than plastic. The finish is probably some form of satin polyurethane that will survive a nuclear holocaust. I’m old fashioned and prefer a matte oil finish, but this will do just fine. The pistol grip is some type of plastic.
Two things that initially flummoxed me a bit are that the AK stock butt is small and the stock length is shorter than I am used to. I feared the small butt plate would enhance recoil, but I found it a non-issue and got used to it quickly. It has an advantage in one regard, using it with armor. Armor often gets in the way when one is shouldering a long arm, and the smaller butt interferes less with it.
The length of the stock, though, was bothersome, as it places the end of the receiver almost on my glasses. Even with armor, I felt it was too short for me. There are a number of inexpensive recoil pads available that will lengthen the pull to remedy that issue. A more expensive solution could be one of the conversion kits that allow you to use the AR carbine telescoping stock, which allows you to adjust length of pull as needed. I’ve seen a few that even allow the stock to be folded. Since there are variations in AK’s, be sure to check if what you are looking at will fit your rifle. This, of course, is a generic issue with AK’s, not one particular to the C39V2. I have to note that many people get by just fine with the issue stock, so it could just be me.
The front sight tower appeared to be slightly canted, which is a common issue with AK’s. I was able to get a good zero but had to push the front sight almost all the way to the right to do so. Century said this would be covered by a one-year warranty. One might be able to detect this issue with a close look before purchase, but it takes a hard look to see it.
As mentioned above, C39V2 was boringly reliable. I fed it Sellier & Bellot full metal jacket (FMJ) and soft points (SP), Silver Bear SP, and Winchester FMJ and SP ammo. Winchester was kind enough to provide 100 rounds, while I provided the rest. Silver Bear, a Russian brand, was fittingly what I shot the most of.
Accuracy, with two exceptions, ran to the expected 7- to 8-inch groups at 100 yards with the issue sights and my bad eyes. A younger, better shooter would do better. The Winchester and Silver Bear SP’s were noticeable more accurate and provided 4.5 inch groups. If this were my rifle, I would stock up on those rounds. I trust Winchester more than Russian ammo, so I could see using the Silver Bear for practice and the Winchester for hunting or self-defense.
Interestingly, all of the groups were pretty close to one another, so little sight adjustment would not be required if you stick with these loads.
I would like to see how this would shoot with optics. I suspect the groups would shrink by 25-40%. If that happens with the Winchester and Silver Bear SP, it would be getting competitive with AR’s.
I used Magpul MOE, Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian, and Tapco magazines with it, and everything fed and went bang. The Magpul and Tapco magazines are polymer, while the others were steel. All seemed sturdy, but the plastic ones were, of course, much lighter. All of the magazines, save the Tapco, were 30-round ones. The Tapco held 20 rounds, which made it shorter and a lot easier to use when prone or from a bench. I have a leaning towards steel but would be happy with any of the magazines and would probably buy them based on price. The rifle comes with two of the excellent Magpul MOE’s.
This is, by the way, the second version of this rifle from Century, hence the V2 in the name. The new model corrects complaints about non-standard parts in the earlier one. I did not handle the earlier one, so I can’t compare them, but I like the idea of standardized parts with the realization that there will be difference between milled and stamped receivers as well as rifles from different countries.
One thing I would have to work on is attaching a sling. The loop on the barrel is on the left side of the rifle, which is awkward for the left-handed shooter. Blue Force Gear makes a nifty Universal Wire Loop that solves that problem for around $25. You could easily create your own solution, of course, for less money.
I did note some sharp edges on the trigger guard and would probably attack them with some emery cloth if it were my rifle.
I ran some of my normal drills with the C39V2 and found it worked quite well. These involve 5- to 25-yard engagements of two or three targets starting with the rifle at the ready position. Once I sorted out a way to operate the safety, they went well. I was a bit slower with the AK than with an AR. There were several factors, the first being my limited time on the AK. The lack of an optic hurt, as did the slightly greater recoil from the cartridge. Reloads were slightly slower, too, but I could improve that with practice. Overall, it worked a lot better for me than I expected.
