The KR Training May 2010 newsletter is now up. Lots of classes on tap, including some new stuff like team tactics and Beyond The Basics: Rifle.
Guns
Logic fail
Colorado State University’s ban on concealed carry is no more. (h/t Uncle). But… logic fails:
“It’s unfortunate that the school (CSU) will be allowing guns on campus,” said Daniel Vice, senior attorney at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. “It will be one of the few colleges in the nation to do so and will endanger the lives of students at the school.”
Not that the Brady’s have ever been about logic. But the implication is the mere presence of guns makes a place more dangerous.
Fact is, the world outside the bubble of college is loaded with guns. The data shows that states enacted concealed carry, violent crime rates went down.
Furthermore, it seems that when someone opts to go crazy, it’s always in a gun free zone.
So, while it’d be nice if the Brady Bunch could show their work on how they came up with this conclusion, we know there’s no work to be shown.
A couple links
KR Training attended the 2010 Polite Society event. Here’s a write-up. I highly recommend visiting the page and reading up on the 4 Force-on-Force scenarios. The write-up describes the scenarios and “results” from them. Very enlightening, and as with many FoF situations, a sober read. Many implications on what we need to practice, and it’s not just our marksmanship skills. There’s also a few videos of their shoothouse runs.
Rangemaster’s May 2010 newsletter is posted. Congratulations to Lynn Givens for her recognition by the Shelby County AG. This newsletter contains a good article about safety while traveling, especially in regards to hotels.
Ignorance is the best policy? *sigh*
The Commonwealth of Virginia is seeking to establish a gun safety program in their public schools. It would be based around the NRA’s highly successful Eddie Eagle program.
Naturally, some people are freaking out about it:
“It’s not the wisest thing because, for instance, [my daughter]. She doesn’t know what a gun is. But, if she sees gun safety, then now she’s curious about it,” says Nery Washington, who lives in Harrisonburg.
So what you’re saying is, your daughter is ignorant, which is understandable for a child, but what’s not understandable is why you as a parent think ignorance is acceptable and the best way to keep your child safe.
Do we keep our children ignorant of the chemicals and cleaners we keep under the sink? Do we keep our children ignorant of “stranger danger”? Do we keep our children ignorant of electrical outlets? Do we keep our children ignorant about running on wet floors? These are all things that are potentially dangerous to children, and we go out of our way to teach children about them all in the name of keeping the children safe.
When you tell your kids about the chemicals under the sink, does Junior go and decide he now needs a Windex cocktail?
“Nothing about this program should make children curious about firearms, and we don’t encourage children to own a gun. So, as to any of those kind of fears, I would say they’re totally unwarranted,” says Alexa Fritts, a spokeswoman for the NRA.
I do take odds with such a flat dismissal. Yes in fact a child could become more curious about firearms as a result of this program. If so, why is that horrible? Any topic we introduce to our children could be met with massive indifference or whole-hearted curiosity. Is that reason to not discuss the dangers of drugs and alcohol? Is that reason to not discuss sex? Yes, discussion of these things could lead to increased curiosity and experimentation. My take as a parent? Don’t ignore the subject with your children. Raise them in an environment where they can learn, explore, and freely ask questions of their parent. Don’t make them scared to come to you, else they will sneak things when you don’t want them to. That’s when the danger can truly start. We are to teach and guide our children, so foster an environment where that can be done.
So yes, if your daughter becomes more curious about firearms, teach her honestly and guide her well. Ignorance doesn’t cure curiosity.
Uh huh
Jay comes to the same conclusion: All Pistol Rounds Suck.
It’s like that joke:
A woman sees a Texas Ranger with a gun on his hip. She asks him: “Sir, are you expecting trouble?” The Ranger replies, “Ma’am, if I was expecting trouble, I would have brought a rifle.”
The utility of handguns is their portability and concealability.
Jay mentioned an interesting data point:
Don’t rely on expansion from JHP. There were several cases where a suspect had been shot 5+ times with JHP ammunition, and only a handful of the shots actually expanded.
I can’t help but wonder why.
Jay, if you’re reading this, did your research offer up any explanations?
And then, it makes me wonder if ammo like Hornady’s Critical Defense would in fact fare better. Their marketing says so, but ballistics gel is different from flesh and bone.
Stick to the basics, slow down
In the latest issue of the Tiger Valley newsletter, lead instructor T.J. Pilling recounts what should have been a routine SWAT execution of a warrant. Instead, it went wrong and had potential to go really wrong but thankfully did not.
I thought the final summary of the incident was worth repeating:
How did things go bad? The door was blocked, divert guy hesitated and adrenaline was pumping with everyone involved. The next thing is everyone wants to make up time, which, just like a match, can’t be done. Even the most basic of techniques, like checking your corners went out the window. It was lucky for everyone that the guy behind the door wasn’t armed, since he would have had the drop on the entry team, which missed him on the primary search. When things go bad, stick to the basics, slow down and do things by the book, you can’t catch up on time you already lost.
It’s hard to remember to stick to the basics and slow down, especially when the fur is flying. This is something I struggle with myself. But success comes in mastering and utilizing fundamentals, in all areas of life.
LCP 1, Coyote 0
My Governor, Rick Perry, dispatched a coyote with his Ruger LCP. Apparently it was the coyote or Perry and his puppy.
So, .380 may be marginal for self-defense, but seems adequate for coyotes. 🙂
Amusing from the article:
Perry said he carries his .380 Ruger pistol — loaded with hollow-point bullets — when jogging on trails because he is afraid of snakes. He’d also seen coyotes in the area.
