Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Bad Training

Numerous people have asked me what kind of skills and drills to work on in their own personal gun training. Truly, there are a lot a different drills out there. Most of them are good drills. A very small minority of these drills don't really help the shooter much.

The problem is when good, reputable gun training facilities include these drills that don't help people much. Some are beyond the scope of reality. Some put a certain Dogma ahead of practical reality. And some of these drill simply look cool, but have no real benefit.

So why do good, reputable gun training facilities include drills such as this? Legitimate question. Very often it comes from one of two mentalities. The first is that a drill was either seen or created by somebody with combat experience, and he sees a certain value in the drill, from a very specific point of view. The second mentality is that this drill is very obscure, and the instructor is good at it, and it gives him a sense of superiority over others.

Combat experience
Just because somebody was in the Infantry, or otherwise a combat vet, does not mean that they will automatically make a good gun instructor. In fact, very few good infantryman will wind up making good instructors. The skill sets are totally different.

Also, you will see the occasional vet who really only saw one firefight. The worst student in the world is the one who has been in one gun fight. Similarly, the worst teacher in the world is the one who has been in one gun fight. Human Nature would predicate this individual to think that all fights will be like the one they experienced.

Even for the Vets who saw multiple firefights, this does not mean they have a really good idea of what is really needed. Most people are terrible at seeing trends. Additionally, poor technique could have been used in all of those, and yet the military came out on top, due to other reasons. The plural of anecdote is not data.

Additionally, just because something works for the military does not mean it will work for civilians. Military operations have rules, support, and other factors the civilians will not have. And the reverse is true as well, civilian operations will have rules, factors, and situations that are not true of the military.

Obscure technique
The instructor, school, or organization who builds their training around obscure technique or techniques, frequently does so because they do not understand the circumstantial nature of combat. Often, they have been proven wrong in other things, so in order to keep the air of "instructor invincibility," they resort to obscure techniques.

Additionally, in this category, one might include drills using techniques beyond their scope. For example, I once attended a class where the topic was peeking out from behind cover on either the left or the right. Of course, when you went to the offside, you used the technique of switching shoulders. However, at this class, targets were engaged at much longer distances than one would normally shoot from when using this technique. The students were not allowed to brace on the cover, being told that somebody might be on the other side ready to grab the gun. Of course, logic dictates, that if there was an enemy just on the other side of the cover, then the person at distance would not be firing in the direction of his buddy.

Also in this category one would include techniques that are not commonly seen on the battlefield, that have been long since discarded. An example of this might be the use of the loop sling by certain organizations. Certainly, no one argues that the correct use of a loop sling will enhance accuracy at long range - but most snipers prefer to use bipods or build a stable platform in some other manner.

At the root of the Obscure technique is the instructor or instructors who are afraid of missing, or being proven wrong. Everybody misses a shot from time to time, and nobody is 100% perfect. And never have I attended a class, nor taught a class where somebody expected the instructor to hit every shot and be perfect.

Summary
Let logic be your guide.  This is a concept I have borrowed from the venerable Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch. It is the five letter word at the top of all of my handouts.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

It Is Written



This meme was posted on social media. 

"To the women who are aggressive: keep being assertive.
To the women who are bossy: keep on leading.
To the women who are difficult: keep telling the truth.
To the women who are too much: keep taking up space.
To the women who are awkward: keep asking hard questions."


Let's dig into this!

1. To the women who are aggressive: keep being assertive.
It is written in Titus 2:3‭-‬5 (emphasis mine) -
In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will not be slandered.

2. To the women who are bossy: keep on leading.
It is written in 1 Timothy 2:12 -
I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent.

3. To the women who are difficult: keep telling the truth.
It is written in Proverbs 15:1 -
A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

4. To the women who are too much: keep taking up space.
It is written in Ephesians 5:22‭-‬24 -
Wives, submit  to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.

5. To the women who are awkward: keep asking hard questions.
It is written in 1 Corinthians 14:33‭-‬35 -
Since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,  the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting.



All 5 points in this modern abominable urging are anti-scriptural.  

Monday, July 29, 2019

Load Out

From a reader -
What kind of load out do you recommend for the average citizen?

Excellent question!
The three things a person needs to be doing in combat are shooting, moving, and communicating. In the last 20 or so years, our military has sacrificed mobility in exchange for the individual troop carrying more gear and more ammunition. Most combat veterans I've spoken with advocate the carrying of less gear specifically so that the individual is more mobile.

I am of the less-is-more mentality.

