After a very tough but enjoyable USPSA match a few weeks ago, Catfish and I were reviewing what we learned and what we needed to improve in our shooting. You see, all of us on this Blog are competitors. We enjoy and look forward to shooting. USPSA, IDPA, 3-Gun, pistols, rifles, shotguns it does not matter.
But what we all strive for; is to improve. To be a competitor you have to have the ability to look at yourself in the harsh light of reality and make an honest assessment of what you do well and what you need to improve. Now, I know I will NEVER be a World Champion - for that matter, I’m OK with not being a National Champion. But, I want to be better tomorrow than I am today.
BUT WAIT! That stuff will get you killed on the street!
How many times have you heard that? Or at least read that? It seems on the Internet this is a recurring statement of the shooting experts. It is often repeated and passed on with blazing speed. I’m sure you have read the same posts, “I could take him out with my Whizbang 2” snubbie from 400 yards with one shot to the left eye.”
WHAT?
That’s right, we have our one truth in the shooting world and that is, competition shooting is bad for you. Shooting competition, according to those that spout such knowledge, is bad for you if you are ever involved in an armed confrontation. You will read this many, many times on the Internet. From all sorts of experts that have insider knowledge on what is required to survive. Again, what?
So let me see if I have this correct. If I want to survive a gunfight, the best thing to do is not practice? The answer from many of the self proclaimed shooting experts is that competition shooting will get you killed on the street. That’s right - killed.
Now one of the things that I have learned is that I don’t know everything. But I really need someone to explain this to me. The ability to shoot fast, and shoot accurately is NOT what we’re looking for in a self defense situation? And let me go further by saying, this is the act of shooting. Tactics matter not; this is when it has become impossible to avoid a self defense gunfight.
Not buying it. How will you ever know what your abilities are if you never put them to the test? How will you be able to make that self evaluation of your skills to determine what needs improved if you don’t use those skills? Will you simply hide within your own ego and convince yourself that you truly are the baddest of the bad until it’s that ultimate pass or fail test of real life?
And if you are an Instructor, it’s either put up or shut up. If you can’t walk into a shooting match and whip everyone there, your system doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter which shooting sport, IDPA, USPSA, even Cowboy Action Shooting. Show me. Prove to me that I should take a class from you. That’s what it should come down to. Are you good enough to win? Or even, are you good enough to show up? The current thinking in the shooting sports is that tactical instructors do not attend because their skills are honed to such a razors edge that they would ruin years of hard work by attending a single match. And people buy this Snake Oil?
Show me that your system is the best and I should start using it by putting it to the test of competition. Does your system increase recoil control, increase accuracy, increase speed or what? How is it an improvement over what I am using right now?
We shoot with some of the big dogs in the sport. And we have taken classes from those big dogs. And there is one truth that cannot be avoided. The people that lead the shooting sports can flat out shoot better, faster and more accurately than anyone else. And that is what it’s all about. The ability to put rounds on your target as fast as possible. We can’t make it any clearer than that. If you had the misfortune to be involved in a gunfight, wouldn’t it be better to be faster than the other guy? Wouldn’t it be better to be more accurate than the other guy? Wouldn’t it be better to be able to move better than the other guy? Wouldn’t it be better to know your equipment works better than the other guys?
Equipment problems are a serious issue you really should address now rather than later. Ever draw your gun from your carry holster? Do you know how many people I’ve watch draw the gun and the holster comes out with it, and then didn’t know what to do? Believe me it is more common than you think. Or the gun falls out of the holster when you bend over to pick something up off the ground, like your keys. You’re at the gun show, buy a new Blaster 454 Magnum and figure “why spend 100 dollars on a holster; there’s one for 5 bucks. That will do you.” Until you actually have to use it.
Does the gun work? We see people all the time that buy a new gun, shoot 6 rounds out of it and NEVER fire it again. Then when they do venture out on the range they discover that the gun is rusted solid and won’t function. And this is what they’ve been carrying for years.
How about that Blaster 454 Magnum? Just because it’s all the rage of the gun magazines doesn’t mean it’s the gun for you. Have you shot it? How many rounds? Have you shot it moving, kneeling, strong hand only, or weak hand only? What about reloads? You know things don’t always go as planned in a gunfight; you may need to reload the gun. Have you ever reloaded? Does it even come with a spare magazine or speed loader? Do you know how to use it? How will you carry it? Do you have a mag pouch or speed loader holder? What if you were sitting down and didn’t realize that you accidentally pressed the magazine release and there is no magazine in the gun? What then? Tell the bad guy I can’t be in a gunfight today, I have no bullets. Maybe you would shoot more if you had a gun you could handle? Something with a little less recoil, maybe lighter weight, or smaller size to fit your hand better. Or maybe something as easy as lower operating cost. If ammo is too expensive you won’t shoot as much. Perhaps something in 9mm or .38 special. In a full size gun, recoil is very controllable, and you need to shoot a lot if you want to stay proficient.
Because someone saw a video clip of one shooter, shooting one stage, at one match, where they did something that you wouldn’t have done during a bank robbery with 12 Terrorists and attack dogs, all competition shooting is bad. It doesn’t work that way. Tell me your scenario, how many bad guys, where are you, what does it look like. We all would be happy to go to the range and set it up as best we can, and then let’s see how you do. Show me how you would have taken out the Terrorists and attack dogs. And then I’ll go and we’ll see who does what better. Or Catfish will shoot it, or maybe even The Girl. Remember, we only score hits, misses are just noise.
We see new shooters all the time get to the line and they are shaking like a leaf. They are so nervous they don’t know what to do and freeze, or do really stupid things like forget where they are and start pointing loaded guns at the crowd. And the only stress they are dealing with is a timer! How will they react when someone is trying to hurt them or someone they care about? Worried about people watching you shoot; how about someone trying to shoot you? We know from people that have been there, what adrenaline is like and how it affects your skills. Stress will hit your fine motor skills, making simple tasks seem extraordinary. Increasing your subconscious gun handling skills will make handling that stress less problematic. You won’t have to remember to disengage the safety, or tell yourself to find the front sight. It will be natural, automatic, without thought.
Now if you go to the range every month with a bunch of ammo and your favorite guns, that’s great. You’re out there practicing, which is always good. What I’m suggesting is that you give a match a try just once. See how you compare to the other shooters that are there. See if there are any weaknesses in your skills or your training. USPSA and IDPA are great ways to test yourself and your equipment, and also to see if you are on the right course with your training. You may also enjoy being around other people that enjoy shooting. It’s also a great place to let your ego rest. It’s OK to not be number 1. And if you mess something up, someone will be right there to tell you nice try and talk about how to improve. It’s all about learning and improving. And having fun!
Just don’t hide behind the thought that stuff will get you killed on the street. Get out there and give it a try.
28 June 2007
Government figures 'missing' two million violent crimes
Ah, the island utopia of England.
It turns out that crime reporting in the UK has been somewhat distorted for some time now. In what can only be described as a "truly bizarre" practice, crime statistics are "capped." That is, after you've been victimized 5 times, no more crime reporting for you! How do those extra two million crimes break down?
It turns out that crime reporting in the UK has been somewhat distorted for some time now. In what can only be described as a "truly bizarre" practice, crime statistics are "capped." That is, after you've been victimized 5 times, no more crime reporting for you! How do those extra two million crimes break down?
Violent crime is 82 per cent higher at 4.4 million offences compared with 2.4 million in the BCS, the survey claims, including a 156 per cent rise in " acquaintance violence" from 817,000 incidents to 2.1 million.So, in the context of gun crime, what's that mean in the ban-happy United Kingdom? I suppose it's hard to say, given that statistics are manipulated there. If I had to guess (and I suppose I will), I'd guess banning guns hasn't helped deter crime one iota. In fact, it would appear that it's actually had the opposite effect. I guess I'll look for some statistics to support that position...
Domestic violence is 140 per cent higher, up from 357,000 incidents a year to 857,000, the authors said, while there are nearly three million common assaults a year rather than the 1.5 million estimated by the BCS, a rise of 98 per cent.
Burglary is 20 per cent higher than currently estimated, at 877,000 a year, and vandalism is 24 per cent higher, the report calculated.
Robbery is 7 per cent up on the official estimates, or an extra 22,000 crimes bringing the yearly total to 333,000.
27 June 2007
Golf anyone?
It looks like I need to start playing golf.
Stroudsburg Area Regional Police are investigating complaints of a private golf outing featuring lap dance stations, threesomes and naked women at the Cherry Valley Golf Course on Monday.And yes, there's video!
Accidents happen: Three in county unintentionally shoot selves over weekend
I have a better headline:
Here's what really happened, in all three cases: the people holding the loaded firearms pulled the trigger. No detective work needed here, no other explanation required. Guns do NOT go off by themselves - someone must pull the trigger.
Stupid people shoot themselvesThree different people in three different places (all in Collin County) all suffered .22 caliber wounds from firearms that apparently fired themselves. I just love the descriptions, as provided by Lt. John Norton of the Collin County Sheriff's office:
...the 46-year-old man identified as Mark Sirkel of Blue Ridge was loading a .22-caliber rifle in his living room at his home in the 9500 block of County Road 501 when the weapon discharged and a bullet struck him in the left knee...
...Denny Davidson of Lucas showed up at the MCM emergency room with a gunshot wound to his left hand and thigh. Davidson told officers he was sitting on his couch at his home located in the 1800 block of Country Club Road cleaning his .22-caliber Beretta handgun. He was putting the gun back together when the gun discharged and the bullet went through his left index finger and struck him in the thigh...
...Jennifer Rose of Lavon, accidentally shot herself at their home in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue. Norton said Rose put a magazine into a .22-caliber pistol when it discharged and the bullet struck her in the leg. It is not known which leg was injured in the accident.Well, that's all bad enough, but here's the advice from the sheriff:
“Obviously, anytime you deal with a firearm, you’ve got to be very careful because it’s subject to go off at any time,” Norton said.Yeah, obviously, because guns just go off by themselves. Especially ones that have been disassembled for cleaning.
Here's what really happened, in all three cases: the people holding the loaded firearms pulled the trigger. No detective work needed here, no other explanation required. Guns do NOT go off by themselves - someone must pull the trigger.
26 June 2007
23 June 2007
22 June 2007
Oz rocks
Having been fortunate enough to know some Aussies personally, I've always liked the land down under. Great sense of humor, friendly people, and they like beer.
Considering their support in the ongoing struggle, I'm liking them even more. And unlike our good friends the Brits, it would appear that they don't give up quite so easily...
Too bad the Brits didn't learn from this lesson....
Considering their support in the ongoing struggle, I'm liking them even more. And unlike our good friends the Brits, it would appear that they don't give up quite so easily...
It turns out that Iranian forces made an earlier concerted attempt to seize a boarding party from the Royal Australian Navy.
The Australians, though, to quote one military source, "were having none of it".
The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be "highly colourful language".
Too bad the Brits didn't learn from this lesson....
21 June 2007
IDPA Rules Rant
We've been shooting USPSA for almost a couple of years now, after shooting IDPA for several years before that. Catfish and I have been discussing some aspects of matches for both sports, and from these discussions and my own personal observations, I've reached an inexorable conclusion: IDPA rules are silly.
Not all of them, mind you. The safety stuff goes without saying. I like the self-defense aspects of the sport, where you learn about tactical priority, use of cover, things of that nature. I like that the COF limits the round count, believe it or not - more people can shoot with real-life gear. There are many good things about the sport. So let me amend my original assertion: IDPA rules can be silly. Seriously, a sport that has a FTDR (Failure To Do Right) rule in addition to procedural penalties should raise more than a few eyebrows.
Where it all breaks down for me is when subjectivity is introduced to the rules, and by extension, to the courses of fire and the sport in general. Let's take the proper use of cover as a beginning example. The rules stipulate that 100% of your feet (I assume both of them), and 50% of your upper body must remain behind cover at all times. This sounds all fine and good, but it's typically a subjective call. Where does the upper body begin? Where is the Safety Officer positioned in relation to the shooter, in relation to cover, in relation to the target? I've seen the "cover" call made in some ridiculous situations, based solely on the whim of the SO on the stage. It's not so much that it's a silly rule, it's that it's subject to too many variables. Therefore, the evaluation of proper use of cover is subjective. How would you make it objective? Use a shooting box. Oops - they do that in USPSA, don't they? We can't have that, then.
Another example might be the infamous holster rule: no light should be visible between the holster and the shooter's belt/body. Unless you're a woman, of course. Then the whole thing is moot (AKA the "boobie rule"). I've had my holster both pass and fail inspections of this rule. The same holster, different matches, different observers - again, subjective. Don't get me started on what an "appropriate" cover garment might be - there are subjective rules for that, too. I believe USPSA does a fair job of defining legal and illegal equipment.
