I am actually sorta considering... getting... I almost can't get the words out. Getting a... Glock.
There.
Ick. ~ptui~
You know how I've harped on a slim pistol for CCW with a simpler Operating System than a 1911 but more oomphy than a 5 shot snubbie? Well there is the G36 Slimline by... uh... Glock.
Of course I'd have to at least handle one first. See if I still shoot Glocks about as well as I am at making free throws blindfolded.
And I should probably wait. I'm guessing they will probably at a 'G47' that shoots .40 in a single stack. And after they do other, similar, gun manufacturers may move into the same market niche. I'd most prefer an XD in this flavor (slim single stack striker fired) pistol. I heard bad things about Glocks and .40s and unsupported cases that I'm not too thrilled with. Has to do with feed ramps and chamber shapes or somesuch.
I do find it interesting that folks besides me are looking for LESS capacity in the mag these days. I wonder if that is a much larger trend. For a while, 20+ years ago, cramming extra bullets in the pistol was the be all end all, if I remember the zeitgeist correctly. At least it seemed to me. "I can hold 12!" vs. "Well I can hold 15!!!" vs. "Shut up, n00bs, my HK VP70 holds 18!!!!1!11!!!eleven" seems to have faded and doesn't mean you win the fight. Of course the US military fell for this trend, in partial way, as that was one of the numerous selling points of the Berreta replacement of the 1911. I think I'd still find the 1911 more practical. Another subject I like to think about and speculate wildly on.
~~~
I fondled a Sig E2, the new grip system from Sig, at the gunstore on Buy Ammo Day two Fridays ago.. It's supposed to be slimmer. It doesn't FEEL that much slimmer. Nothing to write home about at least.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Problems with Walking Dead
Ok. It's been long enough that this won't be a spoiler for the 4th ep.
Let's say you are a group hiding out from the zombies with your backs to a quarry. That's good, the zed can't approach from that direction. It does make it harder for you to escape... but nevermind.
You're close enough to a major population center to go scavenging there. So while that big national forest LOOKS empty it might not stay that way.
And in fact, a zombie beat your crossbow hunter to a deer he shot, and that was right outside camp. That single zombie is dispatched easily enough, but not you KNOW a shamblor can get to your campsite. And that's all your are is. A campsite. Some aluminum RVs and nylon tents.
So how do you prep now that you know the zeds can find you?
Well the people on the TeeVee said after the scare, "Let's be a little more careful and keep a better eye out."
Tragedy occurs the next night.
There is so much more they could have done. Found a building they could barricade. Put up a log pallisade. They could have moved to a smaller town with fewer zombies a bit further out and just run over the walkers they found there until the town was for the living only. SOMETHING. Nope. Surprise! Found your camp at the local wilderness area. Oh well.
One other thing... You saw some survivors with motorcycle helmets and a some kind of body armor and baseball bats in the city. But they don't wear them, again... I'd hardly take them off.
I can see some folks acting a bit irrationally in the circumstances. But we have a name for that kind of people: "Corpse Snack" Everyone is gonna be dead in this group before the second season ends.
[update: 5th ep spoiler... Well they might survive. They took a chance and lucked out looking for and finding a more secure location.]
Let's say you are a group hiding out from the zombies with your backs to a quarry. That's good, the zed can't approach from that direction. It does make it harder for you to escape... but nevermind.
You're close enough to a major population center to go scavenging there. So while that big national forest LOOKS empty it might not stay that way.
And in fact, a zombie beat your crossbow hunter to a deer he shot, and that was right outside camp. That single zombie is dispatched easily enough, but not you KNOW a shamblor can get to your campsite. And that's all your are is. A campsite. Some aluminum RVs and nylon tents.
So how do you prep now that you know the zeds can find you?
Well the people on the TeeVee said after the scare, "Let's be a little more careful and keep a better eye out."
Tragedy occurs the next night.
There is so much more they could have done. Found a building they could barricade. Put up a log pallisade. They could have moved to a smaller town with fewer zombies a bit further out and just run over the walkers they found there until the town was for the living only. SOMETHING. Nope. Surprise! Found your camp at the local wilderness area. Oh well.
One other thing... You saw some survivors with motorcycle helmets and a some kind of body armor and baseball bats in the city. But they don't wear them, again... I'd hardly take them off.
I can see some folks acting a bit irrationally in the circumstances. But we have a name for that kind of people: "Corpse Snack" Everyone is gonna be dead in this group before the second season ends.
[update: 5th ep spoiler... Well they might survive. They took a chance and lucked out looking for and finding a more secure location.]
Sunday, November 28, 2010
WH 2012
Ugh.
If Mitt Romney is the nominee in 2012 I am not voting for him. I’d sooner right in Olympia Snowe. Even ignoring his stance on the 2nd Amendment, he’s not conservative. He’s too big-government. If the Obmamacare monstosity was repealed in 2013 by Congress, would President Romney even sign it? Would he promise in the campaign to sign the repeal law and then go back on his word? He's changed his mind about so many things to date...
If Mike Huckabee is the nominee, the same applies. I am not voting for him. He’s just a social conservative, like we need an election about that. He’s practically a Democrat, otherwise. Plus, he's slow on the uptake, ifn you know what I mean.
I don’t care if it’s their ‘turn.’ I’m not voting for Dole or McCain again.
I’d vote for Palin, but I don’t think nominating her is a great idea, the way things stand now. She’s been, perhaps permanently, tainted by establishment propaganda organs so she may very well alienate most independents and a good number of conservatives. There are lifelong conservative Republicans that would pull the lever for Obama rather than vote for Sarah.
Jeb Bush? He, objectively, may be alright. I don't know enough but what I know is decent. His big problem is he's not named Jeb Smith.
No Reagans appear on the horizon either. Jindal? No. Unpolished. Christie? His views on the 2nd are horrible, and while he looks great standing up to the right parasites, he hasn’t prevailed against them yet, and may not. Pawlenty? Still ho-hum. Newt? As radioactive as Palin, but not as attractive (and I'm not talking physically). I'd stay home instead of vote for any of them.
Third Party? What third party. The way the electoral college is set up, there ain't gonna be no third party. There will be 2 and maybe another party will come along to supplant one of the existing parties. Then there will be 2 again. Until the resurgent party eats one of the existing look for those two, the new and the dying, to just lose elections to the stable unbesieged party. So hope any transition is very fast if it's 'your' side.
People that think the Constitution is the greatest gift to mankind, ever, rather than an obstacle to their various rackets, may get a majority in 2012, but I’m pessimistic about the conservative/libertarian chances in the executive branch.
If Mitt Romney is the nominee in 2012 I am not voting for him. I’d sooner right in Olympia Snowe. Even ignoring his stance on the 2nd Amendment, he’s not conservative. He’s too big-government. If the Obmamacare monstosity was repealed in 2013 by Congress, would President Romney even sign it? Would he promise in the campaign to sign the repeal law and then go back on his word? He's changed his mind about so many things to date...
If Mike Huckabee is the nominee, the same applies. I am not voting for him. He’s just a social conservative, like we need an election about that. He’s practically a Democrat, otherwise. Plus, he's slow on the uptake, ifn you know what I mean.
I don’t care if it’s their ‘turn.’ I’m not voting for Dole or McCain again.
I’d vote for Palin, but I don’t think nominating her is a great idea, the way things stand now. She’s been, perhaps permanently, tainted by establishment propaganda organs so she may very well alienate most independents and a good number of conservatives. There are lifelong conservative Republicans that would pull the lever for Obama rather than vote for Sarah.
Jeb Bush? He, objectively, may be alright. I don't know enough but what I know is decent. His big problem is he's not named Jeb Smith.
No Reagans appear on the horizon either. Jindal? No. Unpolished. Christie? His views on the 2nd are horrible, and while he looks great standing up to the right parasites, he hasn’t prevailed against them yet, and may not. Pawlenty? Still ho-hum. Newt? As radioactive as Palin, but not as attractive (and I'm not talking physically). I'd stay home instead of vote for any of them.
Third Party? What third party. The way the electoral college is set up, there ain't gonna be no third party. There will be 2 and maybe another party will come along to supplant one of the existing parties. Then there will be 2 again. Until the resurgent party eats one of the existing look for those two, the new and the dying, to just lose elections to the stable unbesieged party. So hope any transition is very fast if it's 'your' side.
People that think the Constitution is the greatest gift to mankind, ever, rather than an obstacle to their various rackets, may get a majority in 2012, but I’m pessimistic about the conservative/libertarian chances in the executive branch.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Glock Revolution
And the secret of their sales success.
In the 80s the cops switched from .38 Special revolvers to semi-auto Glocks. It was quite dramatic. We all know the reasons. They perceived they were undergunned by criminals who had semi-autos that held a bit more than 6. There was also the thought that the 9mm was a more effective round than the .38. I don’t know why, it’s the same sized bullet and the +P .38 has more powder, don’t it?
Anyway. Semi-auto had been around a while, but the institutionally conservative cops waited this long to switch. I think the biggest unstated reason was… semi-auto RELIABILITY in the form of the Glock (and similar) had reached a comfort zone that police department decision makers (including the FBI) could be comfortable with. The Glock is about as simple to operate as a revolver, too, but if it had a reputation for jamming that other pistols had (fairly or unfairly) the police would still have revolvers. Cops aren’t shooters, they are cops. They hope to never in their career to have to fire a weapon for real, outside of qualification. So most of the time they forget about their sidearm. So a reliable weapon is critical, as the neglect for ignoring a more finicky pistol that needed more maintenance and attention to run flawlessly, could lead to a bad scene. So this new gun with no real baggage about bad performance establishes itself and get’s adopted and the culture of Law Enforcement changes.
Now the Glock is indeed a well made pistol. And that certainly helps. But I think the true secret few talk about that really makes the pistol is… the magazine. The magazine is the weak link in most semis, and have you looked at how well made those Glock mags are? The mag is the secret 11 herbs and spices on that gun. It is the true big upgrade that led to its success, is my theory and opinion.
In the 80s the cops switched from .38 Special revolvers to semi-auto Glocks. It was quite dramatic. We all know the reasons. They perceived they were undergunned by criminals who had semi-autos that held a bit more than 6. There was also the thought that the 9mm was a more effective round than the .38. I don’t know why, it’s the same sized bullet and the +P .38 has more powder, don’t it?
Anyway. Semi-auto had been around a while, but the institutionally conservative cops waited this long to switch. I think the biggest unstated reason was… semi-auto RELIABILITY in the form of the Glock (and similar) had reached a comfort zone that police department decision makers (including the FBI) could be comfortable with. The Glock is about as simple to operate as a revolver, too, but if it had a reputation for jamming that other pistols had (fairly or unfairly) the police would still have revolvers. Cops aren’t shooters, they are cops. They hope to never in their career to have to fire a weapon for real, outside of qualification. So most of the time they forget about their sidearm. So a reliable weapon is critical, as the neglect for ignoring a more finicky pistol that needed more maintenance and attention to run flawlessly, could lead to a bad scene. So this new gun with no real baggage about bad performance establishes itself and get’s adopted and the culture of Law Enforcement changes.
Now the Glock is indeed a well made pistol. And that certainly helps. But I think the true secret few talk about that really makes the pistol is… the magazine. The magazine is the weak link in most semis, and have you looked at how well made those Glock mags are? The mag is the secret 11 herbs and spices on that gun. It is the true big upgrade that led to its success, is my theory and opinion.
Friday, November 26, 2010
At Least the Weather was Nice
This was a RoMERO mission in Trinidad. The 'possessed' people were, sadly, undead. The team had to dress like priest. Do what you gotta. 18 zombies retired, no injury to uninfected, you're welcome.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Met a Blogger
The incomparable Borepatch, Mrs. Borepatch AND #1 Son joined me at Ellicott Mills Brewing Company in Old Town Ellicott City to enjoy brewpub beers and venison sausage. What a treat. Yay.
They are in the process of moving Case De Borepatch, Boston to New Tara Borepatch, or whatever they call it, near Atlanta, and were passing through my region of the Urf. They were sure to pack the snow blower for the trip. If they decide to sell it, it will fetch a good price in Georgia I am sure.
It'll be quite a culture shock in GA. From Massachusetts gun rigmorole, to, walk into a gunstore with a Georgia driver's license and walk out with a hog leg to shoot. I can't wait to hear his first gunstore post.
We talked shop, not so much gun related, and the joys of cross country driving. Oh, and lawn care. A good time was had by me. If it was not had by all, then they did a good job of faking it and I appreciated the effort. So lets just assume: "A Good Time Was Had By All."
And now I can add another '~' to the list bloggers I have met.
They are in the process of moving Case De Borepatch, Boston to New Tara Borepatch, or whatever they call it, near Atlanta, and were passing through my region of the Urf. They were sure to pack the snow blower for the trip. If they decide to sell it, it will fetch a good price in Georgia I am sure.
It'll be quite a culture shock in GA. From Massachusetts gun rigmorole, to, walk into a gunstore with a Georgia driver's license and walk out with a hog leg to shoot. I can't wait to hear his first gunstore post.
We talked shop, not so much gun related, and the joys of cross country driving. Oh, and lawn care. A good time was had by me. If it was not had by all, then they did a good job of faking it and I appreciated the effort. So lets just assume: "A Good Time Was Had By All."
And now I can add another '~' to the list bloggers I have met.
Ooops, that could be bad...
I live in MD so CCW outside the home is very frowned up.
But I do CCWIH (conceal carry weapon in home) both for practice for when I am travelling outside the state in the 30 odd states that have no problem with me doing so (UTAH CCW) and as a precaution against the unlikely event of home invasion. And it's getting to be pretty comfortable. Most times I don't even notice I'm doing it.
The danger is when I run out of coffee beans and bacon and need to pop out to the local bulk unprepared sustenance purveyor, grabbing my coat and heading to the door... Uh oh. I better leave this here.
I haven't gotten outdoors forgetting about this little bit of steel, but I came close once or twice. I must never. Thank goodness for SAF's court case, and I'm glad I support them. Maybe in a year or two forgetting I'm carrying won't be an issue. Have you considered supporting them?
But the same applies to all the rest of you. You can get cross threaded with the law in Alaska Vermont and Arizona even by walking into a post office, school, or courthouse, so be careful and alert out there for more than just threats.
But I do CCWIH (conceal carry weapon in home) both for practice for when I am travelling outside the state in the 30 odd states that have no problem with me doing so (UTAH CCW) and as a precaution against the unlikely event of home invasion. And it's getting to be pretty comfortable. Most times I don't even notice I'm doing it.