AR-15 rifle or pistol.
3 to 5 loaded rifle magazines.
A compact or full size semi automatic pistol, preferably chambered in 9mm.
Two or three loaded pistol magazines.
A fixed blade knife, the blade of which is at least 4 inches in length.

An IFAK (individual first aid kit), containing at a minimum a tourniquet, a roll of gauze, and a chest seal.

A rucksack, with at least the 10 C's, 2L of water, a poncho, a woobie, extra socks, and mission-specific gear. 
A flashlight. 
A multi-tool. 
A chest rig or a battle belt. 

These things at a minimum.  However, try to stay under 25 lbs on the pack. A good IFAK will also have a few more things.  And never underestimate training on all of it. 

Friday, July 26, 2019

Ground Fighting in 2019



This meme popped up on social media. Generally speaking it has some good ideas. However, the mindset represented doesn't fall in line 100% with what is now being proven to be effective. Let's dig into this.

1. Fight for top
(Judo / Wrestling)
This is a pretty good rule of thumb. The vast majority of takedowns executed in modern MMA are wrestling takedowns. The Pareto Principle applies here. 80% of all takedowns or more are double legs, single legs, or body lock takedowns. Leg sweeps and rear takedowns comprise 80% of the remaining 20%.

Be familiar with Judo grips and throws so you know how to counter, but otherwise you can skip it.  It's just simply not common enough. 


2. Stay on top.
(Maintain a strong base / protect your limbs and neck)
Perfect advice here.  Mat returns, ground 'n' pound, and guard passing are all frequently used with much success.  Being able to stabilize top positions is absolutely critical.  Not falling victim to a "gotcha" guard submission is also important. 


3. If you end up on bottom, have a dangerous guard. 
Not bad advice, but it does not reflect the majority of situations.  Further, it takes a long time to develop a dangerous guard. Standing back up is much "easier" and way more common.  Focus on that. 




Thoughts?

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Militia Ranks

A question from a reader -
What are your thoughts on ranks for civilian training groups?

Excellent question.
I have seen groups that used military style ranks in great detail. I've also seen groups that went out of their way to avoid military style ranking structures. The one thing in common with all successful groups is that there will be a rank system in place of some sort.

The problem with military style ranking is not so much Stolen Valor, as it is people with overly inflated ranks. Contributor "Erik Hanson" at  this link has an excellent post on this very topic.

The problem with non military style ranking is that it doesn't sound as official, and there is little or no commonality. And make no mistake, over-inflated ranks will still exist in these structures, as well. Perhaps it's just human nature.

Food for thought.
Very few civilian training groups I have met could muster more than 30 to 50 individuals for an actual mission. Sure, most of them have numbers well above that, but many of those members are not in good enough shape to participate in any sort of physical mission. Hanson mentions the same in his post above.

A happy medium might be to elect a "Captain" as the leader of the 30 or so participants. Divided the participants into squads of approximately 10 people, each lead by a lieutenant and a sergeant. Divide each Squad into two or three fire teams, each with four to six men, and each led by a corporal. If a participant does not hold one of these ranks, then they could be referred to as a Rifleman or a Minuteman.


Wednesday, July 24, 2019

On Race

From FB -

Rifleman - you may not see race, but race sees you. 

#LibNut - What race? Stop believing lies. Only 1 race. Human race.

However, by definition -
In Biology, a race is a group within a species. The race will show differences from other groups in the species, but not as much as a subspecies. A subspecies is a formal category in the biological classification system; a race is not.

And there are, genetically speaking, three main races - African, European, and Asian. Sometimes these are called Negroid, Caucasoid, and Mongoloid, respectively.

While lately, pseudo-scientists have been publishing articles saying race is "complicated" and, therefore, difficult to associate with genetic data; this is simply not true.  Sure, it's a complicated topic.  But genetics is an inherently complex topic.

The information is out there. But don't "Google" it - they skew their search results to the far-left. Bing search it.  It's amazing what people will try to ignore and cover up in the effort of "social justice."


Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Lessons Learned

In life, we all learn lessons.  Lessons can take the form of "what to do," and "what not to do."

In martial arts, guns, and more, I've taken all sorts of classes, seminars, and the like.  Every time, I gain valuable information. Many times I learn "what to do." Many times I learn "what not to do."

As a rule of thumb, unless a class or seminar advertises something which is not provided, I remain silent.  They could be the worst teacher or have the worst class, but I won't say anything unless there are mistruths or false advertising. 

The main thing is that I learn.  That knowledge and the experience are the reasons I pay admission. 

Always be learning. 

Always look for the next experience.


Monday, July 22, 2019

The Real Racist




A friend shared this on FB.