I really want to buy this rifle, but I probably won’t be able to afford it. This was the first time I got to spend any serious time with an AK, and I was frankly surprised at how well it worked for me. It was far better than I expected, based on the handful of rounds I had put through AK’s in the past, usually off a bench. I have far more respect now for those who choose the AK over the AR.
Personally, I still prefer the AR to the AK, snob that I am. Accuracy and ergonomics mean a lot to me, and I think the AR has the edge there. Reliability, however, goes to the AK. Comparing extractors was quite sobering as was cleaning it. Keeping the gas out of the action makes a big difference. Either weapon will serve well in self-defense, but you will probably need to be more particular with the care of an AR.
Whichever platform you choose, it is a good idea to know how to run both platforms, and that’s why I really would like to own this one. You never know what you might come up with someday, and being skilled in multiple weapons could be a huge advantage.
The C39V2 has an MSRP of $799, but they seem to be going for under $700 on Gun Broker. The rifle is 37.5 inches long and weighs 8.2 pounds. The barrel is 16.5 inches long.
– SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Eire
If ever there was a true gentleman, that person would be my friend– the late Grandmaster of American Kenpo Karate, John McSweeney. McSweeney was responsible for introducing American Kenpo Karate to Ireland many years ago. To be sure, McSweeney, was one of Ed Parker’s Black Belts, and if you don’t know who Ed Parker was, Google him. He was the Grandmaster of Kenpo Karate. Even Elvis Presley was one of Parker’s Black Belts. However, what I’m discussing here is a true gentleman, and John McSweeney was certainly at the top of the list, in my book. John knew how to treat women, and he knew all the rules of etiquette, too. Of course, underneath that gentleman was a true warrior, in every sense of the word.
This brings me to the subject of knives. McSweeney loved knives, all kinds of knives, and he taught knife fighting skills, as well as self defense against knife attacks. There is even a video out there of McSweeney teaching his method of knife fighting. I’m tying this all together with the Benchmade Knives Impel gentleman’s folder, a knife designed for the gentleman hidden in all of us.
Back in the 1950s, it was very stylish for gentlemen to not only dress nicely but to also carry a small folding knife in their pocket; they carried a stylish folder for some of the chores that might require a cutting tool. I still remember when I was a kid growing up in Chicago in the 1950s, I saw many older gents in the neighborhood, whittling on a piece of wood to pass the time of day or using a small folding knife to clean beneath their finger nails. I’m not exactly sure when I started carrying a folding knife, but it was early on– maybe when I was five or six years old, but I carried larger folding knives, and I still do. Can you imagine what would happen today if your child were caught carrying a folding knife, or any knife, in school these days? Almost every place, it’s an automatic one-year expulsion from school. How upside down can this world be any longer?
My oldest daughter bought me a small folding knife for my birthday one year. I want to say that she was about four or five years old; she’s now getting ready to turn 35. I carried it for many years and still have it. However, it wasn’t a gentleman’s folder, which has a small single blade and a nail file. It wasn’t anything fancy; it was just a small using folder. So, I guess that’s about as close as I’ve ever come to owning a gentleman’s folder in my life.
Occasionally, I still see well-dressed men, pulling a small folding knife out of their pocket and using it to open mail or clean beneath their finger nails. To be sure, many are carrying stylish, small folding knives. It amazes me today when I see a man who is well-dressed in today’s society. It seems like we all dress-down. I’m guilty of it myself. Last time I wore a suit was when my oldest daughter graduated from college, and that was at least 12-14 years ago. My daily wear consists of cargo pants, a t-shirt, and hikers– the same “uniform” each day. I think things started to change back in the 1960s, during the “Hippie” era. To be sure, I was never a Hippie; I never had long hair or acted that way.
There are some really nice and expensive gent folders out there these days. Some custom knife makers only produce gent’s folders, and there is a big market for this type of knife. I recently received the Impel automatic folder, and one doesn’t usually associate an automatic folder as being a Gent’s knife. However, in my humble opinion, the Impel is without a doubt a Gent’s folder.