The danger is when I run out of coffee beans and bacon and need to pop out to the local bulk unprepared sustenance purveyor, grabbing my coat and heading to the door... Uh oh. I better leave this here.
I haven't gotten outdoors forgetting about this little bit of steel, but I came close once or twice. I must never. Thank goodness for SAF's court case, and I'm glad I support them. Maybe in a year or two forgetting I'm carrying won't be an issue. Have you considered supporting them?
But the same applies to all the rest of you. You can get cross threaded with the law in Alaska Vermont and Arizona even by walking into a post office, school, or courthouse, so be careful and alert out there for more than just threats.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
COD, F3NV
Call of Duty Black Ops and Fallout 3 New Vegas video games arrived today. I'll see all of you in a few weeks.
TSA again
Something occurs.
Everyone on both sides pretty much agrees that the new TSA procedures aren't making us any safer. But honest cynics on that side admit, and the sharp on our side recognize that it's not about that. It never was. It's just not the purpose of this exercise.
You know, submitting to Authority isn't making us any 'safer', either.
Everyone on both sides pretty much agrees that the new TSA procedures aren't making us any safer. But honest cynics on that side admit, and the sharp on our side recognize that it's not about that. It never was. It's just not the purpose of this exercise.
You know, submitting to Authority isn't making us any 'safer', either.
~AR Features Desired~
One day, I'll probably bit the bullet (heh) and realize that my search for a satisfactory carbine is gonna put me shopping for an AR. Even if I got a DeLisle repro, a M1 carbine, and a Camps Carbine and have scratched the carbine itch I may STILL end up with an AR type. All the cool kids are doing it.
Now ARs are the legos of guns. You can mix and match SO many after market features on yours even before you start hanging accessories on the rails. This is a wonderful thing. It's also a complicated thing. I am posting this, and will update this, as a reminder to myself of what to look for for my starting block carbine. More exactly, what features I have settled on if I had to order one up right now. 'Right now' will move into the future until I get it, so the list may evolve.
Lower
Brands: DPMS, from what I understand is a middle of the road on price point receiver that is highly regarded. Hard to tell what the range is on quality, but here is a list.
Feedramps are important. But since I am going for an M4orgery I can live with either type, but probably want to go for regular feedramps rather than M4 specific. This is what I've learned - M4 feedramps on receiver but not on barrel = failures. M4 feedramps on barrel but not on receiver = okay. So if I get regular nonM4 feedramps I can tack on either kind of barrel.
I kinda need that brass deflector to the rear of the port, being left handed, to keep spent casings out of my ear.
Upper
I definitely want a flat top with a full length rail. No permanent front sight.
I may pop for the MGI, CQB upper. It covers my bases in the rail department in spades.
Stock
VLTOR But I can get a similar Pardus stock with a full lower receiver posted above, from DPMS. Other good stocks are Magpul ACS and UBR
So, the MGI upper, the complete DPMS lower with stock and all I need is to select a barrel.
Barrel
I want the shortest barrel I can get without having to get a tax stamp, initially. So 16 inches.
But how heavy a barrel? Dunno. I don't want pencil thin, so maybe I'll go bull barrel. Is there is a mid range weight? I dunno. If there is, that's what I'll go for. I need to do more research.
It needs to be a 5.56 NATO barrel so it will accept 5.56 and .223.
Twist should be middling. I am not looking for fancy single situation purposes, but to eat as many ammo types as I can find. 1:9 is middling and will do all but the heaviest and longest specialty ammo.
Chrome lined barrel and chamber for longer life (like I'm going to shoot it out...). Chrome would hurt me in long range competition, but I'm not getting it for that.
Most all seem to come with a front sight integral, unless you go bull barrel, so, maybe I should accept that and not swim against the tide. But I am at a loss to pick from the plethora available. Maybe the Fulton Armory military contour, as it's chromed and 1:9. I can get a gas block with a flip up front sight from them as well. So, say I got the barrel, and gas block... there are other parts I'd need. I better watch the Brownells assembly video closely to know better.
So that means I am at MGI upper, DPMS lower, Fulton barrel, and I need some other stuff to complete it to the point where I can put a mag in and have it shoot, but what that stuff is I need to edumacate myself. Stuff I know I need... magazines, a sighting system (flip up rear sight to go with the flip up fulton front), ammo. Hmm. Seems I've gone above average on everything but the lower. Maybe I should think further.
Or send the MGI and DPMS back over the transom. It's cool and everything, that MGI, but I could just go pure Fulton Armory and be done in one fell swoop. It has all the features I'd want. A good lower, a good upper, good barrel, good stock, flip up front sight, all for a grand and a half, and go from there. It's the Easy Button. I wonder if PMAGs drop free from a Fulton?
~~~
FUTURE Uppers
The PS90 type upper intrigues...
So does the .458.
Now ARs are the legos of guns. You can mix and match SO many after market features on yours even before you start hanging accessories on the rails. This is a wonderful thing. It's also a complicated thing. I am posting this, and will update this, as a reminder to myself of what to look for for my starting block carbine. More exactly, what features I have settled on if I had to order one up right now. 'Right now' will move into the future until I get it, so the list may evolve.
Lower
Brands: DPMS, from what I understand is a middle of the road on price point receiver that is highly regarded. Hard to tell what the range is on quality, but here is a list.
Feedramps are important. But since I am going for an M4orgery I can live with either type, but probably want to go for regular feedramps rather than M4 specific. This is what I've learned - M4 feedramps on receiver but not on barrel = failures. M4 feedramps on barrel but not on receiver = okay. So if I get regular nonM4 feedramps I can tack on either kind of barrel.
I kinda need that brass deflector to the rear of the port, being left handed, to keep spent casings out of my ear.
Upper
I definitely want a flat top with a full length rail. No permanent front sight.
I may pop for the MGI, CQB upper. It covers my bases in the rail department in spades.
Stock
VLTOR But I can get a similar Pardus stock with a full lower receiver posted above, from DPMS. Other good stocks are Magpul ACS and UBR
So, the MGI upper, the complete DPMS lower with stock and all I need is to select a barrel.
Barrel
I want the shortest barrel I can get without having to get a tax stamp, initially. So 16 inches.
But how heavy a barrel? Dunno. I don't want pencil thin, so maybe I'll go bull barrel. Is there is a mid range weight? I dunno. If there is, that's what I'll go for. I need to do more research.
It needs to be a 5.56 NATO barrel so it will accept 5.56 and .223.
Twist should be middling. I am not looking for fancy single situation purposes, but to eat as many ammo types as I can find. 1:9 is middling and will do all but the heaviest and longest specialty ammo.
Chrome lined barrel and chamber for longer life (like I'm going to shoot it out...). Chrome would hurt me in long range competition, but I'm not getting it for that.
Most all seem to come with a front sight integral, unless you go bull barrel, so, maybe I should accept that and not swim against the tide. But I am at a loss to pick from the plethora available. Maybe the Fulton Armory military contour, as it's chromed and 1:9. I can get a gas block with a flip up front sight from them as well. So, say I got the barrel, and gas block... there are other parts I'd need. I better watch the Brownells assembly video closely to know better.
So that means I am at MGI upper, DPMS lower, Fulton barrel, and I need some other stuff to complete it to the point where I can put a mag in and have it shoot, but what that stuff is I need to edumacate myself. Stuff I know I need... magazines, a sighting system (flip up rear sight to go with the flip up fulton front), ammo. Hmm. Seems I've gone above average on everything but the lower. Maybe I should think further.
Or send the MGI and DPMS back over the transom. It's cool and everything, that MGI, but I could just go pure Fulton Armory and be done in one fell swoop. It has all the features I'd want. A good lower, a good upper, good barrel, good stock, flip up front sight, all for a grand and a half, and go from there. It's the Easy Button. I wonder if PMAGs drop free from a Fulton?
~~~
FUTURE Uppers
The PS90 type upper intrigues...
So does the .458.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sig Upgrade
Maybe I should take Sig up on the E2 grip upgrade Caleb details here: (603) 772-2302
But the ship back to the factory nature of the upgrade probably means they aren't that easily swappable if I want to change back my ownself. E2 grips are a 'permanent' maybe.
But the ship back to the factory nature of the upgrade probably means they aren't that easily swappable if I want to change back my ownself. E2 grips are a 'permanent' maybe.
Oh My, My Ammo
My buddy the gun enthusiast (MBtGE) did a great thing with an ammo storage idea. It's brilliant. So simple. Elegant. I have no idea why I hadn't seen it before. It seems so obvious. But there it is. .22 in plastic coke bottles. Dry, compact, easily dispensed.
Training AAR
So I went to the training down in Southern Maryland at the Maryland Firearms Training Group, instruction from Craig Collins.
He was the guy I took the Utah CCW course from, and the class I took was Intermediate Pistol. There was some overlap from my CCW course, but that’s ok, I needed the review and reinforced gun handling methods. And, I got the returning student discount, so that was a pleasant surprise.
There were 3 other people in the class, a gentleman that owned an XD 9mm, and two ladies that were still in the pistol selection process, but pretty much on their way to committing to a purchase in the near future.
Things that were review… I got to do similar draws from the holster at the range. There is the point shoot where you draw the pistol, bring your elbow down and index off your arm to quickly get off the round. Very useful if the bad guy is in bad breath range or just a bit further. We did the ATM draw, where you turn to the side and the target is a simulated attacker approaching you from flank at an ATM. It’s also, by necessity, one handed. Did a bunch of these and regular draws and press outs, often under time pressure. I had one embarrassment with the ATM draw, firing a bit too early. Way too wild a shot for my comfort, and I kick myself over it. Dammit.
Everything goes out the window when there is a shot clock involved. It adds a little bit of pressure trying to beat the thing. Even when you AREN'T trying to beat it there is pressure, just from the stating beep, ignoring the 2.78 second last beep. All I can think about, when aiming, is to just try to get that front sight in 'frame.' Even then...
The slow fire at the 8 inch plate sees me eating out the bottom of the target. I dunno why, but it was centered, not favoring the right side, as is my wont. Anticipatory push the likely culprit, we both agreed. And this one isn't even the plate with the chewed bottom:
Another new thing for me was holding a surefire style flashlight in the meaty fist of my support hand under the wrist of my shooting hand. Lining up the light with what I’m looking at that way isn’t as easy as I thought, and I’ll need to practice this some more in dry fire drills.
Another neat thing I’d never tried before is work with a SIRT pistol. It’s the size of a full size Glock, but it shines a red laser when you’ve staged the trigger, and green when you fire. It allows us to do practical stuff with draws in the classroom, shooting simulate threat/no-threat in a powerpoint presentation, and can tattle on you if you are slapping the trigger by releasing it past the reset point. It also allowed us some move and ‘shoot’ drills in the classroom parking lot. At $400, they are probably of less utility at home, but superb in a classroom setting.
Oh, he likes to start with revolver training. It seems my second shot when trying to go fast finds the red more often. This is my revolver target:
He was the guy I took the Utah CCW course from, and the class I took was Intermediate Pistol. There was some overlap from my CCW course, but that’s ok, I needed the review and reinforced gun handling methods. And, I got the returning student discount, so that was a pleasant surprise.
There were 3 other people in the class, a gentleman that owned an XD 9mm, and two ladies that were still in the pistol selection process, but pretty much on their way to committing to a purchase in the near future.
Things that were review… I got to do similar draws from the holster at the range. There is the point shoot where you draw the pistol, bring your elbow down and index off your arm to quickly get off the round. Very useful if the bad guy is in bad breath range or just a bit further. We did the ATM draw, where you turn to the side and the target is a simulated attacker approaching you from flank at an ATM. It’s also, by necessity, one handed. Did a bunch of these and regular draws and press outs, often under time pressure. I had one embarrassment with the ATM draw, firing a bit too early. Way too wild a shot for my comfort, and I kick myself over it. Dammit.
Everything goes out the window when there is a shot clock involved. It adds a little bit of pressure trying to beat the thing. Even when you AREN'T trying to beat it there is pressure, just from the stating beep, ignoring the 2.78 second last beep. All I can think about, when aiming, is to just try to get that front sight in 'frame.' Even then...
The slow fire at the 8 inch plate sees me eating out the bottom of the target. I dunno why, but it was centered, not favoring the right side, as is my wont. Anticipatory push the likely culprit, we both agreed. And this one isn't even the plate with the chewed bottom:
I need to check to see if he’ll agree to one on one instruction and we can forgo more of the classroom and do more range fine tuning. And I certainly want to go to his Advanced Pistol course. I wanted to do that this time, but I’m not disappointed I went to the review.
Then there was the stuff I learned that was totally new for me. For instance, I have never had a double feed malfunction, and if I knew the drill for correcting it, I had forgotten it. For a double feed, a tap-rack-bang corrective measure probably won’t help. (Tap the magazine bottom to be sure it’s seated, rack the slide to clear the problem case, and pull the trigger and you’re back in the fight.) For a double feed, you need to get the magazine out by yanking it, or locking the slide back and removing it that way. Then the double fed rounds have more room to drop away when you work the slide. Reinsert the magazine and drive on.
Then there was the stuff I learned that was totally new for me. For instance, I have never had a double feed malfunction, and if I knew the drill for correcting it, I had forgotten it. For a double feed, a tap-rack-bang corrective measure probably won’t help. (Tap the magazine bottom to be sure it’s seated, rack the slide to clear the problem case, and pull the trigger and you’re back in the fight.) For a double feed, you need to get the magazine out by yanking it, or locking the slide back and removing it that way. Then the double fed rounds have more room to drop away when you work the slide. Reinsert the magazine and drive on.
Professor Collins think the nomenclature for reloading is a bit strained and unintuitive, so he eschews terms like “Modified Tactical Reload” and “Combat Reload.” He boils it down to 2 types of reloading, “You are reloading because you gotta” and “You are reloading because you wanna.” Then you ‘gotta’ is because the gun is empty and the fight isn’t over. Seek cover, drop the empty mag on the ground and reload. If you ‘wanna’ it means that you see an opportunity to swap out a partially used magazine with a full one. You retain the not quite empty old magazine in this case. There. Isn’t that a simple concept? I’d confuse Tactical with Combat all the time if that was how I learned.
Another new thing for me was holding a surefire style flashlight in the meaty fist of my support hand under the wrist of my shooting hand. Lining up the light with what I’m looking at that way isn’t as easy as I thought, and I’ll need to practice this some more in dry fire drills.