How about the ability (I'd even assert "requirement") of an IDPA COF designer to specify shooting positions, target engagement specifications, etc.? "Stand here, engage these 3 targets with 2 rounds each, move here, engage these targets in tactical sequence with 2 to the body, one to the head," etc. These sorts of things do nothing but generate endless questions (based on the confusion that this creates) from shooters about what they can and cannot do. In USPSA, most COF descriptions are something to the effect of "start at position A, and engage all targets as they become visible." 2 rounds on paper, knock the steel down. Easy. It puts the burden on the course designer, not the shooter, and removes ambiguity.
There are the downright silly rules, too. Tactical reloads, or reloads with retention. You must retain your magazine, unless you're at slide-lock, even if the magazine is empty. What a terrible habit to develop. Drop the empty mag, ram a full one in there, and get on with the gunfight. If you think you're gonna need those 2 bullets in the mag you just wasted 2 seconds stowing away, well, your gunfight priorities might be in the wrong place. No movement of more than 10 yards between any 2 points, because...wait, what? Isn't movement a fundamental tenet of defensive shooting?
I guess most of this discourse gets down to the old argument about whether IDPA is a game, or if it's some sort of training. Let's put it this way: you keep score. Any time you keep score, someone will want to find a way to win. That's all fine and good, but there are many in the sport that say this position flies in the face of the "spirit" of IDPA.
I've tried to chronograph this "spirit," but have yet to get a tangible reading. However, there are PLENTY of shooters who are willing to give us the benefit of their opinion on matters of "spirit" or "intent." I've seen all sorts of opinions up and down the spectrum, and most of them devolve into dogma based on intepretation of a rule. That's the important part: interpretation.
Yes, the sport has created fundamentalists of its own. How scary is that?
It's this sort of nonsense that gets generated whenever subjectivity is allowed to creep into a sport. Either you can measure it consistently, or you can't. Either it is, or it isn't. Either you do, or you don't. Everything should be a binary decision: yes or no, wrong or right, hit or miss. And those decisions should be repeatable, measurable, and finite for all involved, both competitor and adjudicator. Ambiguity leads to dissenting opinions, and opinions lead to arguments - every time. Heck, it doesn't even matter if the rule is stupid, as long as the rule is the same for everyone, and is measurable, repeatable, and finite.
Okay. I feel better now. Please use the comments to add to this discourse if you feel so inclined. Facts are welcomed, but silliness will be made fun of.
Not all of them, mind you. The safety stuff goes without saying. I like the self-defense aspects of the sport, where you learn about tactical priority, use of cover, things of that nature. I like that the COF limits the round count, believe it or not - more people can shoot with real-life gear. There are many good things about the sport. So let me amend my original assertion: IDPA rules can be silly. Seriously, a sport that has a FTDR (Failure To Do Right) rule in addition to procedural penalties should raise more than a few eyebrows.
Where it all breaks down for me is when subjectivity is introduced to the rules, and by extension, to the courses of fire and the sport in general. Let's take the proper use of cover as a beginning example. The rules stipulate that 100% of your feet (I assume both of them), and 50% of your upper body must remain behind cover at all times. This sounds all fine and good, but it's typically a subjective call. Where does the upper body begin? Where is the Safety Officer positioned in relation to the shooter, in relation to cover, in relation to the target? I've seen the "cover" call made in some ridiculous situations, based solely on the whim of the SO on the stage. It's not so much that it's a silly rule, it's that it's subject to too many variables. Therefore, the evaluation of proper use of cover is subjective. How would you make it objective? Use a shooting box. Oops - they do that in USPSA, don't they? We can't have that, then.
Another example might be the infamous holster rule: no light should be visible between the holster and the shooter's belt/body. Unless you're a woman, of course. Then the whole thing is moot (AKA the "boobie rule"). I've had my holster both pass and fail inspections of this rule. The same holster, different matches, different observers - again, subjective. Don't get me started on what an "appropriate" cover garment might be - there are subjective rules for that, too. I believe USPSA does a fair job of defining legal and illegal equipment.
How about the ability (I'd even assert "requirement") of an IDPA COF designer to specify shooting positions, target engagement specifications, etc.? "Stand here, engage these 3 targets with 2 rounds each, move here, engage these targets in tactical sequence with 2 to the body, one to the head," etc. These sorts of things do nothing but generate endless questions (based on the confusion that this creates) from shooters about what they can and cannot do. In USPSA, most COF descriptions are something to the effect of "start at position A, and engage all targets as they become visible." 2 rounds on paper, knock the steel down. Easy. It puts the burden on the course designer, not the shooter, and removes ambiguity.
There are the downright silly rules, too. Tactical reloads, or reloads with retention. You must retain your magazine, unless you're at slide-lock, even if the magazine is empty. What a terrible habit to develop. Drop the empty mag, ram a full one in there, and get on with the gunfight. If you think you're gonna need those 2 bullets in the mag you just wasted 2 seconds stowing away, well, your gunfight priorities might be in the wrong place. No movement of more than 10 yards between any 2 points, because...wait, what? Isn't movement a fundamental tenet of defensive shooting?
I guess most of this discourse gets down to the old argument about whether IDPA is a game, or if it's some sort of training. Let's put it this way: you keep score. Any time you keep score, someone will want to find a way to win. That's all fine and good, but there are many in the sport that say this position flies in the face of the "spirit" of IDPA.
I've tried to chronograph this "spirit," but have yet to get a tangible reading. However, there are PLENTY of shooters who are willing to give us the benefit of their opinion on matters of "spirit" or "intent." I've seen all sorts of opinions up and down the spectrum, and most of them devolve into dogma based on intepretation of a rule. That's the important part: interpretation.
Yes, the sport has created fundamentalists of its own. How scary is that?
It's this sort of nonsense that gets generated whenever subjectivity is allowed to creep into a sport. Either you can measure it consistently, or you can't. Either it is, or it isn't. Either you do, or you don't. Everything should be a binary decision: yes or no, wrong or right, hit or miss. And those decisions should be repeatable, measurable, and finite for all involved, both competitor and adjudicator. Ambiguity leads to dissenting opinions, and opinions lead to arguments - every time. Heck, it doesn't even matter if the rule is stupid, as long as the rule is the same for everyone, and is measurable, repeatable, and finite.
Okay. I feel better now. Please use the comments to add to this discourse if you feel so inclined. Facts are welcomed, but silliness will be made fun of.
19 June 2007
Take one minute and send an email
Take a minute to cut and paste this email address and send a thank you note to the Marines in Iraq right now.
Send the mail to: RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
Cut and paste the email address and you'll do just fine. Seems the jarheads are tired of getting the same old shit sandwich the media is making them eat every time the turn around and catch some news on TV.
Let the Devil Dogs know you appreciate their sacrifice.
Send the mail to: RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
Cut and paste the email address and you'll do just fine. Seems the jarheads are tired of getting the same old shit sandwich the media is making them eat every time the turn around and catch some news on TV.
Let the Devil Dogs know you appreciate their sacrifice.
The Nuge Rocks!
Here's Ted, telling it like it is. Cliff's notes version is that the left is the group in this country that is intolerant, not the right. And I've gotta say, he's right on the money here.
You don't think I'm (we're) right?? Try smoking a good cigar in any one of many cities, including Dallas, that has banned public smoking. Wanna carry a gun for your own defense? Better not live in one of the many liberal cities that has determined guns are more dangerous than cars. Wanna listen to talk radio?? Better get in on that quick before the lefties make that illegal too through the so called "fairness" doctrine. How about celebrate Christmas?
And now, the Nuge lets us know that certain roadies were canned by Sir Paul - an econazi of the nth degree - for sneaking a hamburger in on tour. That's right, eating red meat on tour with the Beatle will get you fired.
You don't think I'm (we're) right?? Try smoking a good cigar in any one of many cities, including Dallas, that has banned public smoking. Wanna carry a gun for your own defense? Better not live in one of the many liberal cities that has determined guns are more dangerous than cars. Wanna listen to talk radio?? Better get in on that quick before the lefties make that illegal too through the so called "fairness" doctrine. How about celebrate Christmas?
And now, the Nuge lets us know that certain roadies were canned by Sir Paul - an econazi of the nth degree - for sneaking a hamburger in on tour. That's right, eating red meat on tour with the Beatle will get you fired.
You heard that right. Fired for eating meat by an animal-rights maniac, hard-core vegan bass player.
Examine the agendas of the liberal "party of peace." Its members clearly don't believe you and I are smart enough or capable of making our own choices in life.
While conservatives "live and let live," the left arrogantly thinks it knows better than we do and will burden "we the people" with more government control until we are taxed to death.
18 June 2007
With a whisper
Less than three hours later, [Thursday, June 14, 2007] the bill passed by a voice vote. The bill in question, H.R. 2640, is a massive expansion of the Brady Gun Control law, the subject of many previous alerts by Gun Owners of America.
The bill's supporters can talk all they want to the contrary, but forcing the states to hand over to the federal government millions of records of Americans for the purpose of conducting a background check is certainly an expansion of gun control.
This is a bill designed to make the gun control trains run on time. Problem is, the train's on the wrong track. We don't need greater efficiency enforcing laws that for years we have fought as being unconstitutional.
And this, gentlemen (and ladies) is how it begins.
15 June 2007
USPSA Area 4 2007
A few videos from the Area 4 Championship. Yes, actual shooting on our blog. Imagine that.
13 June 2007
The Gas Bag on Iraq, 1992
Wow, who would think it? If you were to substitute the gasbag for George Bush, both speeches calling for a war against Iraq sound remarkably similar.
CBS? ABC? NBC? CNN? Fox?? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
A Long Time Ago....
Just about 30 years ago, May 1977, Star Wars debuted. Probably about 30 years ago to the day, my dad took us to see the movie. I remember waiting in a line that wrapped around the movie theater and seeing things on the big screen that up until that point, had only been hiding in someone's imagination.
Wow. Time flies.
Wow. Time flies.
12 June 2007
When Tactical isn't Tactical enough
Thank God I don't know anyone in this video.
Considering that they are from up here in the Metromess, I would assume it's only logical that I've probably rubbed shoulders with some of these, um, ninjas at the local gun shows.
I guess I should consider myself lucky I didn't get stabbed.
Considering that they are from up here in the Metromess, I would assume it's only logical that I've probably rubbed shoulders with some of these, um, ninjas at the local gun shows.
I guess I should consider myself lucky I didn't get stabbed.
11 June 2007
Carry a gun? Read on
Excellent information here for anyone who carries a gun.
New findings from FBI about cop attackers & their weapons
[From Force Science News provided by The Force Science Research Center 5/9/07]
New findings on how offenders train with, carry and deploy the weapons they use to attack police officers have emerged in a just-published, 5-year study by the FBI.
Among other things, the data reveal that most would-be cop killers:
--show signs of being armed that officers miss;
--have more experience using deadly force in “street combat” than their intended victims;
--practice with firearms more often and shoot more accurately;
--have no hesitation whatsoever about pulling the trigger. “If you hesitate,” one told the study’s researchers, “you’re dead. You have the instinct or you don’t. If you don’t, you’re in trouble on the street….”
These and other weapons-related findings comprise one chapter in a 180-page research summary called “Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation’s Law Enforcement Officers.” The study is the third in a series of long investigations into fatal and nonfatal attacks on POs by the FBI team of Dr. Anthony Pinizzotto, clinical forensic psychologist, and Ed Davis, criminal investigative instructor, both with the Bureau’s Behavioral Science Unit, and Charles Miller III, coordinator of the LEOs Killed and Assaulted program.
“Violent Encounters” also reports in detail on the personal characteristics of attacked officers and their assaulters, the role of perception in life-threatening confrontations, the myths of memory that can hamper OIS investigations, the suicide-by-cop phenomenon, current training issues, and other matters relevant to officer survival. (Force Science News and our strategic partner PoliceOne.com will be reporting on more findings from this landmark study in future transmissions.)
Commenting on the broad-based study, Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Research Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato, called it “very challenging and insightful--important work that only a handful of gifted and experienced researchers could accomplish.”
From a pool of more than 800 incidents, the researchers selected 40, involving 43 offenders (13 of them admitted gangbangers-drug traffickers) and 50 officers, for in-depth exploration. They visited crime scenes and extensively interviewed surviving officers and attackers alike, most of the latter in prison.
Here are highlights of what they learned about weapon selection, familiarity, transport and use by criminals attempting to murder cops, a small portion of the overall research:
Weapon Choice
Predominately handguns were used in the assaults on officers and all but one were obtained illegally, usually in street transactions or in thefts. In contrast to media myth, none of the firearms in the study was obtained from gun shows. What was available “was the overriding factor in weapon choice,” the report says. Only 1 offender hand-picked a particular gun “because he felt it would do the most damage to a human being.”
