Here are a few links to articles and videos I found interesting this week. Some are intellectual. Some are informative. Some are just fun. If you have some free time, check them out this weekend.
Finding Molly: Drugs, dancing, and death
OK parents, it’s time for a drug education update. Do you know what “Molly” is? I promise your kids do…
A quick history lesson. Ecstasy (MDMA) is a drug that is popular in the electronic dance music crowd. It generally comes in a pill form and most of the real stuff is made in Europe. People realized that it was fairly easy to counterfeit and started selling other (cheaper) drugs as Ecstasy. Now, 80% of the pills sold in the USA as Ecstasy are not MDMA. Most commonly the pills will contain bath salts, another phenylethanamine (like 2C-b) or methamphetamine.
“Molly” is a powder that is marketed as pure MDMA. It can be snorted or placed in a capsule and swallowed. MDMA itself is fairly benign. It causes a mild euphoria, feelings of happiness and love, and has a very mild hallucinatory effect that makes lights look brighter and music sound better. It can cause problems by depleting the brain’s serotonin stores if taken in very high doses or if done daily. It can also cause dehydration. Most of the deaths occurring after MDMA use have been in people who did not maintain adequate hydration when using the drug and died of hyperthermia.
Because MDMA is relatively safe, many of your children have no fear of trying it. The problem happens when the “Molly” they buy at the dance club isn’t really MDMA. The powder can be anything and no one knows exactly what it is unless they test it. Your kid may be taking bath salts, heroin, caffeine, or meth.
Please read this article for more details. Educate yourself and teach your kids.
Good video of gelatin penetration testing of common .22 ammunition. I like his data, but disagree slightly with his choice as a favorite load. The load he describes looks pretty good, but the 10″ of penetration isn’t enough to make me happy. 10″ of gelatin does not equal 10″ of body. Skin is very elastic and takes more effort to penetrate (usually considered at least 1″ of gelatin). Gelatin also doesn’t include bones, which further limit bullet penetration.
Considering that total penetration is the single best predictor of handgun ammunition effectiveness, I would go with the Velocitor, That’s what I carry in my defensive .22 revolvers. I like the wadcutter profile and the 15″ of penetration. I also like the wound profile of the 60 grain Aguila load, but I haven’t had much luck with it. I get one to three bad rounds out of every box. That’s not reliable enough for me to consider it for defensive usage.
Marlin 336
Mas writes an informative article about the Marlin 336 in .30-30. I actually like this gun a lot better than the Winchester 94. The action is smoother and the side ejection makes it better if you plan on using a scope.
Consider investing in one of these .30-30 lever guns. They are light, handy, and powerful. They are also probably the least likely of any rifles to be banned in the future. As much as I like my AR-15s and AK-47s, I have to admit that there aren’t many tactical problems that I couldn’t solve with a six-shot .30-30 rifle.
A Simple Technique for Beating Blisters
An innovative technique for dealing with blisters. This one requires that the blister is intact. If it has already popped, I have used superglue with good effect. It burns like hell, but it works.
Spreading Lies
Great article from Todd Louis Green about bad advice given by lazy and inept firearms instructors.
CRKT Parasaw
I haven’t tried this one yet, but it looks quite innovative. In addition to the paracord, the bracelet holds a hidden tungsten carbide coated wire saw. Might be useful for getting out of places you don’t want to be…
Gear Review: Deep Conceal’s SurVisor, visor mounted holster
I regularly get questions from my students about ways to carry guns in cars. My preferred method is to have the gun ON MY PERSON, not mounted somewhere in the automobile. With that said, some folks have legitimate reasons they want a car holster. This looks like a pretty good option for anyone wanting to conceal a small semi-auto.
Car Seat Emergency Sticker
This is a great idea for those of you who have children who ride in car seats. Placing a sticker containing vital medical information about your child directly onto the car seat will help medical personnel in the event that you are too injured to speak in a car crash.
The Sometimes Unreality of Dead Bodies and Combat
A great blog post from Loren Christensen about some of the realities of combat. Loren is a prolific author whose books you should check out. His book Surviving a School Shooting is one of the better books on the topic.
Home-Defense shotgun: Myths and reality
A fairly comprehensive look at what makes up a good defensive shotgun.
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