Within a short time, one of their contacts "gets offended" -
"Wow, you too? Somehow I thought better of you. But thanks for showing me who you are."

Sounds like something hit a little too close to home for the real racist.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Too Much

Current (and soon to be former) Tennessee house speaker, Glen Casada, can no longer afford $4000 per month in alimony. 

How about this, even $1 per month in alimony is theft.  Eliminate it all.  If she doesn't wanna be married to him, that's fine. But that also means she gives up the option to be married to his lifestyle. 

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, bitches!  


Thursday, July 18, 2019

Tyrant Gone

An enemy of Liberty has died. John Paul Stevens, former Supreme Court Justice, passed away yesterday.

In a hilarious turn of events, the #FakeNews rag, Vox, published an article pertaining to the fact that Stevens was against the Second Amendment. The hilarious part comes in when the author suggests that Stevens was conservative.

Another #FakeNews rag, the New York Times - certainly not a bastion of conservatism - more correctly pointed out that Stevens was the leader of the liberal wing of the Supreme Court.

Stevens did nothing to promote the fundamental inalienable human rights enshrined in the US Constitution - the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Rifleman does not rejoice in his passing, but does not shed a tear, either.


Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Some Irony

Protesters took down  an American flag and replaced it with a Mexican flag.

This clearly means they like Mexico more than the US.

But if we were to deport an illegal immigrant back to Mexico, they would complain how inhumane that is. 


Oh, the irony. And they don't even see it. 


Monday, July 15, 2019

On Optics

The three most common types of optics for modern battle rifles, such as the AR or AK, are red dots, low fixed power scopes, and variable power scopes. All three are good, and all three can readily run at distances ranging from up close all the way out to 300 yards.

Make no mistake, each of these optics has its limitations, as well.  Here are some observations on that, as well as some advice on how to train around the limitations of your choice of optic.

1. Low fixed power scope.
Train on your target acquisition up close.
This optic is ideal for engagements Beyond 50 yards. However, its limitation is close engagements. You will need to focus extra effort on target acquisition up close. Look at using the bindon aiming concept (BAC). Practice your ready ups religiously.

2. Red dot sight.
Train to bear down on longer-range shots.
A red dot is a very fast acquisition optic. It is wonderful in close quarters. It's also very good and medium-range shots - 50 to 200 yards. Make no mistake, it can be used for 300 to 500 yard shots, but one must bear down and really focus.

3. Variable power optics.
Train to reset them to 1-power after each engagement.
The variable power optic offers you the advantages of a scope and a red dot all in one package. Needless to say, you won't have time to dial it down to "1" prior to a close range engagement - it needs to be there already. Conversely, you will have time to dial it up to its highest magnification for long range dot-dot. If you didn't have time to dial it up for a long range shot, then you didn't have a long range shot opportunity to begin with.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Low Emotional IQ

Back during the Kavanaugh hearings, a self-proclaimed "conservative" posted an opinion article from a #FakeNews website. The title of the article suggested that it does not matter whether Kavanaugh was actually guilty of sexual assault. The article goes on to indicate that, in the author's opinion, Kavanaugh was unfit for the Supreme Court:

" Brett Kavanaugh disqualified himself in the Senate hearing with behavior unbefitting a Supreme Court Justice."

This "conservative" stated that she agreed with this statement. Furthermore, she also said:
"I believe that true repentance (changing of your beliefs) results in behavior that is less defensive and more forthright.  I don’t think he’s a bad guy necessarily, I’d just like to see a little more composure and some concern about what might have happened.  I personally find his emotional maturity lacking.

I would have just like to be seen less anger and more worry and regret.  I don’t want a show. I just want to see a heart that has changed and cares about the pain he may have caused other people. I also would like to see some bravery and humility. Even if it cost him the nomination, wouldn’t he want to stand up and admit to his wild party days and take responsibility?

I think the possibility of  blackout drinking is significant in this case because it means he could have assaulted Dr Ford and just not remembered it."

Wow. Talk about a walking advertisement for the repeal of the 19th Amendment.

Naturally, all of these claims and assertions have not held true. It has been demonstrated that all of Kavanaugh's accusers fabricated their respective stories.  There's even a new book out on those phony accusations.

My response at the time was,
"There is zero corroborating evidence.  It's a hit job by the Left.  Those that say the charges are true fall into one of two categories:
1. Those too stupid to understand fact. 
2. Those with an ulterior motive."

How had that statement held up?
Perfectly.

Of course, some would argue the use of "stupid," since she gave the conditional "I think," and "I like (or would have liked)." However, as we all know (or should know), the word "stupid"  can refer to emotional intelligence as well as mental intelligence. 