Researcher Davis , in a presentation and discussion for the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, noted that none of the attackers interviewed was “hindered by any law--federal, state or local--that has ever been established to prevent gun ownership. They just laughed at gun laws.”
Familiarity
Several of the offenders began regularly to carry weapons when they were 9 to 12 years old, although the average age was 17 when they first started packing “most of the time.” Gang members especially started young.
Nearly 40% of the offenders had some type of formal firearms training, primarily from the military. More than 80% “regularly practiced with handguns, averaging 23 practice sessions a year,” the study reports, usually in informal settings like trash dumps, rural woods, back yards and “street corners in known drug-trafficking areas.”
One spoke of being motivated to improve his gun skills by his belief that officers “go to the range two, three times a week [and] practice arms so they can hit anything.”
In reality, victim officers in the study averaged just 14 hours of sidearm training and 2.5 qualifications per year. Only 6 of the 50 officers reported practicing regularly with handguns apart from what their department required, and that was mostly in competitive shooting. Overall, the offenders practiced more often than the officers they assaulted, and this “may have helped increase [their] marksmanship skills,” the study says.
The offender quoted above about his practice motivation, for example, fired 12 rounds at an officer, striking him 3 times. The officer fired 7 rounds, all misses.
More than 40% of the offenders had been involved in actual shooting confrontations before they feloniously assaulted an officer. Ten of these “street combat veterans,” all from “inner-city, drug-trafficking environments,” had taken part in 5 or more “criminal firefight experiences” in their lifetime.
One reported that he was 14 when he was first shot on the street, “about 18 before a cop shot me.” Another said getting shot was a pivotal experience “because I made up my mind no one was gonna shoot me again.”
Again in contrast, only 8 of the 50 LEO victims had participated in a prior shooting; 1 had been involved in 2 previously, another in 3. Seven of the 8 had killed offenders.
Concealment
The offenders said they most often hid guns on their person in the front waistband, with the groin area and the small of the back nearly tied for second place. Some occasionally gave their weapons to another person to carry, “most often a female companion.” None regularly used a holster, and about 40% at least sometimes carried a backup weapon.
In motor vehicles, they most often kept their firearm readily available on their person, or, less often, under the seat. In residences, most stashed their weapon under a pillow, on a nightstand, under the mattress--somewhere within immediate reach while in bed.
Almost all carried when on the move and strong majorities did so when socializing, committing crimes or being at home. About one-third brought weapons with them to work. Interestingly, the offenders in this study more commonly admitted having guns under all these circumstances than did offenders interviewed in the researchers’ earlier 2 surveys, conducted in the 1980s and ’90s.
According to Davis , “Male offenders said time and time again that female officers tend to search them more thoroughly than male officers. In prison, most of the offenders were more afraid to carry contraband or weapons when a female CO was on duty.”
On the street, however, both male and female officers too often regard female subjects “as less of a threat, assuming that they not going to have a gun,” Davis said. In truth, the researchers concluded that more female offenders are armed today than 20 years ago--“not just female gang associates, but female offenders generally.”
Shooting Style
Twenty-six of the offenders [about 60%], including all of the street combat veterans, “claimed to be instinctive shooters, pointing and firing the weapon without consciously aligning the sights,” the study says.
“They practice getting the gun out and using it,” Davis explained. “They shoot for effect.” Or as one of the offenders put it: “[W]e’re not working with no marksmanship….We just putting it in your direction, you know….It don’t matter…as long as it’s gonna hit you…if it’s up at your head or your chest, down at your legs, whatever….Once I squeeze and you fall, then…if I want to execute you, then I could go from there.”
Hit Rate
More often than the officers they attacked, offenders delivered at least some rounds on target in their encounters. Nearly 70% of assailants were successful in that regard with handguns, compared to about 40% of the victim officers, the study found. (Efforts of offenders and officers to get on target were considered successful if any rounds struck, regardless of the number fired.)
Davis speculated that the offenders might have had an advantage because in all but 3 cases they fired first, usually catching the officer by surprise. Indeed, the report points out, “10 of the total victim officers had been wounded [and thus impaired] before they returned gunfire at their attackers.”
Missed Cues
Officers would less likely be caught off guard by attackers if they were more observant of indicators of concealed weapons, the study concludes. These particularly include manners of dress, ways of moving and unconscious gestures often related to carrying.
“Officers should look for unnatural protrusions or bulges in the waist, back and crotch areas,” the study says, and watch for “shirts that appear rippled or wavy on one side of the body while the fabric on the other side appears smooth.” In warm weather, multilayered clothing inappropriate to the temperature may be a giveaway. On cold or rainy days, a subject’s jacket hood may not be covering his head because it is being used to conceal a handgun.
Because they eschew holsters, offenders reported frequently touching a concealed gun with hands or arms “to assure themselves that it is still hidden, secure and accessible” and hasn’t shifted. Such gestures are especially noticeable “whenever individuals change body positions, such as standing, sitting or exiting a vehicle.” If they run, they may need to keep a constant grip on a hidden gun to control it.
Just as cops generally blade their body to make their sidearm less accessible, armed criminals “do the same in encounters with LEOs to ensure concealment and easy access.”
An irony, Davis noted, is that officers who are assigned to look for concealed weapons, while working off-duty security at night clubs for instance, are often highly proficient at detecting them. “But then when they go back to the street without that specific assignment, they seem to ‘turn off’ that skill,” and thus are startled--sometimes fatally--when a suspect suddenly produces a weapon and attacks.
Mind-set
Thirty-six of the 50 officers in the study had “experienced hazardous situations where they had the legal authority” to use deadly force “but chose not to shoot.” They averaged 4 such prior incidents before the encounters that the researchers investigated. “It appeared clear that none of these officers were willing to use deadly force against an offender if other options were available,” the researchers concluded.
The offenders were of a different mind-set entirely. In fact, Davis said the study team “did not realize how cold blooded the younger generation of offender is. They have been exposed to killing after killing, they fully expect to get killed and they don’t hesitate to shoot anybody, including a police officer. They can go from riding down the street saying what a beautiful day it is to killing in the next instant.”
“Offenders typically displayed no moral or ethical restraints in using firearms,” the report states. “In fact, the street combat veterans survived by developing a shoot-first mentality.
“Officers never can assume that a criminal is unarmed until they have thoroughly searched the person and the surroundings themselves.” Nor, in the interest of personal safety, can officers “let their guards down in any type of law enforcement situation.”
New findings from FBI about cop attackers & their weapons
[From Force Science News provided by The Force Science Research Center 5/9/07]
New findings on how offenders train with, carry and deploy the weapons they use to attack police officers have emerged in a just-published, 5-year study by the FBI.
Among other things, the data reveal that most would-be cop killers:
--show signs of being armed that officers miss;
--have more experience using deadly force in “street combat” than their intended victims;
--practice with firearms more often and shoot more accurately;
--have no hesitation whatsoever about pulling the trigger. “If you hesitate,” one told the study’s researchers, “you’re dead. You have the instinct or you don’t. If you don’t, you’re in trouble on the street….”
These and other weapons-related findings comprise one chapter in a 180-page research summary called “Violent Encounters: A Study of Felonious Assaults on Our Nation’s Law Enforcement Officers.” The study is the third in a series of long investigations into fatal and nonfatal attacks on POs by the FBI team of Dr. Anthony Pinizzotto, clinical forensic psychologist, and Ed Davis, criminal investigative instructor, both with the Bureau’s Behavioral Science Unit, and Charles Miller III, coordinator of the LEOs Killed and Assaulted program.
“Violent Encounters” also reports in detail on the personal characteristics of attacked officers and their assaulters, the role of perception in life-threatening confrontations, the myths of memory that can hamper OIS investigations, the suicide-by-cop phenomenon, current training issues, and other matters relevant to officer survival. (Force Science News and our strategic partner PoliceOne.com will be reporting on more findings from this landmark study in future transmissions.)
Commenting on the broad-based study, Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Research Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato, called it “very challenging and insightful--important work that only a handful of gifted and experienced researchers could accomplish.”
From a pool of more than 800 incidents, the researchers selected 40, involving 43 offenders (13 of them admitted gangbangers-drug traffickers) and 50 officers, for in-depth exploration. They visited crime scenes and extensively interviewed surviving officers and attackers alike, most of the latter in prison.
Here are highlights of what they learned about weapon selection, familiarity, transport and use by criminals attempting to murder cops, a small portion of the overall research:
Weapon Choice
Predominately handguns were used in the assaults on officers and all but one were obtained illegally, usually in street transactions or in thefts. In contrast to media myth, none of the firearms in the study was obtained from gun shows. What was available “was the overriding factor in weapon choice,” the report says. Only 1 offender hand-picked a particular gun “because he felt it would do the most damage to a human being.”
Researcher Davis , in a presentation and discussion for the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, noted that none of the attackers interviewed was “hindered by any law--federal, state or local--that has ever been established to prevent gun ownership. They just laughed at gun laws.”
Familiarity
Several of the offenders began regularly to carry weapons when they were 9 to 12 years old, although the average age was 17 when they first started packing “most of the time.” Gang members especially started young.
Nearly 40% of the offenders had some type of formal firearms training, primarily from the military. More than 80% “regularly practiced with handguns, averaging 23 practice sessions a year,” the study reports, usually in informal settings like trash dumps, rural woods, back yards and “street corners in known drug-trafficking areas.”
One spoke of being motivated to improve his gun skills by his belief that officers “go to the range two, three times a week [and] practice arms so they can hit anything.”
In reality, victim officers in the study averaged just 14 hours of sidearm training and 2.5 qualifications per year. Only 6 of the 50 officers reported practicing regularly with handguns apart from what their department required, and that was mostly in competitive shooting. Overall, the offenders practiced more often than the officers they assaulted, and this “may have helped increase [their] marksmanship skills,” the study says.
The offender quoted above about his practice motivation, for example, fired 12 rounds at an officer, striking him 3 times. The officer fired 7 rounds, all misses.
More than 40% of the offenders had been involved in actual shooting confrontations before they feloniously assaulted an officer. Ten of these “street combat veterans,” all from “inner-city, drug-trafficking environments,” had taken part in 5 or more “criminal firefight experiences” in their lifetime.
One reported that he was 14 when he was first shot on the street, “about 18 before a cop shot me.” Another said getting shot was a pivotal experience “because I made up my mind no one was gonna shoot me again.”
Again in contrast, only 8 of the 50 LEO victims had participated in a prior shooting; 1 had been involved in 2 previously, another in 3. Seven of the 8 had killed offenders.
Concealment
The offenders said they most often hid guns on their person in the front waistband, with the groin area and the small of the back nearly tied for second place. Some occasionally gave their weapons to another person to carry, “most often a female companion.” None regularly used a holster, and about 40% at least sometimes carried a backup weapon.
In motor vehicles, they most often kept their firearm readily available on their person, or, less often, under the seat. In residences, most stashed their weapon under a pillow, on a nightstand, under the mattress--somewhere within immediate reach while in bed.
Almost all carried when on the move and strong majorities did so when socializing, committing crimes or being at home. About one-third brought weapons with them to work. Interestingly, the offenders in this study more commonly admitted having guns under all these circumstances than did offenders interviewed in the researchers’ earlier 2 surveys, conducted in the 1980s and ’90s.
According to Davis , “Male offenders said time and time again that female officers tend to search them more thoroughly than male officers. In prison, most of the offenders were more afraid to carry contraband or weapons when a female CO was on duty.”
On the street, however, both male and female officers too often regard female subjects “as less of a threat, assuming that they not going to have a gun,” Davis said. In truth, the researchers concluded that more female offenders are armed today than 20 years ago--“not just female gang associates, but female offenders generally.”
Shooting Style
Twenty-six of the offenders [about 60%], including all of the street combat veterans, “claimed to be instinctive shooters, pointing and firing the weapon without consciously aligning the sights,” the study says.
“They practice getting the gun out and using it,” Davis explained. “They shoot for effect.” Or as one of the offenders put it: “[W]e’re not working with no marksmanship….We just putting it in your direction, you know….It don’t matter…as long as it’s gonna hit you…if it’s up at your head or your chest, down at your legs, whatever….Once I squeeze and you fall, then…if I want to execute you, then I could go from there.”
Hit Rate
More often than the officers they attacked, offenders delivered at least some rounds on target in their encounters. Nearly 70% of assailants were successful in that regard with handguns, compared to about 40% of the victim officers, the study found. (Efforts of offenders and officers to get on target were considered successful if any rounds struck, regardless of the number fired.)
Davis speculated that the offenders might have had an advantage because in all but 3 cases they fired first, usually catching the officer by surprise. Indeed, the report points out, “10 of the total victim officers had been wounded [and thus impaired] before they returned gunfire at their attackers.”