Another neat thing I’d never tried before is work with a SIRT pistol. It’s the size of a full size Glock, but it shines a red laser when you’ve staged the trigger, and green when you fire. It allows us to do practical stuff with draws in the classroom, shooting simulate threat/no-threat in a powerpoint presentation, and can tattle on you if you are slapping the trigger by releasing it past the reset point. It also allowed us some move and ‘shoot’ drills in the classroom parking lot. At $400, they are probably of less utility at home, but superb in a classroom setting.
Oh, he likes to start with revolver training. It seems my second shot when trying to go fast finds the red more often. This is my revolver target:
Money well spent. Next up, a possible Appleseed in 2 weeks in the cold of Mechanicsville Virginia.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Blog Fodder Aplenty
I had written the last 10 or so posts over a week ago, so I've done well for stuff to talk about. Sometimes the muse leaves me. Sometimes, like recently, it is here in spades.
Feast or famine.
Feast or famine.
Zombie Squad Forums
Huh. I'd think there would be more gunnies at the forum for Zombie Prep and Defense.
They did a meme of "Quick, defend yourself: What do you have on hand RIGHT now" type thread that is 18 pages long and counting. Some are like you'd expect from pure gunnies, with several firearms, ready to go, plenty of ammo. Others have one pistol with lots of ammo, some bolt guns with half a dozen rounds and that's about it. Some have an electric fan, or a Swingline stapler to meet the foe at the door, the one hungry for "Brains, tasty braaaaaaaaaains." One has an xBox controller to hand.
It's a good exercise in mental inventory to remind folks what they are lacking, and I know we do it all the time.
Me? I have a snubbie on me. A longer six shot .357 in the next room in a little gunsafe. With it there is a key to my larger gunsafe. In there is a .40 with 72 rounds in magazines and a 1911 with 42 rounds. Also there is a 5 shot 12 gauge with a buttcuff full to load from, plus a bandolier of many more rounds. An M1A, loaded but not in battery, with over 200 rounds in magazines in a pouches I can grab along with it. There is a Garand with an ammo belt that hold 10 clips that are ready, plus numerous other guns, naturally, of less utility. There is ammo for all the above in there in boxes. More than enough for me to defend myself, both immediately, and with 5 minutes warning, assuming I am fully dressed. I'd go for the M1A and the paddle-holstered 1911 in the gun cabinet to add to the pistol I have.
Also, in there I have load bearing web gear is ready to go with helpful items, like canteen. There is a backpack I can throw a battle pack and a down MREs into, if it goes beyond mere defense. It has other camping gear, too. The only missing is a tent and extra clothes and I can be a week in the woods. If I hole up at home there is a month of ready to eat food here in long term storage. There is also plenty of rice and dried beans and peas. Another month or two of food that way. My weakness is bottle drinking water. I'll have to go for alternative sources like the hot water heater in less than a month. Other weapons include knives and garden tools, but why would I need them? Those are fine if I get caught in my car away from home. I have a mallet for pounding in tent stakes that I leave in the car, the tire iron, and a shovel in the winter, normally, plus the bugout bag with poncho, extra clothes and other devices like a compass and flashlight to go with my pocket knife. I need to figure out a water storage system I am comfortable leaving in the car. I've added a fire extinguisher since I pulled that one guy out of his mangled car. I was just going to leave him be to avoid exacerbating his numerous injuries, but then the flames started coming out from under his hood and decided the matter and proper course of action for us. It would have better if I had a fire extinguisher and nipped the flames in the bud, allowing him to sit where he was. But he ended up being alright after healing. No damage from the extra exertions.
Yes, yes, if my relatives knew I was at this level of preparedness they'd think me... odd... maybe. But among survalists, they'd think me woefully inadequate and looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I like to think I have struck a balance. Future enhancement are... not too much. Big ticket items like a home extension that allows me a woodstove would be something I'd do, and enjoy outside of emergencies. A better water storage and management system is also on my list. Not too much beyond that. More canned goods, naturally. A dream is property in the country away from crazy people as a precautionary retreat area. And a place I can hunt during normal times. I need more candles.
So I'm crazy but not TOO crazy. I'd sail through a Katrina equivalent with what I have now without having to venture out. I could even succor some less prepared neighbors. Five pounds of rice can go along way for someone whose refrigerator thawed and rotted and they are into the cocktail onions for sustenance.
By the way: Has anyone left bottled water in the car year round with no ill effect from the heating and freezing a car is subjected with? I should also put some food in that BOB.
They did a meme of "Quick, defend yourself: What do you have on hand RIGHT now" type thread that is 18 pages long and counting. Some are like you'd expect from pure gunnies, with several firearms, ready to go, plenty of ammo. Others have one pistol with lots of ammo, some bolt guns with half a dozen rounds and that's about it. Some have an electric fan, or a Swingline stapler to meet the foe at the door, the one hungry for "Brains, tasty braaaaaaaaaains." One has an xBox controller to hand.
It's a good exercise in mental inventory to remind folks what they are lacking, and I know we do it all the time.
Me? I have a snubbie on me. A longer six shot .357 in the next room in a little gunsafe. With it there is a key to my larger gunsafe. In there is a .40 with 72 rounds in magazines and a 1911 with 42 rounds. Also there is a 5 shot 12 gauge with a buttcuff full to load from, plus a bandolier of many more rounds. An M1A, loaded but not in battery, with over 200 rounds in magazines in a pouches I can grab along with it. There is a Garand with an ammo belt that hold 10 clips that are ready, plus numerous other guns, naturally, of less utility. There is ammo for all the above in there in boxes. More than enough for me to defend myself, both immediately, and with 5 minutes warning, assuming I am fully dressed. I'd go for the M1A and the paddle-holstered 1911 in the gun cabinet to add to the pistol I have.
Also, in there I have load bearing web gear is ready to go with helpful items, like canteen. There is a backpack I can throw a battle pack and a down MREs into, if it goes beyond mere defense. It has other camping gear, too. The only missing is a tent and extra clothes and I can be a week in the woods. If I hole up at home there is a month of ready to eat food here in long term storage. There is also plenty of rice and dried beans and peas. Another month or two of food that way. My weakness is bottle drinking water. I'll have to go for alternative sources like the hot water heater in less than a month. Other weapons include knives and garden tools, but why would I need them? Those are fine if I get caught in my car away from home. I have a mallet for pounding in tent stakes that I leave in the car, the tire iron, and a shovel in the winter, normally, plus the bugout bag with poncho, extra clothes and other devices like a compass and flashlight to go with my pocket knife. I need to figure out a water storage system I am comfortable leaving in the car. I've added a fire extinguisher since I pulled that one guy out of his mangled car. I was just going to leave him be to avoid exacerbating his numerous injuries, but then the flames started coming out from under his hood and decided the matter and proper course of action for us. It would have better if I had a fire extinguisher and nipped the flames in the bud, allowing him to sit where he was. But he ended up being alright after healing. No damage from the extra exertions.
Yes, yes, if my relatives knew I was at this level of preparedness they'd think me... odd... maybe. But among survalists, they'd think me woefully inadequate and looking at the world through rose colored glasses. I like to think I have struck a balance. Future enhancement are... not too much. Big ticket items like a home extension that allows me a woodstove would be something I'd do, and enjoy outside of emergencies. A better water storage and management system is also on my list. Not too much beyond that. More canned goods, naturally. A dream is property in the country away from crazy people as a precautionary retreat area. And a place I can hunt during normal times. I need more candles.
So I'm crazy but not TOO crazy. I'd sail through a Katrina equivalent with what I have now without having to venture out. I could even succor some less prepared neighbors. Five pounds of rice can go along way for someone whose refrigerator thawed and rotted and they are into the cocktail onions for sustenance.
By the way: Has anyone left bottled water in the car year round with no ill effect from the heating and freezing a car is subjected with? I should also put some food in that BOB.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Huh
I have 400+ rounds of .308 in magazines, in carriers, ready to go. Better get some more battle packs.
I have 77 rounds in 1911 magazines
I have 104 in P229 magazines.
I have 160 in enbloc clips for the Garand.
And lots of boxed rounds. Getting there.
I have 77 rounds in 1911 magazines
I have 104 in P229 magazines.
I have 160 in enbloc clips for the Garand.
And lots of boxed rounds. Getting there.
Accuracy 2
Update: Since composing the previous post I went on a little range trip or two. I noticed that the shots were better when I thought only of the trigger. When I thought maybe I should grip tighter then accuracy fell off. When I caught myself and thought trigger the shots got better. It's not great shooting but it is noticeably better. I will compare again in the future. Shoot 6 thinking about another aspect, shoot 6 focusing like a laser on trigger control only. If results are similar, the habit will be mentally reinforced by better results, and with time maybe I can get it to stick.
Also, and unrelated to generic trigger control, I shoot an XD better than just about anything. I need to keep exploring that. Sell both the SIG and the 1911 and buy a few of the exact same XD model, a primary and spares. Maybe that's just the gun for me and has been all along. Of course I had to tread this path to make this discovery. Had I bought an XD originally I'd have gotten a hankering for other types. But then I'd return back to the XD if I really was best at it, wouldn't I?
I should give up the conceit about my favoring other pistols and just go with the model I shoot best, now I that know a bit more, and better. Even go so radical as to ditch my .45s and stick to just .40.
Here is a target showing the comparisons with my .40 Sig.
Heck, XD is the model I recommend to new shooters.
But it requires more and extensive testing. Borrow/Rent an XD and shoot 200 rounds, solo, in one session, and see if it holds up. Why did I get the Sig P229 in the first place, after all? I shot a buddie's and I was really accurate with it, and liked the feel. I need to confirm it's not as flukish with the XD like it may have been with the minor 2 magazine exposure to the Sig prior to purchase. That's it's not just a matter of the planets aligning.
So much for my favorites and trying to get away from thinking about gear upgrades/changes. But I won't rush.
Also, and unrelated to generic trigger control, I shoot an XD better than just about anything. I need to keep exploring that. Sell both the SIG and the 1911 and buy a few of the exact same XD model, a primary and spares. Maybe that's just the gun for me and has been all along. Of course I had to tread this path to make this discovery. Had I bought an XD originally I'd have gotten a hankering for other types. But then I'd return back to the XD if I really was best at it, wouldn't I?
I should give up the conceit about my favoring other pistols and just go with the model I shoot best, now I that know a bit more, and better. Even go so radical as to ditch my .45s and stick to just .40.
Here is a target showing the comparisons with my .40 Sig.
Heck, XD is the model I recommend to new shooters.
But it requires more and extensive testing. Borrow/Rent an XD and shoot 200 rounds, solo, in one session, and see if it holds up. Why did I get the Sig P229 in the first place, after all? I shot a buddie's and I was really accurate with it, and liked the feel. I need to confirm it's not as flukish with the XD like it may have been with the minor 2 magazine exposure to the Sig prior to purchase. That's it's not just a matter of the planets aligning.
So much for my favorites and trying to get away from thinking about gear upgrades/changes. But I won't rush.
~~~
Added plus? The XD is slimmer than the Sig, and I'd been wanting slimmer...
~~~
Another point... when I get the trigger thing perma-fixed, that should drift the shot group from low and right to just a little low. I'm low because of anticipatory push. Pre flinch, drops the muzzle. That's gotten better over time, but it will be there if I don't fix it, too. I dunno why I don't have XD anticipatory push. It's probably because I don't know when the trigger is going to break on the XD because I haven't shot one enough to find it. Whatcha bet if I had 500 rounds through one I'd drop the group? A point against rushing out and buying one or three.
Accuracy
I'm not accurate. And I hate that.
Fix me!
Ok, ok, there is no magic wand to wave. I don't think even the greatest trainer could put a dent in me. Other than by doing one thing: Hit me on the head every time I stop thinking about my trigger control.
I practice a bit. More than average now. The stance comes natural now. I am focusing on the front sight. I have diagnosed, and I am nearly certain I am right, that my rushing and lack of focus always always always shows up in spotty performance with trigger control. And I have never heard anyone say the trigger control isn't THE most important thing. Everybody says that and I am convinced that everybody is right. For those who good trigger work comes naturally, you are indeed fortunate, and I am jealous.
I need to tape a sign to the inside of my shooting glasses: SQUEEEEEEEZE, dammit.
Mentally getting over the recoil is a factor, but less of one now with all my trigger time.
I hope I can beat this thing, or I am ever going to be average to below average with my shooting, by my standards.
Fix me!
Ok, ok, there is no magic wand to wave. I don't think even the greatest trainer could put a dent in me. Other than by doing one thing: Hit me on the head every time I stop thinking about my trigger control.
I practice a bit. More than average now. The stance comes natural now. I am focusing on the front sight. I have diagnosed, and I am nearly certain I am right, that my rushing and lack of focus always always always shows up in spotty performance with trigger control. And I have never heard anyone say the trigger control isn't THE most important thing. Everybody says that and I am convinced that everybody is right. For those who good trigger work comes naturally, you are indeed fortunate, and I am jealous.
I need to tape a sign to the inside of my shooting glasses: SQUEEEEEEEZE, dammit.
Mentally getting over the recoil is a factor, but less of one now with all my trigger time.
I hope I can beat this thing, or I am ever going to be average to below average with my shooting, by my standards.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
List Update
Well, not really.
But I've been thinking of near term expenditures. I have a training class lined up, so money for that. I will need another one, too.
Of equipment:
I've talked about a 4X scope and rings to mount up by Marlin 1894c.
An Eotech and scout rail for the M1A is good bet, too.
I should probably actually buy a plain Jane 10/22, some extra mags, and an aftermarket peep sight, and zero it in. In case an Appleseed shows up and I can get to it, I should be prepared with something practical to take to it.
Ammo, naturally, to replace any used in practice.
That's about it. No new pistol, no new rifle. I always have a little extra money hanging around in case a friend or associate wants to get rid of some firearms, but who knows what that will bring in over the transom? Single shot 12 gauge? I'd take it, if the price was right. It wouldn't be used much.
But I've been thinking of near term expenditures. I have a training class lined up, so money for that. I will need another one, too.
Of equipment:
I've talked about a 4X scope and rings to mount up by Marlin 1894c.
An Eotech and scout rail for the M1A is good bet, too.
I should probably actually buy a plain Jane 10/22, some extra mags, and an aftermarket peep sight, and zero it in. In case an Appleseed shows up and I can get to it, I should be prepared with something practical to take to it.
Ammo, naturally, to replace any used in practice.
That's about it. No new pistol, no new rifle. I always have a little extra money hanging around in case a friend or associate wants to get rid of some firearms, but who knows what that will bring in over the transom? Single shot 12 gauge? I'd take it, if the price was right. It wouldn't be used much.