A quick look at the Impel shows that it has a small 1.98-inch long blade, manufactured out of S30V premium stainless steel– one of the better powdered metals used for knife blades. Rockwell hardness is 58-60, which is just right for this stainless steel. The blade is a modified drop point– one of the most popular blade designs and great for all kinds of chores. The handle scales are machine aluminum with super-tough G-10 inlays in the handle scales and a tip-down pocket/clothing clip. Then we have the push button for fast automatic opening. We also have a manual safety on the Impel that locks the blade closed, so there are no worries about it accidentally opening when in your pocket. However, I’ve owned a lot of automatic folders over the years and have never used any safety; it only slows down opening the knife, if you have to search for the safety with your thumb to take it “off” in order to open the knife. The Impel was designed by custom knife maker Matthew Lerch, who is well-known in the knife industry, and this isn’t his first collaboration with Benchmade, either.
A close examination of the Impel shows the usual high-quality one expects from Benchmade. The knife is absolutely flawless in all respects. I’ve owned custom-made knives that weren’t as nicely made as the Impel. I like the G10 inlays in the aluminum handle scales. It’s a nice touch!
With the 1.98-inch long blade, the Impel is perfect for opening UPS/FedEx packages that arrive almost daily at my digs. A quick “zip” through the sealing tape and a package is opened for me. The Impel is also great for opening letters instead of using a letter opener. The Impel is more efficient at this task, if you ask me. I removed a splinter from my hand with the Impel.
I tested blade sharpness by cutting some cotton clothes line, and the Impel zipped right through it. I also tested blade sharpness on some poly rope; the Impel sliced right through it, too. Another good test is shaving the edge of newsprint if you want to test how sharp a knife’s blade is. Many simply won’t shave newsprint, but it was no problem with the Impel, and even though I’m no gentleman (my wife says I am) I used the Impel to clean beneath my finger nails. However, one needs to go VERY carefully with the Impel’s needle-like point and the overall sharpness of the blade. While I didn’t cut myself while cleaning beneath my finger nails, I can easily see that happening, if one doesn’t pay attention.
So, where does the Impel fit into the scheme of things, when it comes to survival? That’s a good question. I’m sure this will be open to debate. Having spent 35 years in the martial arts and teaching knife fighting and knife defense skills to students, I can see the Impel being used as a weapon of last resort, if one’s life is in danger. The Impel could be used to jab a person in the eyes. If an attacker can’t see you, they can’t harm you. In a last ditch move, the Impel could be use to severe a ceratoid artery in the neck. You don’t have to have a long blade to reach an artery in the neck; not at all. The Impel can also be used out camping or in a survival situation to make a “fuzzy stick” to aid in starting a fire. It can even be used to dress out small game, like a rabbit for a meal.
My understanding is, and I could be mistaken on this, the Impel with it’s 1.98-inch blade is legal in California, even though it is an automatic opening folder. I recall reading some place that if the blade is two inches or under, it is legal in California. Plus, many police officers, who might have reason to pat you down, wouldn’t think that a knife with such a short blade would be considered a weapon of any sort, either. [Editors Note: Californians, you are responsible for ensuring compliance with your state and local laws.]
I would mention that when you press the button to open the blade on the Impel, make sure you have a good grip on the little knife; the coiled spring really slings that blade open, and on more than one occasion the knife left my hand because I didn’t have a good enough hold on it. I didn’t expect the spring to be that powerful.
Full retail pricing on the Impel is $165. That’s quite a bargain in my book. We are talking custom-quality in a Gent’s folding knife. It’s one that you would be proud to show off, while cleaning beneath your finger nails during a boring meeting. Little knives DO have their place!
– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio
This recipe can be made with fresh ingredients, leftovers, or with freeze-dried/canned ingredients. There are lots of options for personalizing it, too. You can use whatever meat you prefer– beef, bacon, ham, turkey, venison, or even chopped jerky that’s left over after a hunting or camping trip (if it’s even possible to have leftover jerky).
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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
HJL,
Where TrueCrypt left off, VeraCrypt has picked up the baton. (It has the exact same interface, same features with improvements made behind the scenes.)
The TrueCrypt letter specifically said that there “May still be unresolved security issues…” They didn’t say it wasn’t secure. They were quite vague. They were in the middle of an audit and quit before the results came out. VeraCrypt takes the results of the audit and appeared to correct some of the very minor issues. I was impressed by how few they are (i.e., increasing some iterations from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands), and bringing parts of the coding to current standards. They have a FAQ on their website. The transition has been stable for me. – C.S.