Missed Cues
Officers would less likely be caught off guard by attackers if they were more observant of indicators of concealed weapons, the study concludes. These particularly include manners of dress, ways of moving and unconscious gestures often related to carrying.
“Officers should look for unnatural protrusions or bulges in the waist, back and crotch areas,” the study says, and watch for “shirts that appear rippled or wavy on one side of the body while the fabric on the other side appears smooth.” In warm weather, multilayered clothing inappropriate to the temperature may be a giveaway. On cold or rainy days, a subject’s jacket hood may not be covering his head because it is being used to conceal a handgun.
Because they eschew holsters, offenders reported frequently touching a concealed gun with hands or arms “to assure themselves that it is still hidden, secure and accessible” and hasn’t shifted. Such gestures are especially noticeable “whenever individuals change body positions, such as standing, sitting or exiting a vehicle.” If they run, they may need to keep a constant grip on a hidden gun to control it.
Just as cops generally blade their body to make their sidearm less accessible, armed criminals “do the same in encounters with LEOs to ensure concealment and easy access.”
An irony, Davis noted, is that officers who are assigned to look for concealed weapons, while working off-duty security at night clubs for instance, are often highly proficient at detecting them. “But then when they go back to the street without that specific assignment, they seem to ‘turn off’ that skill,” and thus are startled--sometimes fatally--when a suspect suddenly produces a weapon and attacks.
Mind-set
Thirty-six of the 50 officers in the study had “experienced hazardous situations where they had the legal authority” to use deadly force “but chose not to shoot.” They averaged 4 such prior incidents before the encounters that the researchers investigated. “It appeared clear that none of these officers were willing to use deadly force against an offender if other options were available,” the researchers concluded.
The offenders were of a different mind-set entirely. In fact, Davis said the study team “did not realize how cold blooded the younger generation of offender is. They have been exposed to killing after killing, they fully expect to get killed and they don’t hesitate to shoot anybody, including a police officer. They can go from riding down the street saying what a beautiful day it is to killing in the next instant.”
“Offenders typically displayed no moral or ethical restraints in using firearms,” the report states. “In fact, the street combat veterans survived by developing a shoot-first mentality.
“Officers never can assume that a criminal is unarmed until they have thoroughly searched the person and the surroundings themselves.” Nor, in the interest of personal safety, can officers “let their guards down in any type of law enforcement situation.”
Breaking it down
One of the benefits of competition shooting is that you break everything down about the gun. Everything. Experiment, seek consul, and learn what the fastest way to do "X" is. Take what works and discard what does not. That's why you see 100% of the best shooters in the world shooting in some version of the modern isosceles stance and no one worth mentioning shoots Weaver anymore.
Today we shall discuss how to pick up your handgun. There's basically two schools of thought that work and I'll actually use either one, depending on the stage situation and tactics.
First up, what we'll call the "scoop", it looks something like this:
In the scoop, you basically stab your thumb under the beavertail/backstrap of your pistol and get your fingers under the front strap of the grip, pinching the gun off the table and up into your hand. In the picture above, you can see my index finger is also hooked slightly over the trigger guard.
Another version of the scoop without getting close to the trigger guard would look like this:
It relies more on getting your thumb under the gun and is easier to hit the pistol and either cause it to move along the table or push down hard enough to engage the mag release which will cause your mag to fall out rather unceremoniously after the first shot is fired.
Pluses to the scoop are that it is very natural and instinctive, and easy to do - you really don't have to "learn" anything to do it right; just always be aware of where your trigger finger and middle finger are grabbing and you'll be fine. I've seen folks get in a rush and hit the trigger with both of those fingers which is never a good thing when you're not ready to shoot.
Minuses are that in a hurry, it's easy to grab the trigger if you are not paying attention; it's easy to push to hard and engage the mag release; it's also easy to miss your grip and end up either having to re-grip the gun once you have it in your hands or push it along the table until you get a grip on the pistol.
We'll call the 2nd example the "lift" method. Here's what it looks like:
In this method, your weak hand lifts the pistol slightly using the sights or slide as a contact point. Your strong hand is then free to grab the pistol and get a good grip on the weapon. To do it right, you have to get your weak hand moving slightly ahead of your strong hand, which takes some practice. However, once you get it down, it is (for me anyway), clearly a quicker way to get a good grip on the gun - probably in the line of 2-3 tenths of a second or so. Done right, the "lift" keeps the pistol secure on the table, you won't hit the mag release button and you'll end up with a better grip on the gun than if you were going to do the scoop.
The big minus to the lift is that it is not necessarily instinctive and it takes some practice getting used to. It's also a perishable skill, so if you stop practicing it, you're not going to be very good at it.
If I'm shooting from one position, I will use the "lift" method 100% of the time. However, if I'm grabbing the gun and moving to another position to shoot from, the scoop is often times faster because you can just grab the gun and go - and fix your grip if necessary on the way to the first target.
You might notice that the difference between the two methods described above is only a couple tenths of a second. While on face value, that's not a lot of time, there are plenty of other places in the course of the stage that you can shave tenths off here and there and the next thing you know, you're shooting the stage 2 or 3 seconds faster than the other guy - and as they say, it all adds up!
Today we shall discuss how to pick up your handgun. There's basically two schools of thought that work and I'll actually use either one, depending on the stage situation and tactics.
First up, what we'll call the "scoop", it looks something like this:
In the scoop, you basically stab your thumb under the beavertail/backstrap of your pistol and get your fingers under the front strap of the grip, pinching the gun off the table and up into your hand. In the picture above, you can see my index finger is also hooked slightly over the trigger guard.
Another version of the scoop without getting close to the trigger guard would look like this:
It relies more on getting your thumb under the gun and is easier to hit the pistol and either cause it to move along the table or push down hard enough to engage the mag release which will cause your mag to fall out rather unceremoniously after the first shot is fired.
Pluses to the scoop are that it is very natural and instinctive, and easy to do - you really don't have to "learn" anything to do it right; just always be aware of where your trigger finger and middle finger are grabbing and you'll be fine. I've seen folks get in a rush and hit the trigger with both of those fingers which is never a good thing when you're not ready to shoot.
Minuses are that in a hurry, it's easy to grab the trigger if you are not paying attention; it's easy to push to hard and engage the mag release; it's also easy to miss your grip and end up either having to re-grip the gun once you have it in your hands or push it along the table until you get a grip on the pistol.
We'll call the 2nd example the "lift" method. Here's what it looks like:
In this method, your weak hand lifts the pistol slightly using the sights or slide as a contact point. Your strong hand is then free to grab the pistol and get a good grip on the weapon. To do it right, you have to get your weak hand moving slightly ahead of your strong hand, which takes some practice. However, once you get it down, it is (for me anyway), clearly a quicker way to get a good grip on the gun - probably in the line of 2-3 tenths of a second or so. Done right, the "lift" keeps the pistol secure on the table, you won't hit the mag release button and you'll end up with a better grip on the gun than if you were going to do the scoop.
The big minus to the lift is that it is not necessarily instinctive and it takes some practice getting used to. It's also a perishable skill, so if you stop practicing it, you're not going to be very good at it.
If I'm shooting from one position, I will use the "lift" method 100% of the time. However, if I'm grabbing the gun and moving to another position to shoot from, the scoop is often times faster because you can just grab the gun and go - and fix your grip if necessary on the way to the first target.
You might notice that the difference between the two methods described above is only a couple tenths of a second. While on face value, that's not a lot of time, there are plenty of other places in the course of the stage that you can shave tenths off here and there and the next thing you know, you're shooting the stage 2 or 3 seconds faster than the other guy - and as they say, it all adds up!
Fun in the desert
Here's some match vids from my little trip out to the desert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for their state's big match of the year. They put on a great match and the range is one of the best I've ever been to. Hard to beat the view of the Sandia mountains to the east and temps in the low 80s with only 8% humidity.
This was my first big USPSA match shooting Single Stack (with a 1911) and I had a blast. I think I've found a home for me to shoot USPSA in!
This was my first big USPSA match shooting Single Stack (with a 1911) and I had a blast. I think I've found a home for me to shoot USPSA in!
10 June 2007
I waited up for this?
What a pathetic ending to a once great series. Everyone's hopes were buoyed last week with a fantastic episode, and then crushed mercilessly tonight with an episode that frankly sucked ass.
Yeah, it was nice seeing Phil get whacked and then squished. Other than that 15 seconds of what we expect out of a mob movie, the rest of the episode was a pathetic attempt at a Jr. High level screenplay.
David Chase sucks.
Yeah, it was nice seeing Phil get whacked and then squished. Other than that 15 seconds of what we expect out of a mob movie, the rest of the episode was a pathetic attempt at a Jr. High level screenplay.
David Chase sucks.
07 June 2007
Good Luck at Area 4!
Most of the Tattler crew is off shooting the Area 4 USPSA match this weekend. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. Below is a picture of Pimp Daddy last year as he jumps over a cattle gate, on the way to get his gun. I thought the picture had a lot of potential so I decided to have a little fun with it.
Good Luck Everybody!
Good Luck Everybody!Speaking of Gone Fishin'
Ah, fishing with the girlfriend. Is there nothing better? Here she is holding the two fish I caught. She didn't catch anything, but she came back with a big ol' red snapper!
Seriously the most fun I had fishing was going out with my dear old Grandpa. Here is a shot of Grandpa and his trout (NSFW).
Speaking Of Double Rainbows
So JR, was this what you were referring to in your comments in Catfish's post? I took this from my front porch a couple of days ago.
I think we have had more rainfall this spring than we had all last year.
Gone Fishin'
We're heading out to the USPSA Area 4 Championship in Shreveport, LA. I'm bringing a laptop, and assuming we have better than primitive conditions, I'll post some action updates here.
06 June 2007
Thousands of Turkish troops enter Iraq
So, if the Turks take over the Kurds, and they intermingle, do they become Turds or Kurks? Turdistan has a nice ring to it.
05 June 2007
Square Pegs: "Summer is here in Texas" | pegasusnews.com
One of Big D's classics got picked up by the Pegasus News here in Dallas. Trigger-happy? Yep, that's us!
30 May 2007
This one's for you Dick
Here's an all too brief synopsis on picking a pistol. Dick, over at Big Dick's place has penned a gem of a list on his favorite guns. One of them is the Beretta 92. Personally, I think that there are several better choices out there.
Here's the why:
1. I like a pistol to have the same trigger pull every time I pull it. The Beretta has the horrid DA/SA pull, and the first trigger pull is just terrible. The subsequent "single action" pulls aren't much better either. Regardless, if you want to get good with a pistol (or rifle), you do so by practicing a bunch either at the range or dry firing at home. With the Beretta, you basically have to teach your finger two different trigger pulls and being the moron that I am I like to simplify. I don't really care if the trigger pull is a crisp 2.25# like on my 1911s or 2011 or if it's a semi-crisp 4.5# or so like on my SW MP40. What I want is for them to be the same, every time. KISS.
2. Mass. You can pretty much teach any monkey to make an accurate shot if you give them all day to do it. Teaching someone to accurately and rapidly fire shots takes more work. The Beretta ain't helping the shooter to rapidly fire multiple shots. The barrel sits high over your hand, and the center of gravity is such that in rapid fire there's a lot of muzzle flip, which makes rapid follow up shots difficult, and slow. Whether you're competing, or fighting for your life, you want to be able to get multiple rounds on target as fast as you can; the lower the barrel is to your hand, the faster you can control the pistol in recoil. Compare how high the Beretta's top end sits compared to a Glock, 1911, XD, or MP.
3. Ergonomics. The Beretta is grossly un-ergonomic. The controls are in the wrong place. You want the safeties and slide releases to be where they make sense, and where your fingers naturally fall. The Beretta's do not. Yes, you can get used to it and train yourself to do so. But again, compare the controls to the other pistols and you'll see what I'm talking about.
4. Reliability. I've seen just about every kind of gun out there puke or jam. But I've seen very few of them actually break. I've seen first hand 3 different Beretta 92s come apart at the seams when their locking blocks gave up the ghost. Had that happened after 100,000 rounds or so, I could understand it. But of the three I saw break - two had around 20,000 rounds through it and one had less than 5,000. All 3 happened at national level competitions, fully adhering to Mr. Murphy's law.... And when you consider that this year I'll shoot about 20,000 rounds through my pistols, that's not a real long time before you start needing to worry if your gun will go bang when you pull the trigger. You also want to know that your pistol will function with minimal care and will function properly in a variety of conditions. Compared to the other 3 choices I've mentioned, the Beretta loses out here as well.
