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23 Jan 06
The 2006 ASLET Conference in Albuquerque, NM is now over. ASLET has
bounced back in spades from its recent internal difficulties. The
Conference was well run, extremely well organized, and big!
Too many classes and products to mention each, but here are additional
highlights:
Jim Bliehall of ITS (Intelligent Target Systems) gave Mas Ayoob, Dennis
Tueller, and me a personal introduction to his automated targeting
system currently installed at the Albuquerque PD outdoor range. It
consists of two, tandem, cable-driven, lateral movers, all inserted into
a storefront mockup. They are controlled by a deceptively simple
console. Animated VCA's, mixed in with animated non-targets, are the
result. Mas, Dennis, and I all shot on it, and we discovered that the
system integrates a number of critical skills into a dynamic shooting
exercise. Relatively inexpensive, rugged, battery powered, and easy to
maintain, this ITS system is impressive. Recommended!
ST Pro, the company that makes the placebo, training rounds we all use,
is now making the "Talon," a small, all-plastic, hand-held impact
eapon. I'm carrying a copy in my vest pocket now. This is a clever,
low-profile device that can significantly enhance one's striking power.
I like it!
Adi Dhondy of Phoenix International displayed his
high-speed-pursuit-ending spike system. It works like most, but Adi
uses big, heavy spikes that make short work of most tires. In addition,
he makes a pocket model, the size of a wallet. Every beat car should
have several of these in the glove compartment! I now have a couple in
my car.
A young martial artist, Eddie Ivester, presented a wonderful class on
blade defense. This is the first time I've seen reasonably teachable
techniques on this delicate subject. I learned a lot. This kid knows
his stuff!
My long-time friend, Phil Messina, from Modern Warrior was on hand to
present a retention and disarms class. Again, I picked up a number of
new and useful techniques. Phil has much mud on his shoes, and any
class with him and his crew is enlightening, to say the least!
Dr Jim Williams, an emergency-room surgeon, presented a wonderful class
on bullet placement. He has done a good deal of work on the subject,
and his conclusions were confirmation that we're teaching this subject
correctly. For example, we learned that lower-abdominal wounds result
in significantly more fatalities than do penetrating chest wounds! The
"zipper" technique that we are currently teaching fits in with what Dr
Williams has seen. Lower-abdominal wounds are debilitating and
disorienting in the short term and fatal in the long term. Bill Hickok
was right all along!
Jim Bliehall
ITS
36 Haven Dr
Cedar Crest, NM 87008
505 228 2246
jbliehall@ intelligenttarget.com
Carol Todd
STAction Pro
3815 N US Hwy 1, Ste 50
Cocoa, FL 32926
321 632 4111
888 966 0668
321 639 2409 (Fax)
[email protected]_ (mailto:
[email protected])
Adi Dhondy
Phoenix International
20860 Heatherview Dr
Brookfield, WI 53045
888 667 9494
262 784 2732
262 784 7946 (Fax)
[email protected]_ (mailto:
[email protected])
Eddie Ivester
ICT
PO Bx 67
Tularosa, NM 88352
505 921 3862
Phil Messina
MW
711 N Wellwood Av
Lindenhurst, NY 11757
516 226 8383
516 226 5454 (Fax)
[email protected]_ (mailto:
[email protected])
/John
(Interesting comments about lower abdominal wounds. I advocate the first
shot to the pelvis, when practical, to destroy or hamper mobility. Many
old-timers favored a shot in the vicinity of the navel. Fairbairn and
Sykes observed that people shot in the belly tended to drop whatever
they had in their hands and clutch the belly. Modern experience,
particularly with those under the influence of drugs, has not always
borne this out. We need to be careful not to confuse lethality with
rapid incapacitation - a shot that penetrates the large intestine will
certainly create the potential for serious infection but that is an
issue of days, not seconds.)
23 Jan 06
Garand Clip Belt Holder
After trying to find a suitable belt holder for a charged Garand clip
for many years, Gregg Garrett of Comp-Tac has finally made the perfect
one, out of Ky-Dex. Secure and fast, this is the ticket. Recommended!
Gregg Garrett
Comp-Tac
PO Bx 1809
Spring, TX 77383
713 681 6881
Comp-tac.com
/John
(A great battle weapon in its time, John Garand's M1 Rifle probably
generates too much ballistic power for the defense of urban homes.
However, it may have other applications that would make this accessory
of interest.)
24 Jan 06
Slinging the Urban Rifle:
My preference is to sling the rifle muzzle down, and on the strong
side. That way, one will not inadvertently point it in an unsafe
direction during mounting, and, when assuming the interview stance, both
rifle and pistol will be on the same side. On the downside, sometimes
the sling gets tangled up with the pistol's grip during mounting, when
using this method. This is less of an issue when the pistol is concealed.
However, one should learn to mount the rifle from both sides, as, during
the course of the day, the rifle will have to be moved from one shoulder
to the other and back several times, for the sake of comfort, and who
knows what shoulder it will be on when it needs to be mounted?