Friday, November 19, 2010
HP and the Extensive Hospital Stay
Here we have patient Harold Dursley, age 28, who’s been at the tender mercies of an NHS Insane Asylum in the country for 9 years before being transferred here in an attempt to arrest some of the massive infections from these untreated bedsores.
Apparently Mr. Dursley was severely abused by his birth parents, last name Potter, until Child Services removed him from that environment and placed him in foster care. You can see some evidence of scars from this period. Most notable is the jagged one on his forehead, reportedly caused by his father with a broken beer bottle.
His foster parents were not much better, but at least were not physically abusive. They even forced him to sleep in a locked cupboard until he just outgrew it. They pocketed all the dole payments, which increased when they formally adopted Harold. A very few photographs from this era show a quite corpulent family with an emaciated young foster child shunted to background as a telling testimony on continued, if lesser, abuse. Harold didn’t complain about this treatment because it was an order of magnitude better that his parent’s home. He did retreat into a quite elaborate fantasy world, progressively withdrawing from reality. Not long after puberty this fantasy manifested in a violent lashing out that got worse over time until the Dursley’s could no longer control him and reluctantly (they’d lose their social support payments from Westminster) abandoned him at a Hospital for the Incurably Insane. There he often attacked inmates and staff with a stolen pencil he’d wave like a magic wand when he wasn’t trying to stab people. He called the people around him invented names like Draco, Snape, Death-Eater, and the Administrator was referred to as Voldemort. He talked of invisible trains and hippogriffs in his more calm moments, but after age 18 he never really ‘saw’ the actual world, and over time these quieter episodes became less frequent until sedation and 24 hour restraints got the troublesome Harold Dursley shunted aside and forgotten, leading to the bedsores and subsequent infection. Oh, and apparently he prefers the nickname Harry.
Apparently Mr. Dursley was severely abused by his birth parents, last name Potter, until Child Services removed him from that environment and placed him in foster care. You can see some evidence of scars from this period. Most notable is the jagged one on his forehead, reportedly caused by his father with a broken beer bottle.
His foster parents were not much better, but at least were not physically abusive. They even forced him to sleep in a locked cupboard until he just outgrew it. They pocketed all the dole payments, which increased when they formally adopted Harold. A very few photographs from this era show a quite corpulent family with an emaciated young foster child shunted to background as a telling testimony on continued, if lesser, abuse. Harold didn’t complain about this treatment because it was an order of magnitude better that his parent’s home. He did retreat into a quite elaborate fantasy world, progressively withdrawing from reality. Not long after puberty this fantasy manifested in a violent lashing out that got worse over time until the Dursley’s could no longer control him and reluctantly (they’d lose their social support payments from Westminster) abandoned him at a Hospital for the Incurably Insane. There he often attacked inmates and staff with a stolen pencil he’d wave like a magic wand when he wasn’t trying to stab people. He called the people around him invented names like Draco, Snape, Death-Eater, and the Administrator was referred to as Voldemort. He talked of invisible trains and hippogriffs in his more calm moments, but after age 18 he never really ‘saw’ the actual world, and over time these quieter episodes became less frequent until sedation and 24 hour restraints got the troublesome Harold Dursley shunted aside and forgotten, leading to the bedsores and subsequent infection. Oh, and apparently he prefers the nickname Harry.
Buy Ammo Day
Holy Crap! I totally spaced on today being buy ammo day. I better stop at the gunstore on the way home and buy 100 rounds.
Hmmm, I need to maybe circulate through my seldom shot self-defense ammo. I'll get Federal Hyrdo Shoks for the .40, .45, and .357. And one more box of something to push me over 100 rounds. Maybe .40 in FMJ. Though I am out of regular plain Jane .38.
[And it look like Kim Du Toit stopped hosting that website. I'm pretty sure it belonged to him. Perhaps he as completely withdrawn from 'public' online life.]
Hmmm, I need to maybe circulate through my seldom shot self-defense ammo. I'll get Federal Hyrdo Shoks for the .40, .45, and .357. And one more box of something to push me over 100 rounds. Maybe .40 in FMJ. Though I am out of regular plain Jane .38.
[And it look like Kim Du Toit stopped hosting that website. I'm pretty sure it belonged to him. Perhaps he as completely withdrawn from 'public' online life.]
Finally Got A Class Lined Up.
I have pistol training tomorrow. 'Intermediate Pistol'. Walk before I can run.
Here is the last target from yesterday.
Here is the last target from yesterday.
I'd like to get rid of half of those outside the black and put them a bit closer. I'd feel better.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Nekkid Agin' the Horde!
You’re in the midst of the Zombacalypse and because you are a gunnie with some survivalist tendencies you are well prepared. But what if the situation goes pear shaped?
What if you get separated from your stuff. Like you get arrested for shooting a man (actually a zombie) and are in the tanty for a couple days before the cops say “You were right! They are the walking dead, returned from the grave to feast on the living! Get out of here. Go home. Good luck. No we don’t have any of your personal property, sorry.” When you walk home your house and the rest of your neighborhood has been burned down, who knows how or why. The thing is, there are shamblors about, and you have naught but a tree branch and your favorite weapon… The one between your ears. Now you don’t want to be a corpse-snack, so you have to do something.
You need something to keep the deadly threat from getting to you, you need some sort of shelter and clothing appropriate to the climate, you need drinking water and food. You may need a means of mobility besides shanks mare.
You don’t need a gun if you can be someplace where the zombies can’t get to. A locked school, or the roof of buildings, for instance. Or an oil rig or something.
This is a gun blog, so you know I’d light on this. Where do you get a gun after the horde has risen and order has broken down? A gun would be mighty helpful, but the gun shops are gonna be empty. You have to assume, (for guns as well as food and other supplies) that looting will become something that won’t be considered illegal. Unfortunately, when it is safe from authorities to do so and semi-legal to scavenge by looting then all the lootable things and places will already be looted. Sorry. If you have been a scumbag criminal you might have gotten to the canned Spam first. When it is ok to take what you want at the Safeway there won’t be anything worth taking.
But back to guns… How are you gonna get a gun without taking it from an uninfected person that needs it as much as you, assuming you aren’t lucky and an uninfected human gives you a spare? Well, there has certainly been a big die off in security forces by the middle of a Level 4 Outbreak. When they were overcome their gear was dropped on the ground. So getting these would be helpful and quick because you don’t want the nice rifles to start to rust. Big problem is, if the horde was too much for a squad or platoon of soldiers and police what makes you think you can sneak in there and yoink one for your own use. It’s a tough problem to solve. You could luck out and the migratory patterns of the undead might have moved them off from the scene. Then dash in, grab what you can carry of weapons, ammo, and other gear, and dash out to a safe zone. You can distract the zombies to attract them to another area with noise or what not, and do the dash in dash out. Cooperation with other survivors would help here, but beyond the scope of this post. You’re on your own. The Left4Dead video game and Walking Dead TV show demonstrated that a car alarm can be helpful in the distraction strategy, as the noise will draw the mindless shamblors. Have you noticed that fewer cars have alarms these days? Another crimp in that plan. Cars these days DO have that panic button on the key fob, though. And there will be lots of abandoned vehicles and some of them with keys and working batteries at this stage. Try that. Get TWO key fobs. One for your bait car and one to actually become your means for mobility and shelter.
Yes a working but abandoned car can help with a lot of problems. It offers temporary safety. A zombie may eventually break in to get you, but by then, if you have fuel, you can drive off. It’s a shelter that will keep you dry. If you sleep in it, again, a zombie that tries to break in to eat you will give you plenty of warning to wake and move in all by the worst swarm over. You’ll want to park on a hill. In the event the car won’t start you can coast a ways and may get some distance from the threat. I’d recommend an SUV if you can swing it. The bigger tires run over zombies easier. The light offroad ability with 4WD and a higher clearance can prove useful. You can stretch out in the back to sleep and you have some storage for putting stuff during your improvised scavenging.
Assuming you have the vehicle, but no gun yet and there are no piles of weapons left by security types lying on the ground or they are too rusty to be any use? Where do you find a gun? As mentioned, the gunstores are probably cleaned out, or are fully stocked but locked up and a hard nut to bust open. If you know how to drive a bulldozer and one is handy, you can probably get in. Be quick, the noise will attract attention. Once you execute your bust-in plan you have no time to work out the details, so plan well before you start.
Where else will you find guns? Inside abandoned houses. You’ll have to sneak in to quite a few. Check the closets in the master bedroom and under the mattress. Don’t get trapped doing so. If you find an open gunsafe chances are it is empty, by the previous owner or other scavengers, so a quick looksee and get out. There will probably nothing else of value unless the previous folks left in a hurry. Oh, and gunsafes are often in the basement. The basement is dark and the electricity is almost certainly off, and there are few escape routes to get out of there. Be careful. Check trunks of abandoned police cars, where you might find an unmolested shotgun or AR and ammo. Other good stuff in the trunk, too.
If you went in the basement, grab the bleach in the laundry room. If can make creek water drinkable by putting a half teaspoon in a gallon of questionable water. You’d hate to get dysentery. You’ll get caught with your ‘pants down’ eventually. Keep an eye out for a container to put your water in. Bound to be lots of empty bottles about.
So, now you’ve gone from nearly naked to a survivor with a vehicle, a gun, and you have probably scavenge precious little ammo and food. You’ve been lucky and haven’t gotten bit, if you had none of this would matter. You should be ok with water at this point unless you live in a drier region (my assumptions have been that you’re doing this in the Midwest or east coast. Sorry folks in Albequerque. But you folks there have some other advantages. Like wide open vistas to see trouble coming, and greater access to areas less populated by people OR zombies.) So, what now? Aside from constant scavenging and risk management of same (don’t get panicky or reckless or you’ll get eaten) you need to find a place to go that’s safer. A more permanent home base. That’s hard, as you’ll have other survivors to deal with. With zombies you know where you stand, but People are an X-Factor. Depending on what stage you are in the Outbreak, your scavenging can be a good thing for them and they shoot you and take your stuff, or if it's early and public order hasn't fully collapsed they may think you a looter and shoot you. And take your stuff. You need to look like an asset to their side. A small group is probably best for this. That small group can look to align with other groups eventually, and from there you build a society again. It's still hard to judge, and once you commit to contact things go out of your control a little bit.
But you can’t go solo forever. Unless you got to that well-stocked light house full of fishing gear in the middle of the Bay. Be wary when contacting strangers. Don't look like a bad guy. Keep an eye out to be sure that THEY aren't bad guys. Keep an eye out to be sure THEY aren't stupid. Don't be stupid your own self and let folks see. You are shopping for a good band and they are shopping for able bodied assets to help them, so you are both looking for mutual gain. Hooray capitalism! A good way to start remaking society, initial living off the dregs of the previous society.
What if you get separated from your stuff. Like you get arrested for shooting a man (actually a zombie) and are in the tanty for a couple days before the cops say “You were right! They are the walking dead, returned from the grave to feast on the living! Get out of here. Go home. Good luck. No we don’t have any of your personal property, sorry.” When you walk home your house and the rest of your neighborhood has been burned down, who knows how or why. The thing is, there are shamblors about, and you have naught but a tree branch and your favorite weapon… The one between your ears. Now you don’t want to be a corpse-snack, so you have to do something.
You need something to keep the deadly threat from getting to you, you need some sort of shelter and clothing appropriate to the climate, you need drinking water and food. You may need a means of mobility besides shanks mare.
You don’t need a gun if you can be someplace where the zombies can’t get to. A locked school, or the roof of buildings, for instance. Or an oil rig or something.
This is a gun blog, so you know I’d light on this. Where do you get a gun after the horde has risen and order has broken down? A gun would be mighty helpful, but the gun shops are gonna be empty. You have to assume, (for guns as well as food and other supplies) that looting will become something that won’t be considered illegal. Unfortunately, when it is safe from authorities to do so and semi-legal to scavenge by looting then all the lootable things and places will already be looted. Sorry. If you have been a scumbag criminal you might have gotten to the canned Spam first. When it is ok to take what you want at the Safeway there won’t be anything worth taking.
But back to guns… How are you gonna get a gun without taking it from an uninfected person that needs it as much as you, assuming you aren’t lucky and an uninfected human gives you a spare? Well, there has certainly been a big die off in security forces by the middle of a Level 4 Outbreak. When they were overcome their gear was dropped on the ground. So getting these would be helpful and quick because you don’t want the nice rifles to start to rust. Big problem is, if the horde was too much for a squad or platoon of soldiers and police what makes you think you can sneak in there and yoink one for your own use. It’s a tough problem to solve. You could luck out and the migratory patterns of the undead might have moved them off from the scene. Then dash in, grab what you can carry of weapons, ammo, and other gear, and dash out to a safe zone. You can distract the zombies to attract them to another area with noise or what not, and do the dash in dash out. Cooperation with other survivors would help here, but beyond the scope of this post. You’re on your own. The Left4Dead video game and Walking Dead TV show demonstrated that a car alarm can be helpful in the distraction strategy, as the noise will draw the mindless shamblors. Have you noticed that fewer cars have alarms these days? Another crimp in that plan. Cars these days DO have that panic button on the key fob, though. And there will be lots of abandoned vehicles and some of them with keys and working batteries at this stage. Try that. Get TWO key fobs. One for your bait car and one to actually become your means for mobility and shelter.
Yes a working but abandoned car can help with a lot of problems. It offers temporary safety. A zombie may eventually break in to get you, but by then, if you have fuel, you can drive off. It’s a shelter that will keep you dry. If you sleep in it, again, a zombie that tries to break in to eat you will give you plenty of warning to wake and move in all by the worst swarm over. You’ll want to park on a hill. In the event the car won’t start you can coast a ways and may get some distance from the threat. I’d recommend an SUV if you can swing it. The bigger tires run over zombies easier. The light offroad ability with 4WD and a higher clearance can prove useful. You can stretch out in the back to sleep and you have some storage for putting stuff during your improvised scavenging.
Assuming you have the vehicle, but no gun yet and there are no piles of weapons left by security types lying on the ground or they are too rusty to be any use? Where do you find a gun? As mentioned, the gunstores are probably cleaned out, or are fully stocked but locked up and a hard nut to bust open. If you know how to drive a bulldozer and one is handy, you can probably get in. Be quick, the noise will attract attention. Once you execute your bust-in plan you have no time to work out the details, so plan well before you start.
Where else will you find guns? Inside abandoned houses. You’ll have to sneak in to quite a few. Check the closets in the master bedroom and under the mattress. Don’t get trapped doing so. If you find an open gunsafe chances are it is empty, by the previous owner or other scavengers, so a quick looksee and get out. There will probably nothing else of value unless the previous folks left in a hurry. Oh, and gunsafes are often in the basement. The basement is dark and the electricity is almost certainly off, and there are few escape routes to get out of there. Be careful. Check trunks of abandoned police cars, where you might find an unmolested shotgun or AR and ammo. Other good stuff in the trunk, too.