5. Competition. I fully believe that the cream rises to the top in competition. No one wants to spend thousands of dollars a year in ammo, practice time, match fees, travel, etc, to go to a match and be handicapped by your weapon platform. When you look at the top shooters in the sport you see that there are very few pistols that are used. By far the most popular platform is the 1911/2011. The Glocks rule the plastic gun division, but you are seeing inroads made by the XD, MP, and CZ. I've owned and shot all of them, except the CZ. If I was going to buy a pistol, or recommend one to someone wanting a gun that worked, every time I'd recommend the Glock, XD, and MP to those folks who aren't all that familiar with pistols. I've heard alot of folks rave about the CZs, I just don't have any personal experience with them one way or the other to make a recommendation.
What I tell new shooters to do when they're considering buying a pistol is to go to a range where you can rent a Glock, XD and MP (or come to a match with us and borrow one of ours....) and see which one fits your hand best. For me, that's the MP. The Glock's too big, the XD's too small, and the MP is just right. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those pistols, you just need to find the one that fits you the best.
I'm sure the other guys will chime in here with something I've forgotten or left out, but in the meantime, if you've got any questions, lemme know!
Here's the why:
1. I like a pistol to have the same trigger pull every time I pull it. The Beretta has the horrid DA/SA pull, and the first trigger pull is just terrible. The subsequent "single action" pulls aren't much better either. Regardless, if you want to get good with a pistol (or rifle), you do so by practicing a bunch either at the range or dry firing at home. With the Beretta, you basically have to teach your finger two different trigger pulls and being the moron that I am I like to simplify. I don't really care if the trigger pull is a crisp 2.25# like on my 1911s or 2011 or if it's a semi-crisp 4.5# or so like on my SW MP40. What I want is for them to be the same, every time. KISS.
2. Mass. You can pretty much teach any monkey to make an accurate shot if you give them all day to do it. Teaching someone to accurately and rapidly fire shots takes more work. The Beretta ain't helping the shooter to rapidly fire multiple shots. The barrel sits high over your hand, and the center of gravity is such that in rapid fire there's a lot of muzzle flip, which makes rapid follow up shots difficult, and slow. Whether you're competing, or fighting for your life, you want to be able to get multiple rounds on target as fast as you can; the lower the barrel is to your hand, the faster you can control the pistol in recoil. Compare how high the Beretta's top end sits compared to a Glock, 1911, XD, or MP.
3. Ergonomics. The Beretta is grossly un-ergonomic. The controls are in the wrong place. You want the safeties and slide releases to be where they make sense, and where your fingers naturally fall. The Beretta's do not. Yes, you can get used to it and train yourself to do so. But again, compare the controls to the other pistols and you'll see what I'm talking about.
4. Reliability. I've seen just about every kind of gun out there puke or jam. But I've seen very few of them actually break. I've seen first hand 3 different Beretta 92s come apart at the seams when their locking blocks gave up the ghost. Had that happened after 100,000 rounds or so, I could understand it. But of the three I saw break - two had around 20,000 rounds through it and one had less than 5,000. All 3 happened at national level competitions, fully adhering to Mr. Murphy's law.... And when you consider that this year I'll shoot about 20,000 rounds through my pistols, that's not a real long time before you start needing to worry if your gun will go bang when you pull the trigger. You also want to know that your pistol will function with minimal care and will function properly in a variety of conditions. Compared to the other 3 choices I've mentioned, the Beretta loses out here as well.
5. Competition. I fully believe that the cream rises to the top in competition. No one wants to spend thousands of dollars a year in ammo, practice time, match fees, travel, etc, to go to a match and be handicapped by your weapon platform. When you look at the top shooters in the sport you see that there are very few pistols that are used. By far the most popular platform is the 1911/2011. The Glocks rule the plastic gun division, but you are seeing inroads made by the XD, MP, and CZ. I've owned and shot all of them, except the CZ. If I was going to buy a pistol, or recommend one to someone wanting a gun that worked, every time I'd recommend the Glock, XD, and MP to those folks who aren't all that familiar with pistols. I've heard alot of folks rave about the CZs, I just don't have any personal experience with them one way or the other to make a recommendation.
What I tell new shooters to do when they're considering buying a pistol is to go to a range where you can rent a Glock, XD and MP (or come to a match with us and borrow one of ours....) and see which one fits your hand best. For me, that's the MP. The Glock's too big, the XD's too small, and the MP is just right. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those pistols, you just need to find the one that fits you the best.
I'm sure the other guys will chime in here with something I've forgotten or left out, but in the meantime, if you've got any questions, lemme know!
29 May 2007
Nothing to see here folks; move along
We have been saying it from day 1. Our country is so wrapped up in not wanting to offend someone's feelings that we are in the act of committing suicide.
Read the report, read the whole thing. And then ask your Congresspeople why nothing is being done.
Read the report, read the whole thing. And then ask your Congresspeople why nothing is being done.
Just a little something to go with your foil hat...
Here's some classic marketing mumbo-jumbo for you:
"Even ISA Bodywear's Andreas Sallmann, the guy who came up with the idea, admits that the scientific evidence linking cell phones to reduced male fertility is ambiguous at best. "But if a risk exists, I make it possible to avoid it," he told Le Matin, a French-language newspaper in Switzerland."
I wonder if they come in boxers, briefs AND banana hammocks?
"Even ISA Bodywear's Andreas Sallmann, the guy who came up with the idea, admits that the scientific evidence linking cell phones to reduced male fertility is ambiguous at best. "But if a risk exists, I make it possible to avoid it," he told Le Matin, a French-language newspaper in Switzerland."
I wonder if they come in boxers, briefs AND banana hammocks?
28 May 2007
Memorial Day
“I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not to tell stories or look at old pictures. Not to laugh or weep. Comrades gather because they long to be with the men who once acted their best, men who suffered and sacrificed, who were stripped raw, right down to their humanity.
I did not pick these men. They were delivered by fate. But I know them in a way I know no other men. I have never given anyone such trust. They were willing to guard something more precious than my life. They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing to die for one another.
I cannot say where we are headed. Ours are not perfect friendships; those are the province of legend and myth. A few of my comrade’s drift far from me now, sending back only occasional word. I know that one day even these could fall to silence. Some of the men will stay close, a couple, perhaps, always at hand.
As long as I have memory, I will think of them all, every day. I am sure that when I leave this world, my last thought will be of my family and my comrades...such good men.”
From "These Good Men" by Michael Norman
I did not pick these men. They were delivered by fate. But I know them in a way I know no other men. I have never given anyone such trust. They were willing to guard something more precious than my life. They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing to die for one another.
I cannot say where we are headed. Ours are not perfect friendships; those are the province of legend and myth. A few of my comrade’s drift far from me now, sending back only occasional word. I know that one day even these could fall to silence. Some of the men will stay close, a couple, perhaps, always at hand.
As long as I have memory, I will think of them all, every day. I am sure that when I leave this world, my last thought will be of my family and my comrades...such good men.”
From "These Good Men" by Michael Norman
26 May 2007
Arkansas Sectional
Finally got some time to sit down and make some videos for your viewing pleasure.
Here's a couple from the Arkansas Sectional; shot the beginning of May.
Fun stuff!!
Here's a couple from the Arkansas Sectional; shot the beginning of May.
Fun stuff!!
25 May 2007
FW students protest TAKS decision
Students who had been planning to walk across the stage at graduation ceremonies this weekend were instead walking a picket line Thursday morning.
WTF? "Let Are Kids Walk"? Are you kidding me?
I have never liked the idea of the standardized TAKS tests, but if that girl can't even get her protest sign right, she needs to miss graduation. In fact, if none of the other protesters were smart enough to see it and suggest that she correct it, they need to miss graduation, also.
See you in summer school, dumbasses!
Boy Bags Wild Hog Bigger Than 'Hogzilla'
An 11-year-old Alabama boy used a pistol to kill a wild hog his father says weighed a staggering 1,051 pounds and measured 9-feet-4 from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail. Think hams as big as car tires.
He said he shot the huge animal eight times with a .50- caliber revolver and chased it for three hours through hilly woods before finishing it off with a point-blank shot.
24 May 2007
That's gonna leave a mark
Make sure to watch this act of tactical brilliance alllll the way to the end.
23 May 2007
I feel safer already
In yet another of many such examples, Her Majesty Miller has proven to me that she really shouldn't be Mayor.
Don't want to get shot by the cops?? Then don't go pointing guns at them - real or otherwise. But instead of using common sense, the citizens of the grand city of Dallas get another worthless law they can feel good about.
I feel safer already. How 'bout you?
Said Mayor Laura Miller: “If toy guns look exactly like real guns, I think that we should not allow them to be on the streets of Dallas. It's dangerous. In moments of high adrenaline, our police officers, when they can't decide whether it's a toy gun or a real gun, shootings may happen that shouldn't occur.”Yeah, that's it.
Don't want to get shot by the cops?? Then don't go pointing guns at them - real or otherwise. But instead of using common sense, the citizens of the grand city of Dallas get another worthless law they can feel good about.
I feel safer already. How 'bout you?
22 May 2007
Sacrifice
As a historian, I come across some interesting articles from time to time. This one today rang especially true.
Our society as a whole is so well off, so lazy, and so unaffected by the ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and it's a night and day difference to how the country as a whole was organized during WWII.
Imagine, if you will, if rationing were in effect today.
America needs to wake the hell up.
Our society as a whole is so well off, so lazy, and so unaffected by the ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and it's a night and day difference to how the country as a whole was organized during WWII.
When the United States entered World War II, the whole nation became committed to the war effort. "Victory gardens" and "Rosie the Riveter" were all the rage. Scrap drives and blackouts were part of life on the homefront.Where's Rosy the Riveter today? What about victory gardens? While we do have blackouts today, they are not the result of rationing, but rather the end result of 40 years of bad energy policy. (Making fun of the eco-movement will be the topic on another day...)
However, rationing was the largest contributor to the war effort, by evenly distributing goods and reining in prices. A nation already used to doing without during the Great Depression continued to do so, despite a dramatic increase in buying power.Can you imagine anyone in this country going without anything?? Thanks to the boomer generation and their ME ME ME mentality, we haven't (as a nation) done without in quite some time.
Imagine, if you will, if rationing were in effect today.
Tires were the first item to be rationed, in January 1942. Quickly following were passenger automobiles, typewriters, sugar, gasoline, bicycles, footwear, fuel oil, coffee, stoves, shoes, meat, lard, shortening and oils, cheese, butter, margarine, processed foods (canned, bottled and frozen), dried fruits, canned milk, firewood and coal, jams, jellies and fruit butter, by November 1943.We are so fat and ignorant as a nation that it's hard to believe that the WWII generation were our fathers and grandfathers.
America needs to wake the hell up.
Monkey dead from bubonic plague in Denver | Reuters
Bring out your dead!...monkeys.
I wonder if there's any poo left to fling?
Zoo veterinarian Dave Kenny said that the risk of plague spreading to humans was extremely low but that visitors were being urged to avoid squirrels and rabbits.Duly noted, thanks.
I wonder if there's any poo left to fling?
20 May 2007
Grandmother Finds Source Of Headaches: Bullet In Brain
I think the headline sums it up nicely, don't you?
The 77-year-old finally went to see a doctor after suffering persistent headaches since she was a child.Yeah, "surprised" is an adequate description.
Doctors at Shuyang Leniency Hospital sent Jin Guangying for an x-ray to find out the cause. "We were surprised to learn there was a bullet inside her head," her son, Wang Zhengbang, told the Yangtse Evening Post
19 May 2007
Sorry I missed this one!
It would appear that gun grabber Mayor Bloomberg of NYC has ticked off some interesting fellows in Virginia.
In response to Bloomberg's attempt to sue gun shops for allegedly selling guns to NYC undercover officers, these guys staged a rally and gave away a coupla free guns!
How cool is that? Looks like they had a decent turnout and coverage by the press wasn't all that bad; nowadays, that's a victory.
There was some whining going on; seems like parents of some of the kids killed at Virginia Tech don't like guns at all - never mind the fact that VT essentially begged somone to go on a gun rampage by declaring it a "gun free zone". Ever notice that the only people that don't carry a gun in gun free zones are the good guys? Those among our population who are defective don't seem to pay those silly gun free zones much attention now, do they???
Nevertheless, I digress.
Any chance to win a free gun is a good day! Wish I could have been there.
In response to Bloomberg's attempt to sue gun shops for allegedly selling guns to NYC undercover officers, these guys staged a rally and gave away a coupla free guns!
How cool is that? Looks like they had a decent turnout and coverage by the press wasn't all that bad; nowadays, that's a victory.
There was some whining going on; seems like parents of some of the kids killed at Virginia Tech don't like guns at all - never mind the fact that VT essentially begged somone to go on a gun rampage by declaring it a "gun free zone". Ever notice that the only people that don't carry a gun in gun free zones are the good guys? Those among our population who are defective don't seem to pay those silly gun free zones much attention now, do they???
Nevertheless, I digress.