Monday, July 8, 2019

Phoney Baloney

I went to the range on Friday, as I had the day off. Moved some optics around and re-zeroed the rifles.  Also performed an accuracy evaluation on some 7.62x39 ammo.  I'd been there a while when a second shooter showed up. 

At first he was hesitant to join me - clearly because he had seen some unsafe gun handling in the past.  After some time, he realized I wasn't going home soon, and that my gun handling is safer than most.  

As is natural, we struck up some conversations that day.  As the topic of choice was guns and training, we had many things to say.  At one point, he told me he served in the Navy as a SeaBee.

Later on in the day, the conversation turned. He stated he had been to and graduated BUD/S. I asked him what class, and he told me that in 1980, there were no BUD/S class numbers.  As the Rifleman used to view a fair amount of  Don Shipley videos, I immediately knew this was not true.  A quick Google search yielded verified SEALs who went to BUD/S class 117 in 1977 and 122 in 1982. 

He also stated that he learned patrolling and CQB in BUD/S. I can guarantee you that he did not. 

Wish I'd gotten his name so I could turn him in to Shipley and watch the fun.  


Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Training Vs. Ego



Why don't more people take training classes?
From heaps of personal observation, I can tell you the one of the following reasons most likely applies:

1. "Already knows how to shoot."
This person believed that they learned everything they need to know about shooting from their father, grandfather, uncle, friend, other relative, etc. In reality, either their ego is too fragile for them to possibly find out that they don't know everything, or they simply just don't know what they don't know.

2. "Uncle Sam taught me everything I need to know about shooting."
Like option 1 above, this person believes that they learned everything they need to know about a shooting from their military service. They never stopped to think that perhaps tactics and techniques have changed since their service days. In essence, these people are really no different then the other "already know how to shoot" crowd. Yet again, their ego is too fragile for them to possibly find out that they don't know everything.

3. "I learned how to shoot in the police department."
This is yet another variation of entry 1. Yet again, their ego is too fragile for them to possibly find out that they don't know everything.

4. Afraid of being exposed. 
Maybe they have talked big talk, or maybe others have come to expect a certain amount of performance from them. In either event, their ego is too fragile for them to possibly find out that they don't know everything.

5. They use out of the ordinary gear. 
This person uses the old bolt action milsurp rifle, an M1A, AR10, or some other out of the ordinary rifle.   They wanna be different.  And they may even have a false belief that their gear is superior - which might be shattered if they ever took a class.  

6. They over rely on budget gear.
Like number 5, they have gear that is out of the ordinary and they want to believe that their budget optic is "just as good as an Aimpoint." They know that a class may shatter their fragile gear-ego, as well as shatter the actual subpar gear.  

7. They are jealous of those who do train.
Like online trolls, this person derives some sort of twisted pleasure in upsetting others.  They really wish they could train; but because they cannot budget for it due to luck of willpower, they try to rain on the parade of those who train. 


Summary
In short - there are only two reasons people don't train - ego about their skills, or ego about their gear.  All in all, it's always about ego, in either case. 

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Coming At You

This Blog has gone on record before advocating for the use of the traditional Woodland camouflage pattern for the Southeastern United States. That said, a humorous conversation between The Rifleman and an acquaintance fits in right here. The acquaintance was not a fan of the Woodland pattern.

"You can see that black coming at you," he asserted.

Folks, the amount of black in the Woodland pattern is not enough to catch the eye. In fact, it works more to act as a shadow area on the camouflage. Needless to say, after his statement, I gave him a quizzical look. He elaborated -

"Yeah, when they are on the move, that black really stands out."

Folks, if you are moving, it doesn't matter what camouflage pattern you use, the movement is what makes you visible. Not the colors.

That, and the fact that common sense just isn't so common anymore.


Monday, July 1, 2019

Rifles Rule

Observations from the shooting range - 1.

AR15 shooters mostly choose carbine or pistol variants.  There are a very few who like the 20" barrel rifle and fewer still who also like the A2 buttstock.  

Until they shoot one. 

Everyone who shoots one of my 20" guns - for whom that was their first time to shoot a 20" AR15 - states it is the smoothest shooting AR they've ever shot.   They also tend to be one of the most accurate ARs these folks have ever shot. 

Recently, Ninja shot my 20" rifle.  He realized it was the smoothest and most accurate he had shot.   And it hits steel hard.    He noted the 55 grain ammo from the A4 rifle hit harder than the 7.62x39 from the AK or the SKS, and also harder than the 55 gr ammo from the M4s and Carbines.