Something is rotten in Albany…
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I just ran across this interesting post at my old friend Commander Zero’s blog: See the red button? Push the red button. – JWR
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Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large pointed out a review of the Ruger SR1911.
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Looks like things just took a turn for the worse in Mexico: The Rising. – M.S.
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Education Secretary Sets The Stage For ‘Public Boarding Schools’. As scary as the thought of this is, you will find parents in favor of it. Hey, it’s free babysitting. – H.L.
“Successful hunting, it could be said, is an act of terminal empathy: the kill depends on how successfully a hunter inserts himself into the umwelt of his prey–even to the point of disguising himself as that animal and mimicking its behavior.” ? John Vaillant, The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival
On this day in 1769, George Washington launched a legislative salvo at Great Britain’s fiscal and judicial attempts to maintain its control over the American colonies. He brought a package of non-importation resolutions, drafted by George Mason, before the Virginia House of Burgesses. This initiated a chain of events that led to Britain’s House of Lords demanding that men involved in the extra-legal Massachusetts convention of towns be tried in England. Britain’s plan backfired and created an American identity where before there had been none.
Whoa, partner! Before everyone starts firing letters off to me protesting that hip shooting isn’t point shooting, give me (and others) the benefit of the doubt! You have to admit that leveling a gun at someone from just above your holster isn’t exactly aimed shooting, is it? Neither is it exactly what we call point shooting. None the less, the technique is worth mentioning, as it does work in the tightest of combat situations. When your opponent is directly in front of you just about face-to-face or, worse yet, is face-to-face with you, you can’t draw and fully extend your arm, can you? I didn’t think so!
Now, there are some of those self-proclaimed “experts” out there who will claim that hip shooting doesn’t work, either. Well, God bless ’em, I guess they will never get into a situation where their assailant is right on top of them. In suppose that in the unlikely event this does happen, they’ll simply ask their assailant to step back so they can level their gun at them. Sure! If you’ve practiced point shooting for even a small amount of time as outlined above, you’ll have to agree the techniques described work!
You must purchase the video Shooting For Keeps. It’s available from Wells Creek Knife and Gun Works, 32956 State Hwy #38, Scottsburg, OR 97473 (541) 587-4202. This video was produced by Applegate and Paladin Press. It is must viewing for any serious point shooting fan. It puts to rest any misconceptions regarding the use of point shooting at close range.
Make no mistake, hip shooting is for contact distance, except for the rare professional, like the late Bill Jordan. If you can reach out and touch your opponent, then hip shooting is the only way to go. If your assailant is beyond contact distance, then point shooting is in order.
Depending on your skill level at point shooting and the distance involved, aimed shooting may be in order. Remember Dave Arnold’s comment that “aimed shooting is always better.” Of course, there will be those of you who will take Arnold’s comments out of context and claim that aimed shooting is the only worthwhile method of engaging a threat. If you missed Arnold’s comments about point shooting at the beginning of this chapter, go back now and read them!
In my discussion with Dave Arnold on point shooting, the topic of hip shooting did come up. Dave feels, as most professionals do, that hip shooting does have its place when your life is on the line, that being up close, contact distance. I know we have all seen the TV and movie westerns, where both good and bad guys simply leveled their guns at their intended target (living or inanimate) and fired, hitting them with regularity. That was only in “reel” life, NOT in real life!
There are two trains of thought regarding what constitutes hip shooting, and both are correct. No, I’m not getting wishy-washy on the subject. It’s just that both methods work, and both can be considered hip shooting. Many state police and local police departments still train (good for them) that you can draw your gun from the holster and place it directly on top of the holster, leveled at the threat. This cannot be anything but hip shooting, as the gun rests directly next to your hip.
Another technique that works is that the gun extends ever so slightly in front of the holster, just barely in front of your body. This technique also works.