Any chance to win a free gun is a good day! Wish I could have been there.
Seems to be a lot of this going on
Hmmmmm, seems to be that there's a lot of Texas area muslims raising eyebrows. This sorry lot of turds says that they were out in the woods on a "weekend shooting trip" in Willis, which is just north of Conroe. Probably out in the Sam Houston National Forest, where I spent a good deal of time in college shooting, hunting, and hiking.
Never had any meetings with suspicious characters wanting to overthrow western civilazation, though. This also looks like yet another case when we're letting people into the country who have no business coming here.
Never had any meetings with suspicious characters wanting to overthrow western civilazation, though. This also looks like yet another case when we're letting people into the country who have no business coming here.
17 May 2007
Break out the KY
Cause here it comes, fellas.
In a striking reach across party lines, the White House and key lawmakers agreed Thursday on a sweeping immigration plan to grant legal status to millions of people in the country unlawfully.When the document in question is nearly 1000 pages long, and none of the Senators praising the bill have even read it; we're hosed.
Sad thing about history is that no one ever seems to learn from it.
15 May 2007
The Raptor
Is this badass or what?
Click on the link and then click on the picture of the Raptor that says something to the effect of "see the 1st air show demonstration of the Raptor..." Turn the volume up, this rocks!
Click on the link and then click on the picture of the Raptor that says something to the effect of "see the 1st air show demonstration of the Raptor..." Turn the volume up, this rocks!
13 May 2007
One more bites the dust
One more scumbag bites the dust. Wonder how those 72 virgins are treating him.
Truly Amazing!
I don't think that I've ever heard of this happening before - even the docs are calling it a miracle.
Wow.
Wow.
12 May 2007
Just callin' it like I'm seein' it
Looks like this church is getting ready to either get sued, a Justice Department investigation, or blown up.
Even odds as to which one comes first.
Even odds as to which one comes first.
11 May 2007
Bullet Hose
We came about this little gem after detaining a collection of Iraqi oil and pipeline security folk who were conducting illegal shakedown checkpoints out in the hinterlands. In the process of cataloguing their equipment the scribing NCO described the MG3 as some sort of Star Wars blaster rifle, and so it’s true nature went undiscovered until I happened to see it propped up against the wall in the supply room, whereupon I discerned the true nature of this fine piece of warmongery.
Star Wars Blaster rifle. Now THAT'S funny. Largely because copies of the MG42 (The MG3 is a modernized MG42, firing .308) and other German weapons like the broomhandle Mauser were used in Star Wars and also because it shows just how much Star Wars has permeated our daily lexicon.
Did a little looking around on You Tube and found this video of some fellas having fun with an MG3 like the one described in the story linked above. This puppy is definitely on my list of weapons to shoot if I ever get a chance to get my hands on one!
Just a little something from Fred
I got this sent to me and thought I would share. I really wish Fred would finally throw his hat in the ring.
10 May 2007
YouTube - Pulp Fiction F**king Short Version
Clearly not safe for work, home, or any other public f**king place. Not to be watched without headphones or a sense of humor.
HT to The Girl. I understand that she kisses her mother with that mouth.
I never realized how much they use that word in that movie.
HT to The Girl. I understand that she kisses her mother with that mouth.
I never realized how much they use that word in that movie.
08 May 2007
'Mickey Mouse' promotes jihad
Religion of Peace update.
I'm sure this is just a perfectly harmless TV show and that we in the west are clearly mis-interpreting what these holy fellows are telling us.
What's next? The jihadiis using a likeness of Captain Kangaroo? Ernie and Bert (oh wait, they're gay so the muslims wouldn't use them...), Cat in the Hat?
Palestinian children are being entertained and indoctrinated on television by a Mickey Mouse-knockoff who teaches them to fight for Israel's destruction and Islam's domination over the entire world.And:
Al-Aqsa TV, run by the Palestinian Territories ruling party Hamas, features a squeaky-voiced Mickey Mouse look-alike named Farfur in the weekly children's program "Tomorrow's Pioneers."
Farfur tells children they must pray in the mosque five times a day until there is "world leadership under Islamic leadership."
I'm sure this is just a perfectly harmless TV show and that we in the west are clearly mis-interpreting what these holy fellows are telling us.
What's next? The jihadiis using a likeness of Captain Kangaroo? Ernie and Bert (oh wait, they're gay so the muslims wouldn't use them...), Cat in the Hat?
05 May 2007
Governor Rick Perry Says Guns are Good. Go Rick!
I've avoided weighing in on this topic, mostly because I've been so entertained by the pro/con arguments that have been batted about the airwaves and InterWebs. Let's see if I can break down the pro and con stances:
Pro (link to newspaper editorial here):
Let's break it down a little, and try to be rational, okay (I know, liberal friends, this is a stretch, but let's give it shot - oh, sorry)? Children and criminals (felons) cannot possess firearms, much less get a CHL. That knocks out most arguments right there. It's the 21 and over citizen that is eligible for a CHL. You have to pay money, take a course, pass a firearms test, and wait about 60 days to get your license. You learn the laws, because YOUR penalty is stiffer than those without a CHL for some transgressions (or it seems that way - they can take your license away, and remove your carry privilege). In other words, not just any Tom, Dick, or Jane can legally carry a gun in the Great State of Texas.
As for churches and hospitals, guess what? It's already legal for a CHL holder to carry in these places, UNLESS they are given proper notification (vis-a-vis PC 30.06) to the contrary. Surprised? So are most who are ignorant of Texas law.
Here's the bottom line: if you don't have a problem with a LEO carrying in public places, you needn't worry about a CHL holder doing likewise. Think about it this way - if you're in harm's way, what's better? A 911 call, or a firearm in hand? The 911 call will only tell the police where to find your body.
Pro (link to newspaper editorial here):
CHL holders must pass more stringent criminal background checks than law enforcement officers in Texas. They are fingerprinted. They are held to a higher standard with respect to accountability in the use of deadly force, and the class they must take and pass points that out and reinforces it over and again. They must pass a rudimentary shooting test. CHL holders often know CHL law better than most LEOs [sorry - I mean NO disrespect, but that's true story, based on a REAL argument with a REAL LEO. I won.]. In other words, CHL holders are the GOOD guys, the ones you want around when a bad guy wades in with mayhem on his mind. They are NOT going to have gunfights in the street, they are NOT going to be irresponsible in the use of their firearms, and why? Because they KNOW the consequences of their actions. CHL holders are NOT the problem.Con (Another link to newspaper editorial here):
OH MY GOD, NO!!! This is a horrible idea! Children are allowed to carry guns in school? That's crazy! Guns in churches and hospitals? Nuts! Guns in a strip club? Well, that's just nutty! Rick Perry is an idiot for bringing this up! No wonder 2/3 of all Texans voted against him last election!!! This is madness! Think of the children!Almost to the letter, I have read these exact same arguments in the various forums for airing one's opinion. Pro = rational arguments, and Con = emotional reactions.
Let's break it down a little, and try to be rational, okay (I know, liberal friends, this is a stretch, but let's give it shot - oh, sorry)? Children and criminals (felons) cannot possess firearms, much less get a CHL. That knocks out most arguments right there. It's the 21 and over citizen that is eligible for a CHL. You have to pay money, take a course, pass a firearms test, and wait about 60 days to get your license. You learn the laws, because YOUR penalty is stiffer than those without a CHL for some transgressions (or it seems that way - they can take your license away, and remove your carry privilege). In other words, not just any Tom, Dick, or Jane can legally carry a gun in the Great State of Texas.
As for churches and hospitals, guess what? It's already legal for a CHL holder to carry in these places, UNLESS they are given proper notification (vis-a-vis PC 30.06) to the contrary. Surprised? So are most who are ignorant of Texas law.
Here's the bottom line: if you don't have a problem with a LEO carrying in public places, you needn't worry about a CHL holder doing likewise. Think about it this way - if you're in harm's way, what's better? A 911 call, or a firearm in hand? The 911 call will only tell the police where to find your body.
04 May 2007
Mavs Suck!
Listening to the talking heads this year, the Mavs were already the NBA champs. After all, last year they were a pleasant surprise making the finals only to lose it... This year they were expected to take it all and with the best record in the NBA they looked to be a shoe in.
BUT.
They sucked ass. First time in a 7 game series that the last seeded team beat the first seeded team. Watching the games, it was clear that the Warriors just flat out wanted it more. When the big German went 1 for 10 from the field last night in the first half I went to bed - because it was clear an ass whipping was on its way.
And that's what they got. All the talk about Dirk for MVP means squat because as of now, he's the Payton Manning of the NBA. Tears it up during the regular season and a whole lotta nuthin' in the playoffs.
All I can say is I'm glad I didn't lose any sleep in the ass whipping last night.
BUT.
They sucked ass. First time in a 7 game series that the last seeded team beat the first seeded team. Watching the games, it was clear that the Warriors just flat out wanted it more. When the big German went 1 for 10 from the field last night in the first half I went to bed - because it was clear an ass whipping was on its way.
And that's what they got. All the talk about Dirk for MVP means squat because as of now, he's the Payton Manning of the NBA. Tears it up during the regular season and a whole lotta nuthin' in the playoffs.
All I can say is I'm glad I didn't lose any sleep in the ass whipping last night.
29 April 2007
Mars heating up
Obviously, Haliburton, Dick Cheney and Rummey have been conducting secret projects beneath the surface of Mars which is causing the same degree of global warming on Mars that is happening on Earth...
Yeah, that's it.
Yeah, that's it.
Run Fred Run
I really hope Senator Thompson runs for President. As it says in the article, none of the other Republican candidates are making me feel warm and fuzzy.
Some weekend fun
While our erstwhile blogfather was at home lounging about his swimming pool, a couple of us actually got out and did some shooting....
27 April 2007
Hillary a cunning linguist?
Yes, dear readers, the Hildabeast has stated that she slips into jive whenever she's speaking to black audiences because she's qualified to be the nation's first "mulilingual" president.
I shouldn't have to remind you what the penalty for a white Republican man talking in jive would be....
I shouldn't have to remind you what the penalty for a white Republican man talking in jive would be....
Natural pearls sell for $7.1 million
$7.1M for a pearl necklace? Wonder what a Cleveland Steamer or a Brown Clown goes for?
26 April 2007
Attacked by beans?
Typically around these parts, when someone attacks someone else with beans it's a chemical attack, why would anyone want to actually throw the beans? I mean, it's common to order a coupla extra sides of refried beans as a means of self defense.
Depending on which of my dear friends it is, I think I'd much rather be hit by the flying beans than the chemical version.
By the way, Hugh Grant is a ninny.
Depending on which of my dear friends it is, I think I'd much rather be hit by the flying beans than the chemical version.
By the way, Hugh Grant is a ninny.
let you know when there will be the summer - SUMMERMETER.COM
A new Internet meme. Let you know when there will be the summer.
25 April 2007
Gun Control is Bullshit
I cannot believe that this was produced and shown on Showtime TV. Utterly stunned.
Watch all three segments, and make sure to pay extra close attention to the first coupla of minutes on #3, in light of recent events it's rather prophetic.
Rated R for language.
Watch all three segments, and make sure to pay extra close attention to the first coupla of minutes on #3, in light of recent events it's rather prophetic.
Rated R for language.
Miami Vice
One of the best ever quick draws on TV. Jim Zubiena was a big time shooter back in the day and his draw is for real. Compare this to the pathetically slow Tom Cruise draw in Collateral and you'll see a draw from someone who knows what he's doing and someone who's acting...
23 April 2007
Now THAT's Tactical
Porta's Cat wrote last week about things that just aren't true. As usual, he made a lot of sense.
In my perusing of the Internet, I came back across a website which shall go largely un-named because I would hate like hell for anyone to actually go there and think this fellow was some sort of expert.
Enter this clip:
Now, if you paid attention, you'll notice the fellow pulling the trigger barely gets his hit ON PAPER (but not ON TARGET) with his first round, and from all appearances, yanked his second round off and to the left of the entire freaking target. At about 2 yards. I'll tell you right now - that's pathetic. This fellow takes the position that if you LOOK tactical - then you must know how to shoot. He's got two guns on his body. He's wearing BDUs. But he can't shoot.
For more learning, let's observe this clip:
A few points of interest here.
First, anyone who is teaching defensive shooting that tells you to just stand there and blow rounds downrange is going to get you killed. Period. You damn well better be able to shoot and move, preferably laterally.
Second, do you really think in an urban environment, surrounded by houses, children, neighbors, etc that you want to do this sort of shooting? As proven in clip 1, he's not hitting jack sheeeit. Where do you think all those rounds going downrange are going to impact? You'd damn well better be able to account for every stinking shot that leaves your weapon. And the only way to do that is to actually be watching the little bump on the front of the barrel or have the muzzle pressed right up against the bad guy.