If you went in the basement, grab the bleach in the laundry room. If can make creek water drinkable by putting a half teaspoon in a gallon of questionable water. You’d hate to get dysentery. You’ll get caught with your ‘pants down’ eventually. Keep an eye out for a container to put your water in. Bound to be lots of empty bottles about.
So, now you’ve gone from nearly naked to a survivor with a vehicle, a gun, and you have probably scavenge precious little ammo and food. You’ve been lucky and haven’t gotten bit, if you had none of this would matter. You should be ok with water at this point unless you live in a drier region (my assumptions have been that you’re doing this in the Midwest or east coast. Sorry folks in Albequerque. But you folks there have some other advantages. Like wide open vistas to see trouble coming, and greater access to areas less populated by people OR zombies.) So, what now? Aside from constant scavenging and risk management of same (don’t get panicky or reckless or you’ll get eaten) you need to find a place to go that’s safer. A more permanent home base. That’s hard, as you’ll have other survivors to deal with. With zombies you know where you stand, but People are an X-Factor. Depending on what stage you are in the Outbreak, your scavenging can be a good thing for them and they shoot you and take your stuff, or if it's early and public order hasn't fully collapsed they may think you a looter and shoot you. And take your stuff. You need to look like an asset to their side. A small group is probably best for this. That small group can look to align with other groups eventually, and from there you build a society again. It's still hard to judge, and once you commit to contact things go out of your control a little bit.
But you can’t go solo forever. Unless you got to that well-stocked light house full of fishing gear in the middle of the Bay. Be wary when contacting strangers. Don't look like a bad guy. Keep an eye out to be sure that THEY aren't bad guys. Keep an eye out to be sure THEY aren't stupid. Don't be stupid your own self and let folks see. You are shopping for a good band and they are shopping for able bodied assets to help them, so you are both looking for mutual gain. Hooray capitalism! A good way to start remaking society, initial living off the dregs of the previous society.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Pacific
I did a marathon of the HBO miniseries, The Pacific. It’s sort of a companion piece to the Band Of Brothers, but it isn’t executed as well, I think.
The show takes a lot of A Helmet for My Pillow by Bob Leckie (which I have not read) and The Old Breed by Eugene Sledge (which I have). The authors personas were also both characters in the series.
I take a greater interest because the unit they follow was also my grandfather's. The 1st Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. He was a radioman in the Headquarters Company, and his first and only battle was on Pelilu, which feature prominently in the show, naturally.
So what is wrong with it? The story doesn't grab you, and the actual events lend themselves to a coherent dramatic narrative, working with the source materials, that a teleplay writer should have done a better job with. The characters aren't written very likably either. I cared about the Gunny and Captain Ack-Ack, but they got little screen time. The main characters were practically interchangeable and forgettable. In Band Of Brothers each of the non-cannon-fodder ensemble cast was at the very least memorable, and most were sympathetic.
Despite it being not as strong a series as Band Of Brothers, I still liked it. I noticed that the Marines didn’t attack anything in the first 3 or 4 parts. I’m sure they did, in the war, at Guadalcanal, but it was interesting that the film maker showed it like that. What I mean is, the Marines fought from prepared positions, and Japanese banzai charges would crash against them and be absolutely slaughtered. There is some historic validity to this portrayal. A Japanese charge relied on shock to knock out an enemy force, but pretty much up until Guadalcanal that tactic was used by veteran Japanese soldiers against Chinese forces. And against them it would work. The US forces had more firepower and probably more discipline and the aggressive Japanese method would have to be rethought.
And rethink it they did, after that hard lesson. In later episodes, as in the war, the Japanese took to well fortified bunkers to bleed the US Forces to death, and then the Marines had to assault positions and dig the enemy out. At least the Marines didn’t assume banzai charges.
Gun content? The usual for a Dub-Dub-Too movie. Lots of Tommy guns, Springfield 03’s on the ‘Canal, up grading to Garands and lots of M1 Carbines for later battles. LOTS of carbines.
We also saw machine guns go from water jacketed jobs to air cooled. Didn’t see any Reisings, but people don’t expect to see them in a World War 2 movie. Plus I don’t think there are a lot of prop Reisings for movie makers to call upon.
We saw the same green jeep pass by the camera over and over again.
But back to guns. This made me think... of a meme…
If you had to go back and fight in any of the battles of history since the invention of the gun, you as you are now, and you got to pick the weapon that would be your primary weapon, which era and weapon would you choose.
You might say, “That’s easy. I’d pick the US side of Korean War and carry around a M2 Carbine. It’s light weight and I’m old and fat.”
Or you might say, “I’d select the Martini Henry and fight the Zulu’s It was so much better than what the opposing forces had. Notwithstanding some massacres. I wouldn’t want to be in on the massacres, naturally”
Or you might say, “I’d carry a PPsH against the fascists in Stalingrad. All those round of magnum quality pistol ammo in a bullet hose. Plus I really hate Nazis.”
Or you might say, “I’m still big and strong and the M60 saved my life once back in 1967 against Charlie.”
My choices would be WWII as an American carrying the relatively heavy Thomson submachinegun. I just really like that gun. If I was young I might choose the BAR.
The show takes a lot of A Helmet for My Pillow by Bob Leckie (which I have not read) and The Old Breed by Eugene Sledge (which I have). The authors personas were also both characters in the series.
I take a greater interest because the unit they follow was also my grandfather's. The 1st Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. He was a radioman in the Headquarters Company, and his first and only battle was on Pelilu, which feature prominently in the show, naturally.
So what is wrong with it? The story doesn't grab you, and the actual events lend themselves to a coherent dramatic narrative, working with the source materials, that a teleplay writer should have done a better job with. The characters aren't written very likably either. I cared about the Gunny and Captain Ack-Ack, but they got little screen time. The main characters were practically interchangeable and forgettable. In Band Of Brothers each of the non-cannon-fodder ensemble cast was at the very least memorable, and most were sympathetic.
Despite it being not as strong a series as Band Of Brothers, I still liked it. I noticed that the Marines didn’t attack anything in the first 3 or 4 parts. I’m sure they did, in the war, at Guadalcanal, but it was interesting that the film maker showed it like that. What I mean is, the Marines fought from prepared positions, and Japanese banzai charges would crash against them and be absolutely slaughtered. There is some historic validity to this portrayal. A Japanese charge relied on shock to knock out an enemy force, but pretty much up until Guadalcanal that tactic was used by veteran Japanese soldiers against Chinese forces. And against them it would work. The US forces had more firepower and probably more discipline and the aggressive Japanese method would have to be rethought.
And rethink it they did, after that hard lesson. In later episodes, as in the war, the Japanese took to well fortified bunkers to bleed the US Forces to death, and then the Marines had to assault positions and dig the enemy out. At least the Marines didn’t assume banzai charges.
Gun content? The usual for a Dub-Dub-Too movie. Lots of Tommy guns, Springfield 03’s on the ‘Canal, up grading to Garands and lots of M1 Carbines for later battles. LOTS of carbines.
We also saw machine guns go from water jacketed jobs to air cooled. Didn’t see any Reisings, but people don’t expect to see them in a World War 2 movie. Plus I don’t think there are a lot of prop Reisings for movie makers to call upon.
We saw the same green jeep pass by the camera over and over again.
But back to guns. This made me think... of a meme…
If you had to go back and fight in any of the battles of history since the invention of the gun, you as you are now, and you got to pick the weapon that would be your primary weapon, which era and weapon would you choose.
You might say, “That’s easy. I’d pick the US side of Korean War and carry around a M2 Carbine. It’s light weight and I’m old and fat.”
Or you might say, “I’d select the Martini Henry and fight the Zulu’s It was so much better than what the opposing forces had. Notwithstanding some massacres. I wouldn’t want to be in on the massacres, naturally”
Or you might say, “I’d carry a PPsH against the fascists in Stalingrad. All those round of magnum quality pistol ammo in a bullet hose. Plus I really hate Nazis.”
Or you might say, “I’m still big and strong and the M60 saved my life once back in 1967 against Charlie.”
My choices would be WWII as an American carrying the relatively heavy Thomson submachinegun. I just really like that gun. If I was young I might choose the BAR.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thing
I just rewatched The Thing From Another World and its remake The Thing.
Marko tipped me off to a short story of the second movie, from the alien's perspective.
It's intriguing.
To make a horror movie monster approachable, sympathetic
And horrible all the same.
Voracious, to our eyes, in its nature.
Heh.
That's good fiction, right there.
What gun for shapeshifting aliens? Flamethrowers, naturally. But even they are not enough. The interesting thing is, by the time the second movie was set, flamethrowers were out of the US Army's inventory for 4 years. Since 1978.
Gun content in the 1950s era first movie saw only M2 Carbines (select fire version of the M1 Carbine) and M1911A1 .45s as small arms. Those weapons were ineffective against the James Arness alien. They had to use high voltage to vanquish him. In the second movie... it leaves off with the creature unvanquished. Unconquered. The gun content in the second movie was an assault rifle for the Norweigians, a revolver for Zephram Cochran, and a shotgun for Snake Plisskin. Plus the flame throwers.
Update: My mistake. That wasn't James Cromwell in The Thing. It was Donald Moffat.
Marko tipped me off to a short story of the second movie, from the alien's perspective.
It's intriguing.
To make a horror movie monster approachable, sympathetic
And horrible all the same.
Voracious, to our eyes, in its nature.
Heh.
That's good fiction, right there.
What gun for shapeshifting aliens? Flamethrowers, naturally. But even they are not enough. The interesting thing is, by the time the second movie was set, flamethrowers were out of the US Army's inventory for 4 years. Since 1978.
Gun content in the 1950s era first movie saw only M2 Carbines (select fire version of the M1 Carbine) and M1911A1 .45s as small arms. Those weapons were ineffective against the James Arness alien. They had to use high voltage to vanquish him. In the second movie... it leaves off with the creature unvanquished. Unconquered. The gun content in the second movie was an assault rifle for the Norweigians, a revolver for Zephram Cochran, and a shotgun for Snake Plisskin. Plus the flame throwers.
Update: My mistake. That wasn't James Cromwell in The Thing. It was Donald Moffat.
Funny!
Those TSA people are a hoot! "My First Cavity Search" children's book in the form of desktop wallpaper at the screening area for the Indianapolis Airport. HI-larious! I'm in stitches!
I was over wary to fly since the post 9/11 security procedures done by Fedril Gummint types, but this pr0n imaging, or, if you choose, a good crotch grab has put me in a mood.
Which is a bit of a heartbreak, as I'd like to visit my Mom in Florida some times.
You know what the best part of the new screening procedure are? They are totally ineffective. Pure security theater. It's what you do instead of nothing. They have caught no one with the old 2002 methods, and they admit that they wouldn't have caught the Underoos Bomber with these new one. And they were put in place BECAUSE of the Underoos Bomber attempt. Add this to the demonstrated incompetence when known human intelligence about Mr. Underoos was not acted upon. Warned by the man's father that the boy intended to go Jihad and maybe smuggle a bomb in board, the Security types still let the man on the plane. Devote your resources toward tightening THAT stuff up rather than looking at nekkid people through their clothes, TSA. (Do people getting on El Al flights in Haifa Israel all have to routinely go through this humiliation? Has there been terrorist attempts on El Al flights in the past 2 decades or were they thwarted? Maybe we could emulate any successes El Al flights have had here in the gool ol' USA?)
The average public might have been more patient with intrusive security screening if they actually did anything to make people more secure. But they don't, so they aren't.
Where does it stop? Do you think that this is the ultimate in search procedures? Or can they go farther? Motivated terrorists can secrete explosives... uh... inside themselves (if I may be delicate) and vigorous frisking or xray machines are unable to detect it. I can't wait for THAT manual detection method to become routine procedure.
And I know the book cover image is a mockup. A bit of gallows humor. But for something to be funny it has to have a ring of truth. I am sure there are plenty of decent TSA folks that hate applying the new rules, too. It'd be heartening to know that there is pushback or resignations going on inside the department over this crap. Or maybe they violate the 4th Amendment on purpose.
It's just gone too far. Until there are rollbacks I won't be buying plane tickets. And I am not alone.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Zombie Tautology
There is a saying about Zombie movies. You see Zombie movies during Republican presidencies, but Vampire movies during Democrat presidencies.
Bushwa!
The other accepted symbology for zombies is that they represent rampant materialism (and hence the connection to the GOP because you can’t have a lot of materialism in the Bad Economic Times that a Democrat usually sends up) Zombies are brainless just looking to consume. Like the typical American, amiright? And is also a mass insecurity because of the tensions of the Cold War on the general public. Zombies are often caused by radiation, so there is the tie in to nuclear war, there.
Also: HOGWASH.
Well I have some wash of my own for that there hog.
The zombie concept, culturally, has evolved a tad. Zombies aren’t created by toxic or radioactive wastes anymore. It’s usually a disease vector, and has been since the closing of the Cold War. The insecurity has shifted from Nuclear Armageddon to general worries about the decline of the West. Zombies are the motif but a few self-reliant survivors are the story. But those survivors are still doomed. They make mistakes, as we all do, and get eaten. If they don’t make mistakes they are still in bad way because they are so outnumbered. The horde is persistent and unstoppable. If there is a happy ending to a zombie movie the zombies are usually taken care of by a fantastical deus ex machina and the few remaining uninfected in the world get to do the whole New Eden thing. At any rate, salvation is out of the hands of the self-reliant or lucky survivors. This is almost as bad as the zombies because Fate is totally out of hand of the uninfected other than enduring long enough to get to the other side.
Also, the Zombacalypse was inevitable. Smart common sense precautions could nip an undead outbreak in the bud if people saw this new thing, totally out of their experience, for the danger it was. But if that unlikely event occurs, it’s only postponing outbreak. If not this week here, next week over there.
Zombieism is a sickness, like Civilization is sick and dying. And people that are self-reliant and aren’t sick are helpless against the ravages. Even the uninfected will be dragged down under the weight of a critical mass of society.
Atlas Shrugged is thus a Zombie movie without gore. Galt’s Gulch is the dues ex machina for the self-reliant. Swiss Family Robinson is a Zombie movie with the storm standing in for the Horde, the perfect treehouse the salvation. Red Dawn is similar with the Russians the horde and the protagonist don’t make it to ‘Eden,’ but eventually, somehow, the war ends off screen and times are better again and the survivors in the US learn an important lesson about sharing and forgiving... or something.