Either of the above techniques work with a revolver; however, when using an autoloader, there is one slight change you MAY want to make. When firing an autoloader, the slide moves back and forth (as it is supposed to) if the gun is working properly. When this happens, the slide may contact your clothing and can result in a malfunction! You don’t need this in a gunfight. One technique I teach is to slightly cant or tilt your gun to the right, if you are a right-handed shooters, or slightly toward the left, if you’re a left-handed shooter. By doing this, the slides’ movement will clear your body and any loose clothing you may have on, like a coat, vest, or sweatshirt. Additionally, this allows empty shell casings to eject cleanly away from your body and will avoid any casings falling back into the gun’s action, thus tying it up with a major malfunction.
As mentioned earlier, distance is on the side of a trained gunman. If possible, back pedal from your threat, thus extending the gunplay distance and putting the advantage on your side. If you can safely do this, then hip shooting may not be necessary. Of course, there is always the “X” factor that you must expect in any situation. You may already be in a corner, against a wall, against a car or other unmovable object where you can’t backpedal.
Oh, you there. Yeah, the one who doesn’t believe hip shooting works. How do you propose to fire your gun now that you can’t extend your arm? Humm? That’s what I thought. You’ll simply ask your assailant to back up just a bit so you can fully extend your arm and take an aimed shot at them. Sure! If you believe this idiot’s line of thought, then I have some gorgeous oceanfront property for sale in Oklahoma; give me a call; I finance!
I know. It sounds like I’m getting silly from lack of sleep. Believe me, it’s no sillier than the man who doesn’t learn or practice point and hip shooting. If you honestly believe point shooting doesn’t work, then don’t bother reading any further, and please don’t waste your time carrying a handgun for protection of self or others.
Those of you who grew up in the 1950’s (like I did) will recall the TV series The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack as Prohibition Agent Eliot Ness. I don’t think a week went by when Ness didn’t get into one or two running gunfights, always coming out on top. The truth is that during his career in Chicago, Ness only recorded firing his handgun twice. That’s right, he fired just twice in the line of duty, missing both times! Don’t take my word for it. Get a copy of the book, The Untouchables by Eliot Ness himself and read it. While Ness did get into some hairy situations and could have used his gun more often, he didn’t.
You’re probably wondering where all this is leading. Ness’ training came from FBI ace Alexander Jamie, who was his brother-in-law. Ness became an expert shot at the Chicago Police pistol range. Now, folks in those days (at least in Chicago) weren’t trained in the point shooting method. Ness was trained in the use of aimed shooting, yet Ness missed both times he used deadly force! Would he have done any better using point shooting? I can’t say, and neither can anyone else. The point is that even expert shots tutored in aimed shooting miss their intended targets.
Statistics prove that police officers involved in gunfights miss their intended targets at least 75% of the time! I know, some police departments have a higher hit ratio, but I’m taking a nationwide average, as reported to me by Col. Rex Applegate prior to his death. Applegate was known as the world’s leading authority on riot control, close combat handgun training, and probably without a doubt was the master of knife fighting. I, as well as many others, respect his findings, and much of what I read in the gun and law enforcement magazines back up these statistics.
Most gunfights take place within 21 feet (or less) and in dark or low-light conditions– when you can’t see your sights, anyway. Remember my story about shooting a burglar? It was very dark! This is when point or hip Shooting will pay off. I know, some of you are screaming that the use of tritium night sights aid in low-light or dark condition. I agree, to a slight degree! I would venture to say that most folks who have night sights installed on their handguns NEVER fire their guns in low-light or dark conditions. I can speak from the viewpoint of a firearms’ instructor.
Folks (police officers included) have attended some of my Tactical Handgun courses that require a night shoot. Those who have night sights installed on their guns can see their sights just fine. The only problem is, they can’t see their intended target! Their focus is fixed on the glowing front and rear sights; they are forever seen looking over their sights to locate their target, which is time consuming and deadly!
Don’t get me wrong; night sights have their use and are best used in low-light situations, when one has the time to take that all-important aimed shot. Most gunfights take place at up close, contact range in low-light conditions and with unexpected speed.
Will you have time to focus on your night sights and then locate your target? I doubt it! Given the above situation and circumstances, point or hip shooting is what works. Make no mistake about it.
