Knowledge to make your life better. If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.
AR Lower-Receiver Build: Trigger Group Installation
The most common home gunsmithing project I see my students take on with their AR-15 rifles is a trigger replacement. A good match trigger (I like the Geissele) will significantly improve accuracy. Here’s how to install a new trigger in your rifle without screwing things up.
Watch as Israeli carry nearly gets an Israeli Police Officer stabbed to death
An excellent scene by scene breakdown of a man trying to kill an Israeli police officer with a knife. Watch how the terrorist shields his draw and then attacks the officer. Have you prepared for an attack like that? Next watch as the other officers’ responses are delayed by empty chamber carry. If you have a quality holster, there is no excuse to carry your gun without a round in the chamber.
Awareness
Tim shares his thoughts on awareness. Good stuff here:
“The ability to read the environment and people around you is a skillset, meaning it is something you can cultivate and develop. You already have to do a great deal of this to get through day to day life as a human being. If you have to make a speech, you don’t do it in a Cheez-Whiz stained wifebeater with spinach in your teeth. You don’t walk into a funeral with a boom box and try to get the mourners to twerk. You already have experience managing the information you present to others and taking in information from your surroundings to govern your behavior and conduct in the moment.
It’s not alien to you. All you need to do is make a deliberate effort to apply those skills to avoiding criminal assault and your chances of being victimized drop substantially.”
Survival Fishing: Top Tips for Finding Fish during a Long-term Survival Situation
Fishing might be a good way to get a little extra protein in a survival situation. Here are a few tips to make your fishing attempts more successful.
A fine tutorial on hearing protection while shooting. It’s hard to believe that when I was a kid, it was commonplace to fire a cylinder full of .38 rounds without hearing protection and then stuff two empty cases in my ears for the remainder of the shooting session. Nowadays I prefer the MSA Sordin ear muffs with Surefire plugs underneath if I’m shooting something really loud. For the more budget conscious, the Howard Leight Impact series muffs provide good sound reduction with amplification for ambient noise. They are a great starter set of electronic muffs.
Preconceived Notions: “The Bugout”
This article may provide a much needed dose of reality for those of you with “bug out” plans.
Nearly Every USGS Topo Map Ever Made. For Free.
If you are planning on “bugging out” to a remote location on public land, it might be a good idea to download some topo maps of the area beforehand. This site has almost all of the USGS topo maps in a free downloadable format.
The Top 10 Urban Survival Myths Exposed
Some myth busting from James LaFond, an interesting author who has spent his life studying violence on the streets of his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. I don’t know if all of these statements hold true in every location, but they seem fairly accurate from my perspective.
The Semi-Auto .22LR Carbine: The Right Choice More Often Than You Think
A good case can be made for using the Ruger 10/22 as a home defense weapon. I have two 10/22s at home. One has a magnified scope and one has a red dot. Both are suppressed. Both have Ruger 25-round magazines, slings, and lights. I would be perfectly comfortable defending myself with these weapons.
Best Tactical Scopes & Reticles – What The Pros Use
An interesting survey of the top 100 long range precision rifle shooters and the scopes that they prefer. If you choose one of these scopes, pick up a scope leveler for easier mounting. If you don’t want to mount it yourself, check out the same author’s list of the world’s best custom riflesmiths.
Letters from Survivors in Ukraine Part 1
This is a fascinating article. Many folks hypothesize about potential realities that may occur after a natural disaster or economic collapse. Instead of guessing, why not just look at other parts of the world where collapses have occurred? This is information from modern-day Ukraine, where they have suffered bombing, hyper-inflation, and months without electricity or running water. Give it a read. Part Two is good as well.
Perfect Pocket Draw: Quick-Draw Essentials
Good tips for those of you who carry a gun in your pocket. I occasionally pocket carry a J-frame snub, a Ruger LCP, or a Glock 42. The two holsters I’ve found that work the best are the DeSantis Superfly and the Tuff Products Pocket Roo.
Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition Ballistics Test
The folks at Lucky Gunner did a tremendous amount of work on this ballistic gel testing project. They tested dozens of defensive carry rounds out of pistols that people actually use for defense. Most tests use full size weapons, which create higher velocities, more expansion, and less penetration. It’s nice to see how the bullets compare when shot out of “normal” guns.
If you want a deeper dive into the science behind some of the concepts referred to in the article, Check out this wound ballistics briefing from Dr. Gary Roberts.
What Jihadists Mean By A Single Raised Index Finger
Information to allow you to better understand those who want you dead.
Varying effects of pepper spray videos
Watch the ranges of reactions you might encounter after spraying someone with pepper spray. Sometimes they fight through it. Sometimes they are immediately incapacitated. It really depends on a lot of different factors. I’ve sprayed people who were instantly dropped to their knees. I also sprayed a guy one night who fought me and two other officers for eight minutes after being sprayed. If you are going to rely on pepper spray for self defense, you should have a plan for either reaction…or anything in between.
React to Contact: Solid Drills to Keep You Alive
Most folks don’t practice working well as a combative team. Even if your “team” only consists of family members or neighbors, it’s still important to practice together. Here are some solid drills to get you started.
8mm Mauser vs AR500 Level III Steel Armor
I don’t know what practical use this information has, but it was a fun video to watch. Just remember, armor plate doesn’t protect you from EVERY threat. Check out the radial spall dispersion in the video. That’s why I prefer ceramic over steel plates. I don’t want to catch one of those pieces of spall in my throat or in my brachial artery.
If you liked the video showing the performance of an older battle rifle, check out this video about how well an Enfield rifle can be shot in combative conditions. I have an old Enfield. I cropped the barrel and put some better sights on it. I wouldn’t have any problem using that gun defensively.
F.B.I. Selects New Duty Pistol!
The FBI wrote an RFP for new pistols that was extremely restrictive. In reality, only one gun can meet the criteria…and it isn’t the Glock. Get ready for a whole bunch of used FBI Glock 23 pistols to come onto the market next year! Todd Louis Green shares his thoughts on the topic HERE. You’ll also want to check out Weapons Man’s thoughts as well.
AIR Series: Environmental Module
Interested in a summary of the best practices for practicing environmental medicine? Here’s a link to papers on heat injuries, hypothermia, and altitude illness. Also check out their very cool article on treating avulsed fingertips.
Red Meat & Cancer—Again! Will It Ever Stop?
Last week the internet was abuzz with the results of a new study that stated red meat is cancerous. Here is some rational science on the topic.
Rangemaster Newsletter
Tom Givens writes a great monthly training newsletter. Check out the November issue here (opens to PDF).
MDOC tip of the week
Paul Sharp shares some tips on instructional design. If you teach firearms or combatives, check out this video about how you should be structuring your classes.
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* Some of the above links (from Amazon.com) are affiliate links. If you purchase these items, I get a small percentage of the selling price.
