Sam Langley and the Wright Brothers
17 Feb 12 Sam Langley and the Wright Brothers Scholar, visionary, and Smithsonian insider, Sam P Langley, whose distinguished academic career had spanned many decades, became interested in manned flight about the same time as the Wright Brothers. Langley, then in his sixties, experimented with miniature steam-engines to power his aircraft, later defaulting, as the […]
The “Bruzer”
15 Feb 12 Last weekend, while conducting a Defensive Shotgun Course, the Class and I were treated to a live demonstration of the “Bruzer.” The Bruzer is a small and relatively inexpensive, less-lethal, 12ga launcher. Basically, it is double-barreled (over/under) 12ga shotgun, in pistol form, with pistol sights. Barrels are only three inches (including chamber), […]
Warning
15 Feb 12 This sage warning from an LEO friend and colleague: “I strongly urge you not to include less-lethal shotgun rounds (baton, bean-bag, rubber buckshot, et al) in close proximity with lethal buckshot and slugs. More than once, we have seen resulting confusion, and ensuing disaster, when officers fired slugs/buckshot, believing them to be […]
“Bullet Jump”
15 Feb 12 Light-weight revolvers and “bullet-jump” S&W, Ruger, and others are currently making light, five-shot, snubby revolvers, mostly in 38Spl, but there is a trend now toward making these small revolvers to accept autoloading pistol calibers, specifically 9mm. Sales are brisk! These light-weight revolvers make wonderful back-up pistols. I carry a S&W 340PD regularly, […]
Shotgun Micro-Rig
15 Feb 12 “Shotgun Micro-Rig” Last weekend, I conducted a Defensive Shotgun Course in the Midwest. Students were a mixture of LEOs and non-LEOs. Shotguns used by students were mostly Remington 870s and Mossberg 590s. All pump-guns ran fine. I had one Benelli M2, and it ran fine too. A single FN SLP autoloader repeatedly […]
Bill Geissle’s triggers
9 Feb 12 Bill Geissle’s triggers: You can eat a ribeye, or a sirloin. Chemically, they’re identical. Taste is similar, and the hungrier you are, the more difficult it is to distinguish between the two. In fact, it is only when you’re not hungry, that the difference becomes clear, and, even then, only when you’re […]
Comments on AR triggers
8 Feb 12 Comments on AR triggers, from a manufacturer: “In the AR’s lower receiver, the ‘standard,’ factory trigger is creepy, gritty, and breaks at five to seven pounds. With Stoner’s system, there is no hammer-blocking function associated with the safety-lever. Instead, the safety-lever blocks the trigger, of which the sear is integral. In order […]
Manual Safeties on Military Rifles
8 Feb 12 The vast majority of current serious pistols do not have “manual” safety levers/buttons, although all have “passive” safeties, some external (grip-safeties, trigger-tab safeties), and some internal. Many modern pistols feature both. All “Operator-Grade” pistols, intended for serious purposes, are specifically designed to be routinely carried, on the person, in holsters, loaded. As […]
Follow-up
6 Feb 12 Follow-up comments, from a friend in the Federal System: “I am currently at our Training Academy for an in-service Class. While reading my orders, I was flabbergasted by the following statement, in print (comments are mine): ‘Visiting special agents and sworn taskforce-assigned officers, while attending training, are now authorized to be armed […]
Commentary from abroad
6 Feb 12 “All who’ve stood in tough and scary places, with steadfast men, understand what those who haven’t will never grasp.” Wayne Dobbs These comments from an LEO friend and colleague in a foreign country where I’ve conducted Classes: “With regard to the ‘empty-chamber’ carry mode upon which you commented last week, I am […]
“Safety” and “Readiness”
3 Feb 12 “It’s not occasional ‘great shots’ that save you. It’s persistent ‘little mistakes’ that kill you” Hubert “Hubey” Green “Safety” and “Readiness” With serious guns, “safety” and “readiness” are mutually antagonistic. The more ready the gun, the less safe. The more safe, the less ready. Genuine Operators thus have choices to make, none […]
Pig hunt
31 Jan 12 “If all the troubles of the world were gathered into one big heap, upon observing it, the vast majority of us would discreetly claim only our own… and silently depart!” Kenny Rogers I’ve been pig-hunting here in south FL the past two days. No luck on pigs yet. We can’t seem to […]
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30 Jan 12 I’m voting for Steve Schreiner! The NRA can never be allowed to stray from its primary mission, nor can it ever be tricked/maneuvered into compromise. Steve is a strong voice for the defense of our rights and has earned my support. /John
Clowns!
29 Jan 12 “Send in the clowns. There ought to be clowns… Don’t bother. They’re here!” From “Send in the Clowns,” by Stephen Sondheim, from the 1973 musical, “A Little Night Music,” (an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s film, “Smiles of a Summer Night” Judy Collins’ rendition from 1975 is still the best-known. These comments from […]
SHOT Show Addendum
22 Jan 12 Shot Show Addendum: Attaching optics to rifle rails, and getting them the proper height for co-witnessing BUIS, is sometimes a trick. I prefer quick-release mounts, so that the optic can be instantly removed when it frosts-over, or become unusable for some other reason. With high-quality mounts and rails, the optic can subsequently […]
SHOT Show 2012, Last Day
20 Jan 12 2012 SHOT Show, Last Day. Today, I saw a sample of DKX personal armor. It is a hard chest-plate that stops all rifle rounds, including 30-06. It is stiff and a half-inch thick, but, unlike steel or ceramic armor, it floats! In fact, it can function as a flotation device when worn. […]
SHOT Show 2012, Fourth Day
19 Jan 12 Saw my friends at FirstLight this morning. I regularly carry a copy of their “Tomahawk” tactical flashlight on my belt. They are selling many now to the Army! The red/green light combination, of which the Tomahawk is capable makes blood extremely visible and distinguishable from other fluids, bodily and otherwise, which are […]
SHOT Show 2012, Second Day
17 Jan 12 2012 SHOT Show, Second Day: 2102 Shot Show is well attended this year. Vendors all report good traffic. This third year in a row at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV is going much smoother than the past two. Restrooms are adequate. Food and refreshments are now plentiful, and, while […]
SHOT Show 2012, Range Day
16 Jan 12 Today was “Range Day.” The 2012 SHOT Show officially starts tomorrow morning at the Sands Exposition Center here in Las Vegas, NV. Range Day, graciously hosted by the local Desert Sportsmen’s Club Range, is sponsored by my good friend Mark LaRue of LaRue Tactical, who benevolently, and generously, fed us all too! […]
More on rifle optics
13 Jan 12 More comments on rifle optics, from respected Trainers: “You have essentially reiterated the ‘law of optics:’ (1) magnification, (2) field of view, and (3) eye relief are all inter-connected. Increasing one always reduces the other two. No way to get away from it! I have yet to see any magnifying rifle optic, […]
Gun industry legends Dave Spaulding, Massad Ayoob, Mike Boyle, and John Farnam join Fernando Coelho to dive deep into the history of the gun industry, shedding light on how firearms and firearms training have transformed over the decades. They discuss the dramatic shift from traditional print reviews to the digital age of internet forums, social media influencers, and YouTube personalities of the industry.