I find it almost impossible to believe that the gunmen of the past used aimed fire in anything except long distant shooting or carefully laid ambushes. Anyone remotely familiar with “antique” or old firearms’ design will readily agree that the sights on these firearms are akin to threading a needle or finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. To say that these sights are crude is putting it politely. Even some of the sights found on modern handguns are lacking in a usable sight picture.
Researching hundreds of Old West Gunfighters in Bill O’Neals’ classic text, Encyclopedia Of Western Gunfighters, one can conclude that very few gunfighters used their sights when lead starting flying. The one notable exception that stands out among all the rest is Wyatt Earp, who said, “The most important lesson I learned was the winner of gunplay usually was the one who took his time. The second was that, if I hoped to live on the frontier, I would shun flashy trick-shooting as I would poison.” At first look, it seems that Wyatt Earps’ words should be heeded. Still, further research into Earp’s career and a careful examination of his gunfights reveal some historical (little known) facts that many are not aware of. One of those facts are that there are zero killings directly attributed to Earp in his illustrious career as a lawman!
O’Neal records that controversial Old West figure, Wyatt Earp, was involved in four gunfights with no (read zero) killings recorded. Additionally, Earp “may” have been involved in five “possible” killings or assists! These possible killings were more than likely ambushes and the victims waylaid by Earp and/or unknown cohorts. Further reading into Earp’s largely fictitious life can be had by reading Dan L. Thrapps’ book(s) Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography. Both Thrapp and O’Neal are respected authors. Still, more importantly, they are historians who thoroughly research their material. Thrapp and O’Neal research old newspaper articles, county records and well-researched and authenticated books.
Looking back at Earp’s initial comments now, you may want to take what he said with a grain of salt. While Wyatt “may” have been fast on the draw and slow to shoot using aimed fire his real life records as opposed to the “reel” life exploits are quite another story. Take it for what it’s worth.
While it is true that many a man was gunned down in the Old West, many recorded gunfights simply didn’t take place the way Hollywood would lead you to believe. Many gunfights were nothing more than carefully laid ambushes or cold-blooded murders! Obviously, careful, aimed fire was employed during such goings-on. Recorded history reveals to us that most of the gunfights were not really gunfights. They were murders, or worse yet the victim was set up and the cards were stacked against them.
With court systems the way they were in frontier times, it is no wonder that so many men literally got away with murder! For the most part, most of the municipal and county judges had little or no training in the legal system. Many gunfights were a result of feuds between families or personal conflicts between individuals. When a corpse was found lying in the street or along the trail, everyone pretty much knew who did the killing. Sympathetic sheriffs and coroners usually ruled it a justifiable killing and no charges were brought against the murderer.
O’Neal describes close to 600 gunfights in his book. This is not to say these were the only shooting scrapes that occurred in the Old West, far from it! These reported gunfights are some of the more famous ones; they involved characters like the Earps, John Hardin, John Selman, Dallas Stoudenmire, Billy The Kid, Doc Holliday, Heck Thomas, and so forth. Many chance meetings in saloons, streets, on the trail, or other out of the way locations resulted in a goodly number of gunfights.
A chance meeting is pretty much what most police officers and civilians will run into today on our troubled streets, at the workplace, and at home. It would be nice if we could anticipate when a gunfight (and that’s what they are) will take place. We would all get inside an armored vehicle and shoot the largest firearm possible. Unfortunately, real life isn’t so simple. A chance meeting taking place, as Bill Jordan so aptly titled his book– No Second Place Winner is what happens in a real gunfight! You don’t come in second in a gunfight; you must prevail and come out first. As most chance meetings take place at extremely close range (21 feet or less), there simply isn’t time to draw your weapon, take a steady aim, and squeeze off that round. No! A chance meeting usually involves low-light, apprehension, surprise, close-in contact distances, and other “X” factors. Point shooting is what worked then, during change meetings, and it is what works today!
Col. Rex Applegate recalled several incidents during his tenure in Mexico and Central America (after WWII) when his life was on the line. Not wanting to reveal any details and respecting Applegate’s privacy, I will not go into any confidentiality here. Suffice to say, Applegate was involved in several gunfights, and he survived them! What worked? It was point shooting, of course!