Third, the tactical scan. Next to the tactical reload, that has to be one of the all time stupidest, dumb assed thing I've seen the tactical trainers teach. That works great when you're scanning PAPER targets to see if you've hit it or not. I mean, really, let's think about this for a second... if you are shooting at someone who means you bodily harm and they're still coming at you, what are you going to do, stop and scan or keep shooting?
The other problem I've seen with about 99.9% of shooters who do the tactical scan in practice or at matches is that THEY DON'T ACTUALLY SEE! I have seen shooters scan targets that are completely missing holes, or scan steel that's still standing up - without re-engaging the target! What's the point, I wonder, except it looks like you're a tactical MoFo. If you're going to look, freaking SEE!
So, just because it's on the internets doesn't mean it's true! And if you figure out how to get to this bozo's website, buyer beware!
In my perusing of the Internet, I came back across a website which shall go largely un-named because I would hate like hell for anyone to actually go there and think this fellow was some sort of expert.
Enter this clip:
Now, if you paid attention, you'll notice the fellow pulling the trigger barely gets his hit ON PAPER (but not ON TARGET) with his first round, and from all appearances, yanked his second round off and to the left of the entire freaking target. At about 2 yards. I'll tell you right now - that's pathetic. This fellow takes the position that if you LOOK tactical - then you must know how to shoot. He's got two guns on his body. He's wearing BDUs. But he can't shoot.
For more learning, let's observe this clip:
A few points of interest here.
First, anyone who is teaching defensive shooting that tells you to just stand there and blow rounds downrange is going to get you killed. Period. You damn well better be able to shoot and move, preferably laterally.
Second, do you really think in an urban environment, surrounded by houses, children, neighbors, etc that you want to do this sort of shooting? As proven in clip 1, he's not hitting jack sheeeit. Where do you think all those rounds going downrange are going to impact? You'd damn well better be able to account for every stinking shot that leaves your weapon. And the only way to do that is to actually be watching the little bump on the front of the barrel or have the muzzle pressed right up against the bad guy.
Third, the tactical scan. Next to the tactical reload, that has to be one of the all time stupidest, dumb assed thing I've seen the tactical trainers teach. That works great when you're scanning PAPER targets to see if you've hit it or not. I mean, really, let's think about this for a second... if you are shooting at someone who means you bodily harm and they're still coming at you, what are you going to do, stop and scan or keep shooting?
The other problem I've seen with about 99.9% of shooters who do the tactical scan in practice or at matches is that THEY DON'T ACTUALLY SEE! I have seen shooters scan targets that are completely missing holes, or scan steel that's still standing up - without re-engaging the target! What's the point, I wonder, except it looks like you're a tactical MoFo. If you're going to look, freaking SEE!
So, just because it's on the internets doesn't mean it's true! And if you figure out how to get to this bozo's website, buyer beware!
Two Secret Service officers injured at White House
Here's a little story from last week that I found entertaining....
I wonder how that new job in BFE, Alaska is going for the individual responsible for the ND....
"It appears that at approximately 2:10 p.m. (1810 GMT) there was an accidental discharge of a service issued weapon, which occurred inside the Southwest Gate at a security post near the White House," Blackford said.
I wonder how that new job in BFE, Alaska is going for the individual responsible for the ND....
20 April 2007
Alec Baldwin's Threatening Message to Daughter
Everybody gets frustrated with their kids, but to speak like this to a child is just deplorable. Time and time again, Alec Baldwin has shown the type of person he really is. He is a piece of shit.
19 April 2007
BAG Day, a few days late....
Sorry Blob, but I've been swamped. I DID Buy a Gun on BAG day, and here she is:
Picked up this STI Spartan from a fellow on the Enos forums, and had him replace the trigger you see here, which my fingers don't really care for, with the standard trigger. It came with a Smith Alexander mag well some updated trigger parts (sear/disconnector/leaf spring etc) and a set of excellent grips that are very comfy.
I am going to get rid of the front sight, it's too fat for my liking, and will soon put an ambi safety on her. Excellent buy for an out of the box 1911 and I'm going to flat wear this gun out. Enjoy the finish that's on it now because in 2-3 months it will be gone.
Picked up this STI Spartan from a fellow on the Enos forums, and had him replace the trigger you see here, which my fingers don't really care for, with the standard trigger. It came with a Smith Alexander mag well some updated trigger parts (sear/disconnector/leaf spring etc) and a set of excellent grips that are very comfy.
I am going to get rid of the front sight, it's too fat for my liking, and will soon put an ambi safety on her. Excellent buy for an out of the box 1911 and I'm going to flat wear this gun out. Enjoy the finish that's on it now because in 2-3 months it will be gone.
25 years murder-free in 'Gun Town USA'
The Reuters story went on to report: 'Since the Virginia Tech shootings, some conservative U.S. talk show hosts have rejected attempts to link the massacre to the availability of guns, arguing that had students been allowed to carry weapons on campus someone might have been able to shoot the killer.'The crazy idea that more guns don't equal more violence has started to catch on. The story I've linked to above references the city of Kennesaw, GA, where they passed a law requiring every household to be armed. This was in response to Morton Grove, Illinois' law banning all guns. The results?
The crime rate initially plummeted for several years after the passage of the ordinance, with the 2005 per capita crime rate actually significantly lower than it was in 1981, the year before passage of the law.And the "gun-free" city?
Prior to enactment of the law, Kennesaw had a population of just 5,242 but a crime rate significantly higher (4,332 per 100,000) than the national average (3,899 per 100,000). The latest statistics available – for the year 2005 – show the rate at 2,027 per 100,000. Meanwhile, the population has skyrocketed to 28,189.
By comparison, the population of Morton Grove, the first city in Illinois to adopt a gun ban for anyone other than police officers, has actually dropped slightly and stands at 22,202, according to 2005 statistics. More significantly, perhaps, the city's crime rate increased by 15.7 percent immediately after the gun ban, even though the overall crime rate in Cook County rose only 3 percent. Today, by comparison, the township's crime rate stands at 2,268.1.Let's face the facts, folks. "Gun-free" zones are what the bad guys want.
17 April 2007
FARK.com: (2018473) I'm stuck to my chair. I'm so very scared. Help. (Details In thread)
One year anniversary of one of the funniest Fark threads EVER. Read and weep.
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence - Yeah, whatEVER.
Let's allow the Brady Bunch to help us. Click on the link above, and use their very own form letter to send your message to your congress-persons and the President. If you're at a loss, here's my version:
Please don't listen to the outrageous lies of these people. Guns aren't the problem, and we've got more than enough laws. If that monster was willing to kill 32 people, he could give one whit about one more gun law.SHOW those Brady Bastards how you feel about their stupidity. Get off your ass, and do something about it!
You want to make a difference? Allow law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. If only ONE person had been able to legally defend himself against this lunatic, we'd be reading about how tragedy had been averted, not about how 32 people were mercilessly murdered without ANY defense whatsoever.
Monsters are amongst us. Are YOU going to be the person who keeps me from protecting myself (or more importantly) my loved ones from the predators that would take our very freedom?
I AM the voice of reason, and I AM the voice of the vast majority of Americans. Help us help ourselves.
16 April 2007
Imagine if students were armed
Larry Hincker is the Virginia Tech spokesman who practically pooped himself with joy this morning when the Virginia legislature struck down a measure to allow guns on campus. Minutes later, the tragic events of this day unfolded.
The link above goes to an editorial from last year, when another gunman managed to commit mayhem on the VTech campus. Larry was dumbfounded that anyone would even think of arming students. Quoth he:
33 people executed in a gun-free zone, where police never took fire, nor did a thing to end the violence. So much for your "highly-trained officers" and their "high-powered rifles." ONE person with a handgun could've saved dozens of lives, but instead, the law-abiding citizens fell to one crazed murdered with the intent and desire to do harm. Congratulations on your gun-free zone, Larry. I hope you sleep well.
The link above goes to an editorial from last year, when another gunman managed to commit mayhem on the VTech campus. Larry was dumbfounded that anyone would even think of arming students. Quoth he:
Wiles tells us that he didn't feel safe with the hundreds of highly trained officers armed with high powered rifles encircling the building and protecting him. He even implies that he needed his sidearm to protect himself against the officers.I'm pretty pissed at Larry right now. He represents illogic, ignorance, and a complete lack of compassion for the situation. Here's a prophetic quote:
The writer would have us believe that a university campus, with tens of thousands of young people, is safer with everyone packing heat. Imagine the continual fear of students in that scenario. We've seen that fear here, and we don't want to see it again.I hope he's deeply ashamed of himself now. Let's see if he makes the news in the coming days. My guess is that he's laying low, mortified by his ignorant statements.
Guns don't belong in classrooms. They never will. Virginia Tech has a very sound policy preventing same.Hey Larry - think the gunman that massacred 33 people today cares about your damned policy?
33 people executed in a gun-free zone, where police never took fire, nor did a thing to end the violence. So much for your "highly-trained officers" and their "high-powered rifles." ONE person with a handgun could've saved dozens of lives, but instead, the law-abiding citizens fell to one crazed murdered with the intent and desire to do harm. Congratulations on your gun-free zone, Larry. I hope you sleep well.
Virginia Tech - a Gun-Free Zone. ...Updated...
I mean absolutely no disrespect to any of the families affected by this tragedy. As the father of a college student, my heart goes out to you.
I just want someone to answer one what-if question for me: what IF a student in the dormitory that was attacked had been able to defend him/herself from this raging lunatic? Forget whether or not it were legal or not, because the gunman didn't pay any attention to the "No gun" signs on campus. Obviously, these were good kids that obeyed the laws and rules of the college. It's a pity.
In light of today's shootings at Virginia Tech, imagine the timing of this bit of legislation.One 21 32 dead, 21 ?? injured.
Pull your heads out, people. Stop disarming the wrong people.
I just want someone to answer one what-if question for me: what IF a student in the dormitory that was attacked had been able to defend him/herself from this raging lunatic? Forget whether or not it were legal or not, because the gunman didn't pay any attention to the "No gun" signs on campus. Obviously, these were good kids that obeyed the laws and rules of the college. It's a pity.
In light of today's shootings at Virginia Tech, imagine the timing of this bit of legislation.
Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."I hope old Larry gets the chance to choke on those words today. Safer, my ass. You take away the ability of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from nutjobs who don't care one whit about the law, and what do you get? The other headline today:
1 Killed in Shootings at Virginia Tech
Pull your heads out, people. Stop disarming the wrong people.
13 April 2007
Army won't replace M4
Yes, we've found something that gets rid of the reliability problems of the M4/M16 and it's gas system.
No, we're not going to replace it with said system.
In an Army that appears to have as many lawyers on the front line as fighting men, this doesn't surprise me.
Instead of putting new tools in the hands of our warfighters who need them NOW, the Army instead is waiting for "the development of a new rifle firing an airburst round...." An AIRBURST round? Good God man.
Never mind that the 416 system, which we have discussed here before, would be a fairly inexpensive replacement for the existing M4/M16 rifles. Basically, all they would need to do is swap out uppers and you're ready to rock and roll.
But no, we're waiting for an airburst round. Crikey.
No, we're not going to replace it with said system.
In an Army that appears to have as many lawyers on the front line as fighting men, this doesn't surprise me.
Instead of putting new tools in the hands of our warfighters who need them NOW, the Army instead is waiting for "the development of a new rifle firing an airburst round...." An AIRBURST round? Good God man.
Never mind that the 416 system, which we have discussed here before, would be a fairly inexpensive replacement for the existing M4/M16 rifles. Basically, all they would need to do is swap out uppers and you're ready to rock and roll.
But no, we're waiting for an airburst round. Crikey.
12 April 2007
Tiger Stripes
Here's the finished tiger striped 1911. Pretty cool, eh??
Specifics:
.45acp
Kimber stainless frame, with the frame cut to accept a ramped bbl.
McCormick slide
Barsto ramped bbl.
Heinie straight 8 sights, race cut
SV ambi safeties
Duracoat finish
All fit and completed by Larry up at Rock Ranch Guns.
11 April 2007
I'm speechless
How long till Jesse Jackson is on a plane to England?
I am utterly astounded that someone said this out loud; guess it goes to show you that when you can't be re-elected your options for speaking your mind are a lot more than they are otherwise.
Sad really. People being honest about problems without having to fear the PC police would sure save us a lot of grief and money.
I am utterly astounded that someone said this out loud; guess it goes to show you that when you can't be re-elected your options for speaking your mind are a lot more than they are otherwise.
Sad really. People being honest about problems without having to fear the PC police would sure save us a lot of grief and money.
10 April 2007
Yeah, so?
Unless you live in a cave along the Pakistan border, you've likely been swamped with news coverage of Don Imus' little faux pas. Yeah, he called the Rutgers' ladies basketball team a group of nappy haired ho's.