We must emphasize the use of those evil hollow-point bullets!! Of course, amongst gunnies the debate is that with a .380 you may actually be better off using FMJ in order to get adequate penetration.
And honestly, for snakes? I mean, I understand and all, but a .380 against a snake? I’d rather use proper snake-loads for that.
But there’s no question folks. As we humans continue to develop land, the critters on that land won’t go away. Plus as “green friendly” as Austin is, there’s lots of undeveloped land. That land is prime spots for critters to live. While I’m in the city, I back up to a greenbelt that connects to hundreds of acres of land that will never be developed. I get deer, I’ve heard the coyotes (one neighbor has seen them), there’ve been rattlesnakes in my yard, and there’s the suspected bobcat.
“I holler, and the coyote stopped. I holler again. By this time I had taken my weapon out and charged it. It is now staring dead at me. Either me or the dog are in imminent danger. I did the appropriate thing and sent it to where coyotes go,” [Gov. Perry] said.
Perry said the laser pointer helped make it a quick, clean kill.
I can see that. It’s not like you can aim that LCP that easily, so in case like this the laser had to be most helpful. I do wonder how long the shot was.
“It was not in a lot of pain,” he said. “It pretty much went down at that particular juncture.”
DRT. It’s nice to have a Gov. that knows how to shoot. 🙂
Texas law allows people to shoot coyotes if they are threatening livestock or domestic animals. The coyote never reached the dog, which was unharmed, Perry said.
Perry’s security detail was not required to file a report on the governor discharging a weapon, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange said.
“People shoot coyotes all the time, snakes all the time,” Mange said. “We don’t write reports.”
It’s good to see that time and money isn’t wasted. 🙂
Just Smurfy
Going to the bank today to open an account (more on this eventually).
Wife and I had a little verbal exchange as I was going out the door.
The end result?
I’m now “Glock Smurf”.
That’s the Smurf I want to be.
Glock Smurf.
😉
Chicago lawmakers want to put more guns on the street… sorta.
Chicago Democrats John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford said they want Quinn, Mayor Richard Daley and Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis to allow guardsmen to patrol streets and help quell violence. Weis said he did not support the idea because the military and police operate under different rules.
“Is this a drastic call to action? Of course it is,” Fritchey said. “Is it warranted when we are losing residents to gun violence at such an alarming rate? Without question. We are not talking about rolling tanks down the street or having armed guards on each corner.”
What he envisions, Fritchey said, is a “heightened presence on the streets,” particularly on the roughly 9 percent of city blocks where most of the city’s violent crimes occur.
So what they’re wanting is well… more guns on the streets. If you put more police, or national guardsmen in the street, that’s what you’re wanting: to put more people with guns on the streets!! Only these people are assumed to be good, law-abiding people.
“I’m open to anything that reduces violence. But I have concerns when you mix law enforcement and the military,” Weis said.
Really? So how about improving your gun laws for law-abiding citizens?
Yet the lawmakers said they are coming together because gun violence should be a priority to all Chicagoans.
“No help is too much help” Ford said. “This is not just about the murders. It’s about the crime. It’s about people being stabbed, robbed and in the hospital on life support.”
This isn’t about gun violence. This is about degenerates committing anti-social acts, acts of violence, all because they are able to wield power over the citizenry because the almighty powers that be feel the citizens cannot be trusted to defend themselves but we your almighty caretaker promise to keep you safe — a promise impossible to fulfill. It’s not about guns. If guns were the problem, then why are you proposing putting more guns on the street?!?! Guns are not the problem, it’s the people using the guns that are the problem… or in this case, are part of a proposed solution.
So let’s stop talking about it in a way that falsely demonizes inanimate objects. Let’s look at the real problem, and let’s look at real solutions. Allow your citizens to not be victims. It won’t make the evil go away, but it’s a proven good step in the right direction.
New Critical Defense loads
I just saw in my latest issue of American Rifleman magazine that Hornady has expanded their line of Critical Defense ammo. The new offerings are .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and…. 12 gauge 00 buckshot.
I’ve written about Critical Defense before. I think the concept is interesting and shows promise, but there’s just not enough data out there. What data there is is Hornady’s marketing. Granted, they wouldn’t irresponsibly bring something to market (I hope not!) nor would they bring something to market without a lot of research and study. Plus Hornady has a reputation for good products and performance ammunition. But I’m just not sure I’m ready to bet my life on Critical Defense… not until there’s more third-party data and study of the round. Hopefully with the ammo now being offered in the remaining popular self-defense calibers, we may see more testing.
So don’t get me wrong, I’m not down on Critical Defense, I just want to see more data.
I’d be happy to produce that data myself, but I don’t have the money nor means.
The buckshot is interesting. The big deal about Critical Defense is the use of the FTX bullet, and of course buckshot isn’t going to have that. But they did use a special wad that helps keep tight patterns. That’s good, and really that’s what you want. I know a lot of people think it’s better to blow a big cloud of shot in a self-defense shotgun, but it’s not. You do want a little spread, sure, but you really want a tight pattern because you want to ensure all of that shot hits the target and nothing else.
I would be curious to know if the buckshot loads are normal or reduced recoil. IMHO, reduced recoil would be the way to go. The intended purpose for this load is self-defense, home-defense. Given that, most folks aren’t going to need more than maybe 25 yards or so of range. With reduced recoil you can still get that range, get that necessary energy, but not beat up the person using the shotgun and allow faster follow-up shots since recoil will not be so pronounced.
Stuff From Hsoi 