So it’s all allegory for a decline of the West. Decadence and complacency lead to acquiescence. A civilization can only rise for so long. The decline can be put off, but the fall is coming regardless, with nothing to be done. A zombie movie’s symbology posit that this decline is coming right soon and will be incredibly fast. Now this kind of story makes good drama and successful entertainment. But it’s certainly not a pleasant near future to contemplate. I’d prefer to do things correctly and put the decline of Western civilization off another 3 centuries or so, at least. (I wish more folks would cooperate with this goal, if we actually KNEW more ways to advance it beyond returning to first principles.) Sure a resurgent and still rising West makes for less dramatic tension in our entertainment, but that’s a small price to pay. We can find dramatic hooks in other sources.
Bushwa!
The other accepted symbology for zombies is that they represent rampant materialism (and hence the connection to the GOP because you can’t have a lot of materialism in the Bad Economic Times that a Democrat usually sends up) Zombies are brainless just looking to consume. Like the typical American, amiright? And is also a mass insecurity because of the tensions of the Cold War on the general public. Zombies are often caused by radiation, so there is the tie in to nuclear war, there.
Also: HOGWASH.
Well I have some wash of my own for that there hog.
The zombie concept, culturally, has evolved a tad. Zombies aren’t created by toxic or radioactive wastes anymore. It’s usually a disease vector, and has been since the closing of the Cold War. The insecurity has shifted from Nuclear Armageddon to general worries about the decline of the West. Zombies are the motif but a few self-reliant survivors are the story. But those survivors are still doomed. They make mistakes, as we all do, and get eaten. If they don’t make mistakes they are still in bad way because they are so outnumbered. The horde is persistent and unstoppable. If there is a happy ending to a zombie movie the zombies are usually taken care of by a fantastical deus ex machina and the few remaining uninfected in the world get to do the whole New Eden thing. At any rate, salvation is out of the hands of the self-reliant or lucky survivors. This is almost as bad as the zombies because Fate is totally out of hand of the uninfected other than enduring long enough to get to the other side.
Also, the Zombacalypse was inevitable. Smart common sense precautions could nip an undead outbreak in the bud if people saw this new thing, totally out of their experience, for the danger it was. But if that unlikely event occurs, it’s only postponing outbreak. If not this week here, next week over there.
Zombieism is a sickness, like Civilization is sick and dying. And people that are self-reliant and aren’t sick are helpless against the ravages. Even the uninfected will be dragged down under the weight of a critical mass of society.
Atlas Shrugged is thus a Zombie movie without gore. Galt’s Gulch is the dues ex machina for the self-reliant. Swiss Family Robinson is a Zombie movie with the storm standing in for the Horde, the perfect treehouse the salvation. Red Dawn is similar with the Russians the horde and the protagonist don’t make it to ‘Eden,’ but eventually, somehow, the war ends off screen and times are better again and the survivors in the US learn an important lesson about sharing and forgiving... or something.
So it’s all allegory for a decline of the West. Decadence and complacency lead to acquiescence. A civilization can only rise for so long. The decline can be put off, but the fall is coming regardless, with nothing to be done. A zombie movie’s symbology posit that this decline is coming right soon and will be incredibly fast. Now this kind of story makes good drama and successful entertainment. But it’s certainly not a pleasant near future to contemplate. I’d prefer to do things correctly and put the decline of Western civilization off another 3 centuries or so, at least. (I wish more folks would cooperate with this goal, if we actually KNEW more ways to advance it beyond returning to first principles.) Sure a resurgent and still rising West makes for less dramatic tension in our entertainment, but that’s a small price to pay. We can find dramatic hooks in other sources.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
MD Letter to the Editor
I forgot to post this, and it's an interesting take on Maryland gun laws in line with our way of thinking. It's an argument for 'shall issue' in the state and an increase of penalty for possession by prohibited person.
There is, NOW, talk of more gun control in MD, but it's along the lines of this second point. A Baltimore city official is seeking "legislation that would enhance the penalties for illegal gun possession and make the crime a felony." So not much skin off our nose. I don't know about the wisdom for a mandatory sentence, but she will get pushback on that topic from both sides of the aisle for reason apart from gun issue.
There is, NOW, talk of more gun control in MD, but it's along the lines of this second point. A Baltimore city official is seeking "legislation that would enhance the penalties for illegal gun possession and make the crime a felony." So not much skin off our nose. I don't know about the wisdom for a mandatory sentence, but she will get pushback on that topic from both sides of the aisle for reason apart from gun issue.
WORSE than Zombies
The Azhdarchidae. Prehistoric flying dinosaur. The largest flying critter ever. The size of a Roc.
Swallow you whole! And they fly!
Why are they called Azhdachidae? Is that latin for something? No! That's the garbled, screaming last 'word' you utter when they grab ya.
If these come back we are doomed! DOOMED!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Issue
This Nemorov article brings up a good point. And I'm going to stress an unpopular aspect.
The money quote: Brady "Ignored the fact that voters didn’t consider gun control an important issue"
Gun control, for or against, is NOT an important issue.
Oh, damn sure it is to US, the millions of gunnies and libertarian types. And to the 7 dues paying members of the Brady organization and offshoots. But that's around 1% of the populace. It's just that gun control is not a priority on the big List.
That's ok. If the other side doesn't get any movement on restrictions, I think the default position of the American people is grant more liberty so even when we are not resurgent we get more gun freedoms as long as bad guys aren't succeeding. Or am I being too much an optimist?
And they don't get any traction. When something like Virgina Tech happens, the public's mood doesn't automatically return to more gun control as a solution. The calls for closing the "Gun Show Loophole" are drowned out like they weren't after Columbine. People are starting to hear instead that closing the so called loophole would not have prevented the tragedy and is very unlikely to impact future tragedies. When Ft Hood get's shot up like a year ago, the calls to ban firearms that shoot a so called cop-killer round go ignored. Like people know that the 5.7 bullet isn't magic and realize the shooter could have done as much damage with a pistol just like the duty weapons a million cops carry around. When a sick bastard goes into an Amish school to prey upon the helpless, calls for gun free school zones fall on deaf ears and people are starting to notice that gun free zones are just disarming the victims. Wider gun free zones are not clamored for. If anything the retraction of such zones gain... er... traction.
That sort of thing.
Folks are realizing it's the deadly man, not the device, maybe.
But back to the point. Gun control, for or against is not on the radar. Part of it is because the rights side's triumph aren't being trumpeted by media sources unfriendly to gun rights. Some gains are being made in traditional media sending up sympathetic offerings, but it's still a trickle. New media, like here, is ascendant, but it's nothing on the same order of magnitude for size of our voice.
More importantly, we seem to win when the Liberty issue is on the radar or not. So that's a good thing. So until a major majority starts agitating for massive rolling back to 1968 levels and then reforming the 1968 GCA and 1934 NFA to something a little more workable (we'd like to go further, but hoping for this and getting it, would still be a major win) we'll have to settle for steady pressure nibbling at the margins.
The money quote: Brady "Ignored the fact that voters didn’t consider gun control an important issue"
Gun control, for or against, is NOT an important issue.
Oh, damn sure it is to US, the millions of gunnies and libertarian types. And to the 7 dues paying members of the Brady organization and offshoots. But that's around 1% of the populace. It's just that gun control is not a priority on the big List.
That's ok. If the other side doesn't get any movement on restrictions, I think the default position of the American people is grant more liberty so even when we are not resurgent we get more gun freedoms as long as bad guys aren't succeeding. Or am I being too much an optimist?
And they don't get any traction. When something like Virgina Tech happens, the public's mood doesn't automatically return to more gun control as a solution. The calls for closing the "Gun Show Loophole" are drowned out like they weren't after Columbine. People are starting to hear instead that closing the so called loophole would not have prevented the tragedy and is very unlikely to impact future tragedies. When Ft Hood get's shot up like a year ago, the calls to ban firearms that shoot a so called cop-killer round go ignored. Like people know that the 5.7 bullet isn't magic and realize the shooter could have done as much damage with a pistol just like the duty weapons a million cops carry around. When a sick bastard goes into an Amish school to prey upon the helpless, calls for gun free school zones fall on deaf ears and people are starting to notice that gun free zones are just disarming the victims. Wider gun free zones are not clamored for. If anything the retraction of such zones gain... er... traction.
That sort of thing.
Folks are realizing it's the deadly man, not the device, maybe.
But back to the point. Gun control, for or against is not on the radar. Part of it is because the rights side's triumph aren't being trumpeted by media sources unfriendly to gun rights. Some gains are being made in traditional media sending up sympathetic offerings, but it's still a trickle. New media, like here, is ascendant, but it's nothing on the same order of magnitude for size of our voice.
More importantly, we seem to win when the Liberty issue is on the radar or not. So that's a good thing. So until a major majority starts agitating for massive rolling back to 1968 levels and then reforming the 1968 GCA and 1934 NFA to something a little more workable (we'd like to go further, but hoping for this and getting it, would still be a major win) we'll have to settle for steady pressure nibbling at the margins.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Hunt
Was gonna go hunting tomorrow, with MBtGE. But I have to put it off. My stomach has been tender in a way that makes me think I could be getting sick. Or maybe not. It's hard to tell. But it's uncomfortable. Too uncomfortable. Will re-assess in the morning if a midday jaunt to Ye Olde Hunting Growds is in the cards.
Damned inconvenient.
Damned inconvenient.
Zombie Survival Barge
Click to embiggen
That's a sound Zombacalypse survival strategy. I wish I knew the source, but this came to me anonymously.
The idea is you distill down zombies to make the 'bio' diesel to fuel your motors, and you live and farm on the towed barges.
Some think .50s are overkill, but would be useful against against uninfected pirates coming to do you ill. Zombies would be retired with the crews personal arms.
Then you just tool up and down the Mississippi in relative safety, watching out for low bridges and ambushes from the shore (bad guys would have seen you go back and forth and eventually work out a plan to try and get you.)
I'd want more boats moored alongside for greater mobility and an ability to divide my forces for great tactical flexibility and as precautionary escape methods.
Long term viability? Eventually you'll have to settle somewhere when the equipment breaks down. Eventually your barges will rust. Eventually the Mississippi itself will get angry and cause a foundering event. But with luck you could go a long time. Maybe the zombies will thin out a bit over a few years. And you'll have scouted the best place to may settle down by then and might even make it back there.
Update: The source is Zombie Hunters at Zombie Squad.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Range Report November
As I mentioned, I went to the Range last week. I hadn't been shooting since the blogshoot. Yuck. A month.
I took the carry guns. The Snubbie and the Sig P229
About the thickness of the Sig's grip.... Maybe replacement grips? The ones I have are SO pretty, but they ARE plywood... And the rubber ones might be slimmer. Easier on the hand too. More utilitarian. And less thumpy when I sit in a wooden chair. The other side of that coin, and, I think, the reason this gun (marketed to CCW types) has wooden grips vis rubberized ones is that the wood won't catch as much on your cover garment. If they are significantly slimmer, it's a case of damned if I do, damned if I don't. The replacements only cost $22 with $8 for screws so it is worth investigation.
I love that improvement that kicks in once you warmed up and shots start landing more where you are looking...
Here is the first target, .40 on the left, .38 and .38+P on the right. The holes furthest from the center are from initial shots. NONE landed on the shoot-n-see initially. Then I warmed up. Stuff still lands outside the target area, but not ALL of them:
And the second. 7 yards, by the way:
Update: Look at that second target, left hand side. Sorta centered, just low with a few 'on.' The third target I am fading. The first target I am cold. I need to have 50 rounds look like #2 or better. A little low but tighter and still centered would be a start, THEN I could think about lifting the group. The 'low' part may be an artifact of DA trigger. Those were all .40, btw, but the better snubbie shots are in the same place.
I took the carry guns. The Snubbie and the Sig P229
About the thickness of the Sig's grip.... Maybe replacement grips? The ones I have are SO pretty, but they ARE plywood... And the rubber ones might be slimmer. Easier on the hand too. More utilitarian. And less thumpy when I sit in a wooden chair. The other side of that coin, and, I think, the reason this gun (marketed to CCW types) has wooden grips vis rubberized ones is that the wood won't catch as much on your cover garment. If they are significantly slimmer, it's a case of damned if I do, damned if I don't. The replacements only cost $22 with $8 for screws so it is worth investigation.
I love that improvement that kicks in once you warmed up and shots start landing more where you are looking...
Here is the first target, .40 on the left, .38 and .38+P on the right. The holes furthest from the center are from initial shots. NONE landed on the shoot-n-see initially. Then I warmed up. Stuff still lands outside the target area, but not ALL of them:
And the second. 7 yards, by the way:
And I've been noticing that I assume the grip and stance without thinking about it. It's just becoming automatic and natural. That's one good thing, I guess.
Here is the final magazine of the .40:
Here is the final magazine of the .40:
Now if the holes would just fit inside a 3x5 card closer to the center...
I do shoot better when I can easily see where the holes hit.
I'm not getting any better. I've been at this a while, and it certainly looks like I'll never have a chance to win any target matches with anything but maybe my revolvers when I have time to cock the hammer. Even then.
It's frustrating.
I do shoot better when I can easily see where the holes hit.
I'm not getting any better. I've been at this a while, and it certainly looks like I'll never have a chance to win any target matches with anything but maybe my revolvers when I have time to cock the hammer. Even then.
It's frustrating.
Update: Look at that second target, left hand side. Sorta centered, just low with a few 'on.' The third target I am fading. The first target I am cold. I need to have 50 rounds look like #2 or better. A little low but tighter and still centered would be a start, THEN I could think about lifting the group. The 'low' part may be an artifact of DA trigger. Those were all .40, btw, but the better snubbie shots are in the same place.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I'm Confused
In discussing Nazi use of a gun registry on the Volokh Conspiracy, a commenter said:
I was under the impression it was just as illegal under federal law for a resident to sell a pistol to a felon in Texas as it is for a resident to do the same inside Pennsylvania (1968 GCA). Am I wrong, somehow? Gun laws are confusing, but I didn't think I was that confused.
"The article points out that part of the problem is that “straw purchase” is not illegal in Texas, and a gun owner may sell the gun to a private party without verifying the buyer’s identity, much less the background check a dealer would run. This is not true elsewhere in the U.S. In my state, Pennsylvania, straw purchases for a prohibited person (such as a felon) are a crime and no one may sell a handgun without doing it through a dealer, who will run a background check on the buyer. "
I was under the impression it was just as illegal under federal law for a resident to sell a pistol to a felon in Texas as it is for a resident to do the same inside Pennsylvania (1968 GCA). Am I wrong, somehow? Gun laws are confusing, but I didn't think I was that confused.