Some of today’s self-appointed experts talk about tunnel vision, tachy-psyche effect, and other psychological things that take effect when you are involved in a gunfight. However, having been involved in such things as has many others (Applegate included), I can honestly say they didn’t experience any of the described effects. While I’m sure such things do occur, I largely believe much of this is a result of police administrators hype!
Remorse is another thing that you are supposed to feel when you shoot someone. Well, that’s fine and dandy, if you really do feel that way. It’s also fine and dandy if you feel invigorated because you bested the other man and you are alive because of it! Self-defense situations are just that; they are self defense. You didn’t bring it on, you tried to avoid it, but the other person caused their own death because of their actions. In effect, he killed himself, and you were simply the vehicle that brought this about.
The book Unrepentant Sinner, written by Col. Charles Askins, chronicles his career over half a century in law enforcement and in the military. In the good Colonel’s book, it seems like he is killing someone every other page or so. While Askins may have his detractors (especially in the Texas law enforcement community), he none-the-less is famous for the many gunfights in which he participated. While many of Askins’ battles took place in circumstances that allowed use of the sights, just the same, he had close encounters of the unfriendly kind that called for a fast draw and use of point shooting methods.
Captains W.E. Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes wrote a dandy little book entitled Shooting To Live (Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306 303-443-7250) that details point shooting. For those of you new to the shooting fraternity, Fairbairn was the late Assistant Commissioner of the Shanghai Municipal Police force and Sykes was the late Officer in Charge of Sniper Units with the same police force. Shanghai was touted as the toughest city in the world in the 1930’s. Its streets were ruled by gangs, rapists, terrorists, kidnapers, and every kind of scum you can think of. It kind of sounds like any metropolitan city in America today, doesn’t it?
By their own actual records, both Fairbairn and Sykes were in over 200 incidents where violent close combat occurred. Their training techniques and methods were further proved in the Commando and Special Intelligence branches of both the British and United States services in WWII. These men had actually seen the elephant and lived to tell about it, and they hadn’t done it just once or twice but hundreds of times! Their methods were adopted, and improved upon, by Col. Rex Applegate and taught to the OSS during WWII. Applegate didn’t obtain his standing in the military and law enforcement communities by heaping poor training on the troops and law officers. No, these methods and techniques worked then, and they still work today.
One fairly obscure and long out-of-print text entitled Triggernomentry by Eugene Cunningham was brought to my attention by Applegate. Eugene Cunningham had the opportunity to personally interview some of the Old West gunfighters while writing his book. I was surprised to find that slapping leather (fast draw) did actually take place more than we are led to believe. Six-shooters were held at hip level, and shots were accurately delivered, time and time again by a method of point shooting. Cunningham’s 30 odd years of listening and study and nine years of writing and revising has afforded him a position of a western historian and outstanding authority on the subject of Old West gunfights. Cunningham’s research only mirrors that of Thrapp and O’Neal, with the exception of going into greater detail on certain gunfighters.
I could recount other numerous gunfights that took place where the winner was the one who used point shooting. However, I would be redundant. Obtain the books (and videos) I mentioned in this chapter, read for yourself about real gunfights. Rarely, very rarely, will you read about the “winner” taking a “bead” or using aimed shooting in a gunfight. If you want to survive a gunfight, you’d better learn point shooting. I have to agree with Dave Arnold that “aimed shooting is always better” (when you can use it).
I want to include some comments I received from Dave Arnold that were used in my book, Put ‘Em Down With Point Shooting, because I believe they are important to you, the reader.
“Two additional points I must make, which I discussed on the phone (with you). First, the point shooting method I use, except where the gun is discharged from hip level at very close range, is little different from my aimed shooting style!
The gun is pushed out at shoulder level; the only difference being that I am looking at the target, not at the sights. To aim, all I do is drop my head and the sights come into view. The value of this method is that it supplements aimed shooting by having the gun and sights pretty much on target. So, if you do aim, the sights are pretty much lined up, because you have practiced point shooting.
The other point I must make is that I believe it is possible to aim at close quarters, especially if you are not surprised and know that you are about to be involved in a shooting. SWAT teams are a good example, because they know they are going into a possible shooting. I think you also can aim if you have the drop on an assailant.
Point shooting works best at close range when you are surprised and cannot use the sights because of poor light.