And my thoughts were, and continue to be, "yeah, so?"
I mean, really folks. I was brought up to believe that if someone insults you, consider the source. If it's from someone you respect, then you've got a problem. If it's not, then who cares? And if it's from some old, hacked out, has been of a radio host who also happens to be an idiot, then who really cares what he thinks or says? What's his audience size anyway, a coupla hundred?
If you don't like the tripe that comes out of his mouth, don't turn on his show. End of story.
However, now it would appear that we've got at least a two week news cycle because you surely know that when he comes back on the air in two weeks everyone will continue to ask him if he's managed to properly apologize or not yet.
Between this jackass' comments, and the discovery of just who the father of Anna's baby is, you'd think nothing else was going on in the world.
Yet another example of a news industry that has failed us in every respect.
And my thoughts were, and continue to be, "yeah, so?"
I mean, really folks. I was brought up to believe that if someone insults you, consider the source. If it's from someone you respect, then you've got a problem. If it's not, then who cares? And if it's from some old, hacked out, has been of a radio host who also happens to be an idiot, then who really cares what he thinks or says? What's his audience size anyway, a coupla hundred?
If you don't like the tripe that comes out of his mouth, don't turn on his show. End of story.
However, now it would appear that we've got at least a two week news cycle because you surely know that when he comes back on the air in two weeks everyone will continue to ask him if he's managed to properly apologize or not yet.
Between this jackass' comments, and the discovery of just who the father of Anna's baby is, you'd think nothing else was going on in the world.
Yet another example of a news industry that has failed us in every respect.
08 April 2007
Run Fred Run
I really hope Fred Thompson runs for Prez.
On dealing with Iran:
On dealing with Iran:
If we retreat precipitously, the price for that betrayal will be paid first in blood and freedom by the Iranian people, the Kurds, the Afghanis, the secular Lebanese, the moderates in Pakistan and the Iraqis themselves. And America's word may never be trusted again.
07 April 2007
More DFW muslim problems, or just paranoia?
On the afternoon of Feb. 25, Ms. Al-Homsi and a friend who could not be reached for comment, Aisha Abdul-Rahman Hamad, 50, of Irving, were spotted at Love Field wearing Muslim robes and camouflage pants and "acting suspiciously," the bulletin states. The surveillance video shows one of the women walking back and forth, apparently pacing off distances.
Pacing off distances? What?
"I'm a trained sniper and proud of it," Ms. Al-Homsi said in an interview Thursday after first refusing to comment on whether she has any terrorism ties. She then said no.
Ok - trained by who? And where? I know just about all of the training facilities in this neck of the woods and I feel pretty confident that none of the places I'm aware of would install that sense of verbiage. Instead of the word "sniper" you'd hear the word "shooter"... Regardless, I'd like to know where she was trained. So much for the press asking the right questions. Imagine for an instant, if you would, if her answer was Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, or Iraq. And if she was trained locally, I'd like to know because I can assure you that I'd give the facility a piece of my mind, and none of my business. In fact, the instructors I know have told me before on several occasions that there have been times they've been approached by people of a suspicious nature and turned them down.
And perhaps the most bizarre statement in the story:
... federal agents have talked to range employees about Ms. Al-Homsi, which is not uncommon of their clientele.
So, are they saying here that it's not uncommon for Federal Agents to ask about people that shoot at public ranges?? I don't know about you, but I find that little tidbit rather bothersome.
05 April 2007
Imam prays at Texas Capital
You know, I could understand the quacks that supposedly represent us in DC bringing in some nut job imam to pray for them.
But HERE? In TEXAS?
Good Lord man, what's wrong with these people?
H/T to Lone Star Times.
And, why is this not all over the news with outrage? Oh yeah, I forgot, to complain against an imam who has terrorist sympathies is to be an islamophobe and therefore we shan't talk of it.
But HERE? In TEXAS?
Good Lord man, what's wrong with these people?
H/T to Lone Star Times.
And, why is this not all over the news with outrage? Oh yeah, I forgot, to complain against an imam who has terrorist sympathies is to be an islamophobe and therefore we shan't talk of it.
03 April 2007
New additions to the 'fish family
Sorry for the light blogging of late!! Been busier than a one-legged man at an ass kicking contest....
I've got some new blasters to show you; the finished Tiger Striped 1911 that I'm fondling right now and a new big gun - Thumper. You've basically got 3-4 available choices in the .308 semi-auto variety - any guesses?
I'll try and get some pictures posted soon, and hope to do a range report on Thumper ASAP - there's a story going around the internets that it's possible to empty a full 20 round mag of .308 into a target at 50 yards in 3 seconds, with all shots hitting the A zone. Well, I'm gonna put it to the test....
Some random thoughts here:
- Will Rosie ever shut her pie hole?
- What the hell's the matter with the Supreme Court, saying that they can regulate greenhouse gases?? Where exactly is that in the Constitution?
- What happened to Great Britain? Used to be they'd lay waste to a whole country for capturing 15 of their sailors. I guess the sun has indeed set on the British Empire.
- Will Fred Thompson PLEASE get in the Presidential race?? Please!?
- Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that the Democrats in Congress are praying for a repeat of Vietnam?? Don't they want to win?
I've got some new blasters to show you; the finished Tiger Striped 1911 that I'm fondling right now and a new big gun - Thumper. You've basically got 3-4 available choices in the .308 semi-auto variety - any guesses?
I'll try and get some pictures posted soon, and hope to do a range report on Thumper ASAP - there's a story going around the internets that it's possible to empty a full 20 round mag of .308 into a target at 50 yards in 3 seconds, with all shots hitting the A zone. Well, I'm gonna put it to the test....
Some random thoughts here:
- Will Rosie ever shut her pie hole?
- What the hell's the matter with the Supreme Court, saying that they can regulate greenhouse gases?? Where exactly is that in the Constitution?
- What happened to Great Britain? Used to be they'd lay waste to a whole country for capturing 15 of their sailors. I guess the sun has indeed set on the British Empire.
- Will Fred Thompson PLEASE get in the Presidential race?? Please!?
- Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that the Democrats in Congress are praying for a repeat of Vietnam?? Don't they want to win?
31 March 2007
DTC 2007
Follow the link above to see all the great pics that Rob Robbins took of our squad at the 2007 Double Tap Championship in Wichita Falls. Some really good stuff there.
30 March 2007
29 March 2007
A follow up for the good Congressman
I wonder if I will be granted a response??
Dear Dr. Burgess,
I wrote you on the 12th of March in response to reading your emailed reply, asking you what your position was on HR 1022. As of tonight, 3/29/7, I have yet to receive a response from your office.
I posted your original response, as it appears below, on my blog on the 12th as well, as you can see in this link: http://mysite.verizon.net/jimroth/2007/03/you-know-i-somehow-expected-more.html
I would really appreciate the courtesy of a response from your office. Considering that our blog is fairly popular amongst the shooting crowd, you can rest assured that your response will be read by a wide range of shooting enthusiasts from across Texas, including your District.
As I'm sure you can tell, I think that HR 1022 is an abomination that should never leave committee. But if it does, I'd like to know how you will vote on it.
Regards,
The Fish
Care and feeding of guns
Other than my infamous "nasty gun" post a while back, we really haven't much discussed the care and feeding of our pistols. Considering what happened to me at the Double Tap Championship this past weekend, I thought we'd dwell a bit on some basic maintenance items, and that is when to replace key parts of the pistol due to wear.
Everything I say will be based on the 1911/2011 platform, based on an annual round count of 18,000-20,000 rounds.
Using slide glide as my main lubricant, I'm able to get a minimum of 1,000 rounds between serious cleanings. Every 2,000 rounds, I'll break down the top end and pull the firing pin, extractor, and firing pin stop out and clean all the gunk out of the two channels.
Every 5,000 rounds, I'll change out my recoil spring. I personally like a recoil spring in the 16-17.5 lb range. Others like much lighter. It's personal preference, really.
I'll change out my firing pin spring annually. Mainspring annually. I'd like to never have to mess with the leaf spring that works the sear, disconnector and grip safety. Unfortunately, I've had to do that twice in the last 7 months; mainly because the part was too lightweight for the abuse that I was heaping upon it.
And that really has been it, up till now.
I need to set a maintenance schedule for the trigger components as well - the hammer, hammer strut, sear, disconnector and leaf spring. These components failed me miserably this weekend, costing me a decent finish to an otherwise great weekend of shooting. I just wasn't thinking that those parts would wear out, and I believe it was a little naive on my part!
I got to thinking that I've had the frame of my 2011 since about 2001. At a conservative guess of 15K rounds a year, that's 90,000 rounds through the frame. (The top end is newer, I've probably only got somewhere around 50K through it.) Add to the live fire a minimum of 10 trigger pulls for each live round; approximately 900,000 times I've pulled the trigger of that pistol since 2001. No wonder the damn trigger system broke!!
To keep it from breaking again, I plan to replace the components every two years. That should keep everything fresh, working fine and keeping the gun chugging along like it should. I think with proper maintenance and care, I can get at least another 50-75,000 rounds through the pistol with no problems....
So, when you start working on your maintenance schedule for your firearms, it's not just springs and lube!!
Everything I say will be based on the 1911/2011 platform, based on an annual round count of 18,000-20,000 rounds.
Using slide glide as my main lubricant, I'm able to get a minimum of 1,000 rounds between serious cleanings. Every 2,000 rounds, I'll break down the top end and pull the firing pin, extractor, and firing pin stop out and clean all the gunk out of the two channels.
Every 5,000 rounds, I'll change out my recoil spring. I personally like a recoil spring in the 16-17.5 lb range. Others like much lighter. It's personal preference, really.
I'll change out my firing pin spring annually. Mainspring annually. I'd like to never have to mess with the leaf spring that works the sear, disconnector and grip safety. Unfortunately, I've had to do that twice in the last 7 months; mainly because the part was too lightweight for the abuse that I was heaping upon it.
And that really has been it, up till now.
I need to set a maintenance schedule for the trigger components as well - the hammer, hammer strut, sear, disconnector and leaf spring. These components failed me miserably this weekend, costing me a decent finish to an otherwise great weekend of shooting. I just wasn't thinking that those parts would wear out, and I believe it was a little naive on my part!
I got to thinking that I've had the frame of my 2011 since about 2001. At a conservative guess of 15K rounds a year, that's 90,000 rounds through the frame. (The top end is newer, I've probably only got somewhere around 50K through it.) Add to the live fire a minimum of 10 trigger pulls for each live round; approximately 900,000 times I've pulled the trigger of that pistol since 2001. No wonder the damn trigger system broke!!
To keep it from breaking again, I plan to replace the components every two years. That should keep everything fresh, working fine and keeping the gun chugging along like it should. I think with proper maintenance and care, I can get at least another 50-75,000 rounds through the pistol with no problems....
So, when you start working on your maintenance schedule for your firearms, it's not just springs and lube!!
28 March 2007
A Tale of Two Houses
Yes, it's true.
LOOK OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO HOUSES AND SEE IF YOU CAN TELL WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.Sensationalism, commercialism and hypocrisy, all rolled up with an Academy Award. Ladies and gentlemen, Al Gore.
HOUSE # 1:
A 20-room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house all heated by gas. In ONE MONTH ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not in a northern or Midwestern "snow belt," either. It's in the South.
HOUSE # 2:
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university, this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on arid high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the surrounding rural landscape.
HOUSE # 1 (20 room energy guzzling mansion) is outside of Nashville, Tennessee. It is the abode of that renowned environmentalist (and filmmaker) Al Gore.
HOUSE # 2 (model eco-friendly house) is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas. Also known as "the Texas White House," it is the private residence of the President of the United States, George W. Bush.
So whose house is gentler on the environment? Yet another story you WON'T hear on CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC or read about in the New York Times or the Washington Post. Indeed, for Mr. Gore, it's truly "an inconvenient truth."
26 March 2007
Shootin' Fools
Sorry we've been slow on the posts recenlty. We went shooting this weekend, to the Double Tap Championship in Wichita Falls, TX. Check out these great pics taken by our friend Rob Robbins. We got full representation for the Tattler at this match, and got Pimp Daddy in here to boot.
Big D
BradC
Dan
The Girl
Catfish
JR
The Pimp
As for a match report, well - it was dusty. Really, really dusty, and it played hell with a lot of guns. In fact, I think more guns just plain broke than any match I've ever seen before. In spite of that, we had about as much fun at this match as any in recent memory.
Big D
BradC
Dan
The Girl
Catfish
JR
The PimpAs for a match report, well - it was dusty. Really, really dusty, and it played hell with a lot of guns. In fact, I think more guns just plain broke than any match I've ever seen before. In spite of that, we had about as much fun at this match as any in recent memory.
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