Favored
The set of pistols I own rise and fall in my esteem, depending on my mood.
Right now, the thick gripped P229 is actually coming around to the positive, despite the bulk. I just like it better right now. It is the gun I'd take, and have taken, to training evolutions. It is my holstered CCW gun. When I tape up my finger tip the trigger doesn't aggravate me and that makes it a more pleasant gun to shoot. I've only taken to taping up recently. So that helps.
My 1911 is a bit neutral right now. It IS a 1911, and that fact alone puts it in high mental esteem. But, to be truthful, I am still not comfortable with a condition 1, cocked and locked pistol (for CCW, as I'd OC this type in a second). I am much more comfortable than I was 5 years ago, mind. If I shot the SA 1911 as well as I shot a single action revolver I wouldn't own any other pistol. But I don't shoot it that well. I want to like it more, and I'm sure it will come back around. It has the potential of being the last firearm I'd part with.
My S&W 686 has never fallen out of my high esteem. My first pistol is still a rock solid piece, in my head. I shoot it well, and rely on it to be there if I need it.
The snubbie S&W 640 is still pretty new and has never fallen out of favor. It just sits so well in a pocket holster and is most likely to be the pistol 'on me' when appropo.
I was almost ready to sell my 1903/8 Colt Pocket Hammerless more than a year ago. It was too extraneous, was an oddball caliber for me, and served no purpose. Some commenters talked me down though. It COULD be employed as a CCW pocket piece, but rather than a 'tool' it has gone to 'collection' status. It's fun, too. It's too nice to be a constant CCW for me. It was almost too nice to keep. Maybe I'll sell it one day, but not anytime soon.
The only other pistol I have is the .22 revolver, the S&W 617. All .22's are fun, I find, so that keeps it in a favorable place. But it might not be as high as it was when new. Haven't shot it too much recently. Again, the wheel will turn and I'll go through a phase of shooting the crap out of it, grinning the whole time.
~~~
So, WHY is the SIG P229 SAS DAK CCW (boy, that's a lotta 3 letter acronyms. too much!) growing on me? That Double Action Kellerman. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a 7 pound DA trigger. But even that isn't that descriptive. Most have pulled on a revolver DA trigger. It's lighter than that. But it's not nearly as light as the striker-fired triggers found on the Glocks, XDs, S&W M&Ps, or HK USPs. It's not too bad a pairing when your other walking-around gun is a snubbie. In that the triggers aren't that far different. And it's a very smooth trigger. If I do a stead pull-through, I don't get super accurate shots, but I get center mass. So I am pleased with the gun and semi-pleased with my shooting skill with it.
Right now, the thick gripped P229 is actually coming around to the positive, despite the bulk. I just like it better right now. It is the gun I'd take, and have taken, to training evolutions. It is my holstered CCW gun. When I tape up my finger tip the trigger doesn't aggravate me and that makes it a more pleasant gun to shoot. I've only taken to taping up recently. So that helps.
My 1911 is a bit neutral right now. It IS a 1911, and that fact alone puts it in high mental esteem. But, to be truthful, I am still not comfortable with a condition 1, cocked and locked pistol (for CCW, as I'd OC this type in a second). I am much more comfortable than I was 5 years ago, mind. If I shot the SA 1911 as well as I shot a single action revolver I wouldn't own any other pistol. But I don't shoot it that well. I want to like it more, and I'm sure it will come back around. It has the potential of being the last firearm I'd part with.
My S&W 686 has never fallen out of my high esteem. My first pistol is still a rock solid piece, in my head. I shoot it well, and rely on it to be there if I need it.
The snubbie S&W 640 is still pretty new and has never fallen out of favor. It just sits so well in a pocket holster and is most likely to be the pistol 'on me' when appropo.
I was almost ready to sell my 1903/8 Colt Pocket Hammerless more than a year ago. It was too extraneous, was an oddball caliber for me, and served no purpose. Some commenters talked me down though. It COULD be employed as a CCW pocket piece, but rather than a 'tool' it has gone to 'collection' status. It's fun, too. It's too nice to be a constant CCW for me. It was almost too nice to keep. Maybe I'll sell it one day, but not anytime soon.
The only other pistol I have is the .22 revolver, the S&W 617. All .22's are fun, I find, so that keeps it in a favorable place. But it might not be as high as it was when new. Haven't shot it too much recently. Again, the wheel will turn and I'll go through a phase of shooting the crap out of it, grinning the whole time.
~~~
So, WHY is the SIG P229 SAS DAK CCW (boy, that's a lotta 3 letter acronyms. too much!) growing on me? That Double Action Kellerman. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a 7 pound DA trigger. But even that isn't that descriptive. Most have pulled on a revolver DA trigger. It's lighter than that. But it's not nearly as light as the striker-fired triggers found on the Glocks, XDs, S&W M&Ps, or HK USPs. It's not too bad a pairing when your other walking-around gun is a snubbie. In that the triggers aren't that far different. And it's a very smooth trigger. If I do a stead pull-through, I don't get super accurate shots, but I get center mass. So I am pleased with the gun and semi-pleased with my shooting skill with it.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Walking Dead ep 2
Wow. That was a considerably graphic nookie scene for a basic cable TV program.
I am unfamiliar with the a pistol I saw and have to look it up on imfdb. Ah. It’s a S&W 3913
I knew that pistol that the handcuffed racist guy had until Deputy Hero took it away. A Browning Hi-Power. Nice. Him getting handcuffed to a fitting on a city building roof will provide a plot point for later, I am sure. He also had a bolt action rifle with a scope.
A zombie apocalypse will be a wonderful time to gunnies and hunters and country boys. Especially the latter. A lifetime of skills build up that have little commercial value will suddenly be called upon. Now if they can only some of them can overcome their racial issues. Not that all have that. But this one in the show sure does.
Update: On the power of the first episode and the rating it pulled in to basic cable for a 10-midnight pilot, and a strong showing for the second episode, AMC has ALREADY renewed Walking Dead for a second season of 13 episodes. Ohboyoboyoboy. I hope it stays good and doesn't go off the rails. Like BSG did.
I am unfamiliar with the a pistol I saw and have to look it up on imfdb. Ah. It’s a S&W 3913
I knew that pistol that the handcuffed racist guy had until Deputy Hero took it away. A Browning Hi-Power. Nice. Him getting handcuffed to a fitting on a city building roof will provide a plot point for later, I am sure. He also had a bolt action rifle with a scope.
A zombie apocalypse will be a wonderful time to gunnies and hunters and country boys. Especially the latter. A lifetime of skills build up that have little commercial value will suddenly be called upon. Now if they can only some of them can overcome their racial issues. Not that all have that. But this one in the show sure does.
Update: On the power of the first episode and the rating it pulled in to basic cable for a 10-midnight pilot, and a strong showing for the second episode, AMC has ALREADY renewed Walking Dead for a second season of 13 episodes. Ohboyoboyoboy. I hope it stays good and doesn't go off the rails. Like BSG did.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sheesh
I am already bad enough at proofing a post prior to publishing. Careful attention to detail has never been my strong suit.
A notion appalled me. What if, in the years I had been posting, I had misspelled a blog label? Like I had spelled it "2nd Amendmant" all this time and only now noticed? I haven't done something like that. Yet. But would be mortified if I had.
A notion appalled me. What if, in the years I had been posting, I had misspelled a blog label? Like I had spelled it "2nd Amendmant" all this time and only now noticed? I haven't done something like that. Yet. But would be mortified if I had.
OC Debate
Robb Allen mentioned a call out for a friend looking for someone to debate, in front of the TV cameras, and 'against' side of the Open Carry debate in Florida.
Well, I'm only sorta against it.
Deep down, there should be NOTHING preventing it. A gun on my neighbor's hip is no more of problem than a gun on a Cop's hip. I KNOW this.
I dunno. I personally prefer Conceal Carry, for it's own peculiar tactical advantages.
I understand that done right, and regular people carrying in the open will eventually show the non-hysterical that really there is no problem with ones fellow citizens toting about. Any more than regular citizens careening about in 2 ton metal transportation devices cause people much alarm.
I'm also polite and I don't like scaring sheep-like hoplophobes. Though why I care what THEY think I sometimes wonder myself. I don't see too much advantage to being all in-your-face about it to prove out point. That's a tactic more suited to the other side, I believe.
I'm all for freedom of speech, but I try not to cuss and shout near little old ladies, too. Even though I can.
Sure, there is the worry that some idjit will bluster about and look the fool and paint us all, unfairly, as irresponsible jerks. But life ain't fair. And we still need to move the freedom-ball down the field toward our endzone. Maybe I'm an OC advocate that just wants to do it a bit more slowly. Pass OC friendly laws but not use them so much. Again, to be polite to those that like to soil their britches. No one wants to be around folks with a load in their cotton undergarments, right?
But put me up against an OC advocate for a debate and I'd just end up agreeing with all their points and sounding like a gibbering idiot. So I'd be a horrible choice for Robb's friend. Plus I have a face for radio, not TV.
I'm against OC, but I'm not so against that I could successfully debate the topic.
Well, I'm only sorta against it.
Deep down, there should be NOTHING preventing it. A gun on my neighbor's hip is no more of problem than a gun on a Cop's hip. I KNOW this.
I like guns. Why would I not want to see more of them? I like to see what people chose to tote. I like it when people exercise their inherent freedom to do so.
I dunno. I personally prefer Conceal Carry, for it's own peculiar tactical advantages.
I understand that done right, and regular people carrying in the open will eventually show the non-hysterical that really there is no problem with ones fellow citizens toting about. Any more than regular citizens careening about in 2 ton metal transportation devices cause people much alarm.
I'm also polite and I don't like scaring sheep-like hoplophobes. Though why I care what THEY think I sometimes wonder myself. I don't see too much advantage to being all in-your-face about it to prove out point. That's a tactic more suited to the other side, I believe.
I'm all for freedom of speech, but I try not to cuss and shout near little old ladies, too. Even though I can.
Sure, there is the worry that some idjit will bluster about and look the fool and paint us all, unfairly, as irresponsible jerks. But life ain't fair. And we still need to move the freedom-ball down the field toward our endzone. Maybe I'm an OC advocate that just wants to do it a bit more slowly. Pass OC friendly laws but not use them so much. Again, to be polite to those that like to soil their britches. No one wants to be around folks with a load in their cotton undergarments, right?
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Fondled Sumthin
At the range the other day (report comin') I DID get to fondle one of those new Taurus Slims in 9mm.
The trigger creep was pretty bad. And the thing FEELS like a Kel Tec .380, but a hair bigger. It is definitely skinny. Just a hair too big for a pocket, maybe.
It didn't give me a lot of urge to buy it of something the same size. I'm sorta looking for a single stack that I would holster, not pocket carry. I wouldn't adopt something like this, in 9mm, since I already have that S&W 640 for that role.
A slightly larger .40 may be what I want. I need a skoche more grip length.
The trigger creep was pretty bad. And the thing FEELS like a Kel Tec .380, but a hair bigger. It is definitely skinny. Just a hair too big for a pocket, maybe.
It didn't give me a lot of urge to buy it of something the same size. I'm sorta looking for a single stack that I would holster, not pocket carry. I wouldn't adopt something like this, in 9mm, since I already have that S&W 640 for that role.
A slightly larger .40 may be what I want. I need a skoche more grip length.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Be sure of your target
I know there are a lot of us waiting for that dark day, the day we gunnies will be called upon to turn back the undead horde... But keep some situational awareness. And an eye on the calendar. We'd hate for a senseless tragedy to occur just because we failed in our attention to detail, and innocents end up getting slightly injured.
I wonder how Stewie swung the NFA stamped AR?
I wonder how Stewie swung the NFA stamped AR?
Gotta Prep
For a hunting outing with MBtGE next Saturday. Getting a little excited...
Gonna wash my hunting clothes is just water to rinse a bit of the soap smell out.
I am loathe to mess with my shotgun for fear of either rendering inoperable or making it smell like solvent. So my semi-auto may be a single shot. That's ok for a deer application
Gonna wash my hunting clothes is just water to rinse a bit of the soap smell out.
I am loathe to mess with my shotgun for fear of either rendering inoperable or making it smell like solvent. So my semi-auto may be a single shot. That's ok for a deer application
Friday, November 5, 2010
ASCII
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……/ `—-___________——_____|] = = = = = D
…../_==o;;;;;;;;_______.:/
…..), —-.(_(__) /
….// (..) ), ——”
…//___//
..//___//
.//___//
……/ `—-___________——_____|] = = = = = D
…../_==o;;;;;;;;_______.:/
…..), —-.(_(__) /
….// (..) ), ——”
…//___//
..//___//
.//___//
Walking Dead Zeds
I've been thinking about the zombie types in Walking Dead. How they should be classified.
They have memory, coming back to old habits, hanging around the familiar. They know to use doorknobs to enter places. So these are smarter than average bears... er... zombies. Not smart zombies, but clever enough to occasionally stumble upon something clever that will throw a wrench into the protagonist's plans and assumption and thus advance the plot. "Whadaymean they figured out the 6 digit keypad combo at the secure perimeter?!!!!"
They're not Sprinters, and not Shamblors. They are something in between. They're Stumblers. Like drunk people. They aren't coordinated when they move but can put on a burst of speed when they need to.
If I may quote from Shaun of the Dead: "Just look at the face: it's vacant, with a hint of sadness. Like a drunk who's lost a bet." That characterizes the facial expressions of a standard Walking Dead zombie to a T. Er... Z.
So not really a new form, but a slight evolution of the classic Shamblor.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Time to Renew
My Range Membership. At my local cheaper range, On Target.
I should build a range in the basement. You can do that, you know. Even in Maryland. Make a pretty long one, too. A private range in my state is no real concern of the authorities if it's below ground level. A way to make one is to dig a trench out from the basement wall and put in cement stormdrain pipe going out from a hole in the wall to the property line. The hard part is ventilation and lighting and waterproofing. Oh, and going out to a hatch in a shed to change out a target. But to have the opportunity to shoot daily might be wonderful... Certainly for a while.
If i get the gumption to go this afternoon, I think I'll bring the 2 possible CCW pistols. The snubbie and the Sig P229.
It's only $175 to renew. And if you go once a month it pays for it self. I went every week there for a little while and need to get back. Maybe I'll go today...