If you can aim, however, then do so, as this is the best way to go. Don’t become tied down and say I have to point shoot because I am only four yards from my attacker and I have to aim because I am 10 yards away. Use whatever is best under the circumstances.
Point shooting is only part of my flexible approach to combat shooting, namely being able to shoot effectively from a variety of positions, which means being able to use one hand and also point shoot, if needed. Hope this helps.” – Dave Arnold
In regard to the legendary and oftentimes controversial, Wyatt Earp, I have some comments. While much has been written about Earp, one point that Dave Arnold brought up in one of our phone conversation is this. While some detractors feel much of Earp’s claim to fame is pure hype, it must be brought to the reader’s attention that Earp was good friends with the likes of legendary (and respectable) lawmen like Heck Thomas and Bill Tilghman. Surely these credible characters of the Old West wouldn’t have associated with the likes of Earp had there not been a great deal of truth to Earp’s escapades!
I believe that Wyatt Earp probably faced down many of his opponents in gunfights or would-be gunfights. Remember, earlier in this book that I mentioned the intimidation factor of a firearm as well as the willingness to use it. Earp probably fell into this category and intimidated many of his would-be killers, and they backed down!
Before closing this chapter, I want to mention holsters and ammunition for your self-defense handgun. No handgun is of any worth if it isn’t properly carried on your person and loaded with the proper ammunition. You can’t rely on the old Tex-Mex method of carrying a handgun in your waistband. Nor should you trust your handgun to a pant or coat pocket. A good holster is a must!
You are reading this because you wanted to hear my recommendations about street combat and how to survive deadly encounters. So, I reckon you are also interested in knowing about the gear I use. So, with that said, here it goes.
I can purchase and use just about any type of holster out there. Some are real cheap and others are overly priced (in my opinion). What I carry most of my handguns in are holsters by Michaels of Oregon “Uncle Mike’s.” I’ve already listed their address and phone number above. I want to mention that I am not paid to endorse their products. They do send me their products for testing and evaluation. I have found that they have a holster to suite just about all of my needs. The best part is that their holsters (and accessories) are very reasonably priced and last a very long time.
As to ammunition, there’s an unlimited variety to pick and choose from. You can get anything from low-priced surplus ammo for practice to high-priced custom ammo. All of my self-defense needs are met by a small ammunition manufacturer– Black Hills Ammunition, P.O. Box 3090, Rapid City, SD 57709 (605) 348-5150. Black Hills is owned and operated by Jeff Hoffman. Jeff is a former law enforcement officer, and he knows what is needed in a self-defense round.
All of my self-defense guns are stoked with Black Hills Ammunition. Compared to some of the other lines of ammo, Black Hills is priced right, too. You get personalized service, good prices, and reliable ammo. What more can you ask for?
Now, while there’s many other holster and ammunition companies out there, I have chosen to list only Michaels of Oregon and Black Hills Ammunition because these are the products I use on a regular basis. Other companies offer similar products, and their quality is top-notch as well, but for my money it’s tough to beat Michaels of Oregon for holsters and Black Hills Ammunition for price and quality.
Remember, this is Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game!
Hello from Russia!
This Friday, SurvivalBlog mentioned “Digital Security- Part 2, by Dakota”. As a computer specialist and a paranoiac, I must warn you about two things.
Bitmessage client sends your message to every other client. What does it mean? In reality, every client would receive all the traffic the system creates. If, say, every one of 100 users sends one 10-kbyte message per day, then everyone would receive 1 MByte. Just 100,000 users would generate 1 GByte each. Also, as I can understand from their FAQ, the system finds connecting nodes automatically, so the adversary knows all the nodes.
So while the network is small enough the adversary could assume that every node is under suspicion and has enough resources to check all of them, but a big enough network would fall under its own weight.
I see two possible resolutions of this problem; one is use of some variants of Kademlia to route the mail to the nodes that are nearer in Kademlia meaning, and the second one is just I2P.
I see only one possible resolution of this problem if a standard e-mail protocol is used: install your own encrypted Sendmail on your own computer and ask your friends to do the same. But it still does not save you from metadata collection. (They know who writes to you.)
Best wishes. A.