I should build a range in the basement. You can do that, you know. Even in Maryland. Make a pretty long one, too. A private range in my state is no real concern of the authorities if it's below ground level. A way to make one is to dig a trench out from the basement wall and put in cement stormdrain pipe going out from a hole in the wall to the property line. The hard part is ventilation and lighting and waterproofing. Oh, and going out to a hatch in a shed to change out a target. But to have the opportunity to shoot daily might be wonderful... Certainly for a while.
If i get the gumption to go this afternoon, I think I'll bring the 2 possible CCW pistols. The snubbie and the Sig P229.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Election Results
I'm disappointed in the whole.
But I’d be disappointed if less than 430 conservative, Constitution-following, small gov’t types won their House bid and the losers were subsequently covered with a sticky substance like maple syrup or spray-in foam insulation, then doused with the contents of a feather pillow, and THEN given a free ride (like a horsey!) from the Capitol to the Potomac straddling a 2x4.
The political landscape looks better, state and federal, yes. It’s no Pollyanna. Then again OUR side isn’t the type that strives for a Pollyanna/Utopia, so we may be ok. For now. Don’t trust em. ANY of them. Watch em like a hawk!
But I’d be disappointed if less than 430 conservative, Constitution-following, small gov’t types won their House bid and the losers were subsequently covered with a sticky substance like maple syrup or spray-in foam insulation, then doused with the contents of a feather pillow, and THEN given a free ride (like a horsey!) from the Capitol to the Potomac straddling a 2x4.
The political landscape looks better, state and federal, yes. It’s no Pollyanna. Then again OUR side isn’t the type that strives for a Pollyanna/Utopia, so we may be ok. For now. Don’t trust em. ANY of them. Watch em like a hawk!
Cisco v. Texas
What do San Franciscans think of Texans? Well here is but one example.
Money quote: "They all carry guns and fire them without provocation, usually to get your attention or to express emotion."
Well, ok then.
Money quote: "They all carry guns and fire them without provocation, usually to get your attention or to express emotion."
Well, ok then.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Safety Rule
One of my unlisted #5 shooting safety rule is "First the shooting, THEN the drinking. Never the other way round."
Same applies to voting, in my personal philosophy.
I voted. You know what that means now?
Anyway.
With this huge enthusiasm to put a restraining order on Nancy Pelosi I expect a huge turnout for the GOP in Maryland. Epic. The Democrats will probably only win by 67-32 instead of their more usual 71-28.
What if they are incompetent?
There is an election today… Perhaps you’ve heard word of it?
A Historic shift is likely to occur due to so-called Tea Party sensibilities. An electorate that wants a smaller gov’t spending less and intruding on people’s lives less. They want to have less of a tax burden and more liberty to live their lives as they please.
And the Republicans are about to reap the rewards. But the Tea Party has promised… if the GOP strays from conservative tea party principles and simply goes back to business as usual, with pork barrel spending and become, again, the party of “Democrat-Lite!” then woe betide them for they will feel the wrath of a scorned electorate. RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) are definitely an endangered species, and there are no bag limits of the hunters. And Tea Party people have rifle, actual and proverbial. The proverbial rifles will be uncased in November 2012, presumably. (I’m sure the actual rifles will not be needed. Well, I hope.)
That’s the assumption. That either the Tea Party sensibility will reign or the RINOs will. One is good, the other bad. But, and I’m being pessimistic here, what if there is a 3rd more likely option. What if the GOP is just incompetent? What if they try to instate Tea Party type policies? They will fail. The GOP, beholden now (let’s assume) to the Tea Party won’t control 60 votes in the Senate. Probably not even a majority. And they won’t be able to override a presidential veto. Even a perfect legislative quiver in the House will simply crash against the rocks of opposition. In order to pass anything a bill has to be worded in such a way that folks can’t vote against it. And a bill like that that doesn’t compromise on principle, while possible, is very hard to forge.
But they can fail and look good, or more likely, they can fail and look bad... Fumble the sentiment, the initiative, and the message. Oh dear.
So what are we left with? The GOP has to go for political wins instead of legislative passage. “We had a good law, but THEY kept if from seeing the light of day. We need your help next election to bring more folks that will vote with us.” So the Tea Party will have to keep going another 2 years with the same enthusiasm, not get tired, hackneyed, or out of style. And the opposition will be working to make those sensibilities seem like that and more.
Another political win the GOP can point to is “Well we did have control of the House, and we stopped the bleeding, no more Leftist paper came past. We were a do-nothing Congress when that’s what the people wanted. The Congress before was DOING something alright, it was doing damage to America.” That’s a smaller win. And may be the best we can hope for. A restraining order against a Lefty agenda.
But none of this happens in a bubble. The other side is not composed completely of dummies, and they will be thinking of their own political angles to play to counter these perceived successes.
No. The big danger to conservatives (which Gunnies generally are, even if they are a one-issue political animal only concerned with the Second Amendment) is that a new Speaker Boehner isn’t up for the leadership job. The Leadership has to stick to principles and run the table as much as they are able. If their performance doesn’t appear inspired, then prepare for the second reign of Zombie Pelosi, as the Tea Party mentality puts a goodly portion of the electorate into the "this is your LAST chance to get this right" attitude.
Even the Metrocons notice.
A Historic shift is likely to occur due to so-called Tea Party sensibilities. An electorate that wants a smaller gov’t spending less and intruding on people’s lives less. They want to have less of a tax burden and more liberty to live their lives as they please.
And the Republicans are about to reap the rewards. But the Tea Party has promised… if the GOP strays from conservative tea party principles and simply goes back to business as usual, with pork barrel spending and become, again, the party of “Democrat-Lite!” then woe betide them for they will feel the wrath of a scorned electorate. RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) are definitely an endangered species, and there are no bag limits of the hunters. And Tea Party people have rifle, actual and proverbial. The proverbial rifles will be uncased in November 2012, presumably. (I’m sure the actual rifles will not be needed. Well, I hope.)
That’s the assumption. That either the Tea Party sensibility will reign or the RINOs will. One is good, the other bad. But, and I’m being pessimistic here, what if there is a 3rd more likely option. What if the GOP is just incompetent? What if they try to instate Tea Party type policies? They will fail. The GOP, beholden now (let’s assume) to the Tea Party won’t control 60 votes in the Senate. Probably not even a majority. And they won’t be able to override a presidential veto. Even a perfect legislative quiver in the House will simply crash against the rocks of opposition. In order to pass anything a bill has to be worded in such a way that folks can’t vote against it. And a bill like that that doesn’t compromise on principle, while possible, is very hard to forge.
But they can fail and look good, or more likely, they can fail and look bad... Fumble the sentiment, the initiative, and the message. Oh dear.
So what are we left with? The GOP has to go for political wins instead of legislative passage. “We had a good law, but THEY kept if from seeing the light of day. We need your help next election to bring more folks that will vote with us.” So the Tea Party will have to keep going another 2 years with the same enthusiasm, not get tired, hackneyed, or out of style. And the opposition will be working to make those sensibilities seem like that and more.
Another political win the GOP can point to is “Well we did have control of the House, and we stopped the bleeding, no more Leftist paper came past. We were a do-nothing Congress when that’s what the people wanted. The Congress before was DOING something alright, it was doing damage to America.” That’s a smaller win. And may be the best we can hope for. A restraining order against a Lefty agenda.
But none of this happens in a bubble. The other side is not composed completely of dummies, and they will be thinking of their own political angles to play to counter these perceived successes.
No. The big danger to conservatives (which Gunnies generally are, even if they are a one-issue political animal only concerned with the Second Amendment) is that a new Speaker Boehner isn’t up for the leadership job. The Leadership has to stick to principles and run the table as much as they are able. If their performance doesn’t appear inspired, then prepare for the second reign of Zombie Pelosi, as the Tea Party mentality puts a goodly portion of the electorate into the "this is your LAST chance to get this right" attitude.
Even the Metrocons notice.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Walking Dead on AMC TV
Ugh, I didn’t expect 2 hours. That was a long premiere. But I was pleased.
The Walking Dead is a zombie TV series on AMC based on a comic book of the same name. Like I needed to tell you all that. Production values for this show are excellent and exceed even Romero-movie special effects. A brief synopsis and I will try to limit the spoilers in this review: Our protagonist, Deputy Hero, wakes up in his small town Georgia hospital to find he’d been in a coma for a bit, and the world had a little Level 4 zombie outbreak while he slept. A whole 28 Days Later thing. Hey, you know something? 28 Days Later might have stolen the coma motif FROM this series, and not the other way round.
Some other observations...
Oh look, a love triangle. Well I guess you gotta have TV drama and dramatic irony in a TV show. I hate it when emotions and personal dynamics get in the way of zombie carnage. Ah well.
They did a good job showing how loud shooting a Colt Python inside a tank can/might be. Ow! My freakin ears! And it's not like it's a good idea to bounce a bullet around on the inside of a bullet proof chamber. He's lucky ONLY his ears rang.
I had one problem with my suspension of disbelief. The aforementioned tank that Deputy Hero seeks sanctuary in, he accesses the interior though a hole in the underside. Thing is… I have it on good authorioty that there is no hatch in the bottom of an M1 Abrams tank… Sorta ruined the whole thing for me.
But the Ma Deuce DOES have ammo. THAT could be fun.
There are many folks in refugee situations running from the undead. They are staying in nylon camping tents. "Uh-oh Carl! There is a zombie in camp outside our tent!" "Don't worry Martha, I'll take care of this." zzzzzzzzzzzip. "There. All closed up. Now we are perfectly safe." Yeah, that could be bad.
And we get to see the futility of relying on a 12 gauge for our anti-zombie weapon. See what happens when you rely on shotguns? Shotguns are the WORST anti-zombie gun. Deputy Hero had half a dozen or so, presumably loaded, carrying them around in a duffel. Probably because he figured out it takes too long to reload and he might run into a group of Walkers. At least he thought THAT far ahead. Turns out all those loaded shotties are bulky and the Deputy-Hero lost them in a spill fleeing a few hundred zeds. I guess he didn't expect THAT many in a group, either. A horde is a HORDE. Once you start taking off your shoes and socks to count the zombies nearby that shotgun is less useful. And there are ALWAYS more zombies. He’d have been better off with a Ruger Mini-14 and 3 extra magazines than all those shotguns. And a Mini-14 and a couple dozen magazines is still lighter in weight than 6 shotguns AND able to handle a couple hundred of the undead, maybe. Well, give Deputy-Hero a break. He still hadn't wrapped his head around this whole zombie thing just yet. It's hard getting your feet under you after a discombobulating coma combined with a Level 4.
Ooo, almost forgot. There was an instruction at the beginning, by Deputy-Hero. He had his revolver (Olde Skool!) and him and other law enformcement are getting ready to shoot it out with actual crminals and such. The instruction was, "be sure you have a round in the chamber and the safety is off!" But all the other cops have Glocks, with no safeties.
~~~~~
Oh and i just heard about this mini-series. The Dead Set. It's about what happens to a Big Brother cast and crew when a Level 4 happens and they hunker in place. It's on IFC and I'm gonna have to find a copy.
The Walking Dead is a zombie TV series on AMC based on a comic book of the same name. Like I needed to tell you all that. Production values for this show are excellent and exceed even Romero-movie special effects. A brief synopsis and I will try to limit the spoilers in this review: Our protagonist, Deputy Hero, wakes up in his small town Georgia hospital to find he’d been in a coma for a bit, and the world had a little Level 4 zombie outbreak while he slept. A whole 28 Days Later thing. Hey, you know something? 28 Days Later might have stolen the coma motif FROM this series, and not the other way round.
Some other observations...
Oh look, a love triangle. Well I guess you gotta have TV drama and dramatic irony in a TV show. I hate it when emotions and personal dynamics get in the way of zombie carnage. Ah well.
They did a good job showing how loud shooting a Colt Python inside a tank can/might be. Ow! My freakin ears! And it's not like it's a good idea to bounce a bullet around on the inside of a bullet proof chamber. He's lucky ONLY his ears rang.
I had one problem with my suspension of disbelief. The aforementioned tank that Deputy Hero seeks sanctuary in, he accesses the interior though a hole in the underside. Thing is… I have it on good authorioty that there is no hatch in the bottom of an M1 Abrams tank… Sorta ruined the whole thing for me.
But the Ma Deuce DOES have ammo. THAT could be fun.
There are many folks in refugee situations running from the undead. They are staying in nylon camping tents. "Uh-oh Carl! There is a zombie in camp outside our tent!" "Don't worry Martha, I'll take care of this." zzzzzzzzzzzip. "There. All closed up. Now we are perfectly safe." Yeah, that could be bad.
And we get to see the futility of relying on a 12 gauge for our anti-zombie weapon. See what happens when you rely on shotguns? Shotguns are the WORST anti-zombie gun. Deputy Hero had half a dozen or so, presumably loaded, carrying them around in a duffel. Probably because he figured out it takes too long to reload and he might run into a group of Walkers. At least he thought THAT far ahead. Turns out all those loaded shotties are bulky and the Deputy-Hero lost them in a spill fleeing a few hundred zeds. I guess he didn't expect THAT many in a group, either. A horde is a HORDE. Once you start taking off your shoes and socks to count the zombies nearby that shotgun is less useful. And there are ALWAYS more zombies. He’d have been better off with a Ruger Mini-14 and 3 extra magazines than all those shotguns. And a Mini-14 and a couple dozen magazines is still lighter in weight than 6 shotguns AND able to handle a couple hundred of the undead, maybe. Well, give Deputy-Hero a break. He still hadn't wrapped his head around this whole zombie thing just yet. It's hard getting your feet under you after a discombobulating coma combined with a Level 4.
Ooo, almost forgot. There was an instruction at the beginning, by Deputy-Hero. He had his revolver (Olde Skool!) and him and other law enformcement are getting ready to shoot it out with actual crminals and such. The instruction was, "be sure you have a round in the chamber and the safety is off!" But all the other cops have Glocks, with no safeties.
~~~~~
Oh and i just heard about this mini-series. The Dead Set. It's about what happens to a Big Brother cast and crew when a Level 4 happens and they hunker in place. It's on IFC and I'm gonna have to find a copy.
CCW in Pop Culture
Has anyone ever recalled a modern TV show talking about a man with a legit CCW 'license'?
Cuz I can't remember one. Positve or negative or what have you. It's like no one on TV Land can conceive of the possibility outside of law enforcement. Only Cops have permission.
Or am I way off base and it's all over the place in TV and Hollywood?
Cuz I can't remember one. Positve or negative or what have you. It's like no one on TV Land can conceive of the possibility outside of law enforcement. Only Cops have permission.
Or am I way off base and it's all over the place in TV and Hollywood?