Numerous tactical sling systems are available, all of which make it easy
to transition from rifle to pistol, as all one needs to do with the
rifle is drop it. On the downside, tactical sling systems must be
climbed into and out of, then adjusted. It all takes time. They all
render a high weapon profile, and many do not permit shooting from the
support-side shoulder. My personal preference is a plain-vanilla,
two-point sling, but tactical sling systems do have their place.
When slung, I prefer the rifle right side-up. That is, the muzzle is
down, of course, but the rifle itself is slung so that the sights are
facing upward. Slung upside-down, the rifle can still be mounted
quickly, but a rotation must be added to the procedure. Such a rotation
constitutes an extra step. Dave Johnson of Boonie-Packer makes several
two-point slings which facilitate the rightside-up sling method. I use
them on all my urban rifles. Recommended!
Mounting an urban rifle from the muzzle-down sling position is analogous
to drawing a pistol from a holster, and it needs to be done just as fast
and as smoothly, while the shooter is in lateral motion.
Dave Johnson
Boonie-Packer
PO Bx 12517
Salem, OR 97309
800 477 3244
503 581 3191 (Fax)
[email protected]_ (mailto:
[email protected])
/John
(The AR-15 variant that I rely on for home-defense has a single-point
sling that lets it hang muzzle down, in front of my chest. This allows
mounting on either shoulder but is not intended to carry the carbine for
any length of time. The M1 Carbine that serves as my truck gun has an
issue sling and I prefer to sling it muzzle down, on my non-dominant
shoulder. This allows me to grasp the forestock with my non-dominant
hand and swing it up to mount the gun on my dominant shoulder.
Muzzle-down carry is handy, so long as the gun is not long enough that
you will stick the muzzle in dirt or mud if you squat or kneel.)
25 Jan 06
Comments on urban rifle slings from a friend in SA:
"We mostly teach what we call the 'African Carry' over here, for both
rifles and shotguns. The weapon is carried muzzle-down, on the
support-side shoulder. This way, mounting involves only two placements
of the hands. Fast and uncomplicated. The rifle banging against an
open-holstered handgun is a real problem. As such, support-side
shoulder, muzzle down has been adopted by most of us. However, as you
pointed out, when slung this way, the gun can easily be within grabbing
distance of a belligerent suspect when one assumes the interview stance
and confronts him.
We like 'SpringSlingz.' These are made of thick, bungee cord and
stretch to accommodate nearly any emergency. In addition they tend to
roll off metallic rank and ID badges, rather than become snagged on
them, nor do they get caught on buttons and snaps.
Like you, we tend to shy away from complicated, harness set ups, unless
one is going to live in it all day. You know our motto: 'GUNS, AMMO,
WATER? LET'S GO!'"
/John
(In my experience, the issue of bungee-cord slings vs. web slings is
much like that of jockey shorts versus boxer shorts - a matter of
individual preference.)
25 Jan 06
We "die in the gaps."
At the recent ASLET Conference, my esteemed colleague, Phil Messina, in
teaching a class on retention and disarms, pointed out to students that
techniques often fail, because inadequately trained practitioners "die
in the gaps." That is, when they link together a series of psycho-motor
sub routines into a full technique, the seams remain. Their execution
is intermittent, hesitant. They dither in the seams and thus give
opponents opportunities to exploit delays. Accordingly, Phil stressed
the importance of constantly practicing and testing each technique,
until the seams all disappear.
A friend on active duty called me today and reported on a recent,
mandatory pistol "qualification" he attended. Local instructors
encouraged students to use the "Weaver Grip" when shooting their M9
pistols. The "Weaver Grip," as explained, was unusable; many students
couldn't even get into it. With this technique, the support hand is way
too far forward to be useful. After listening patiently for a while, my
friend could no longer remain silent! He pulled the "instructors" off to
the side and informed them that there was no such thing as a "Weaver
Grip!" There is a "correct grip," which is used in conjunction with the
"Weaver Stance." He then demonstrated it to them.
Upon being thus enlightened, the instructors' scores immediately went
up, and they, along with the rest of the class, were well on their way
toward learning and using respectable fighting techniques with the
pistol. Sometime in there, they all "qualified" too!
The point in both instances is that poor technique will, of its own
accord, quickly become disreputable and fall out of favor when it is
regularly exercised, tested, and found wanting. So, how is it that
inferior techniques not only refuse to die but, in fact, garner a
stubborn, self-righteous following among the uninformed and
unsophisticated?
The answer is that too many of us don't live the Art. We just talk
about it. We can talk ourselves into anything, so long as no one calls
our bluff! When one does not carry guns (and blades) every day, does
not shoot regularly, does not handle loaded guns daily, does not
exercise his fighting skills routinely, does not relentlessly improve
his routine through his own practical experience, most of his knowledge
base is just conjecture, and he will predictably "die in the gaps"
during a real fight.
I'm sure those young, military instructors were well meaning, but, with
all due respect, they don't even carry a gun (or a blade) regularly, and
they don't know what they're talking about! If we are ever going to
purge our instructional community of silly twaddle, like the "Weaver
Grip," if we are going to speak with real authority to our students,
then we must commit ourselves to personally living the Art every day,
not merely performing lip service.
There was a time when American military officers and staff NCOs carried
loaded pistols all the time. It was a point of honor! It was the way
you honored your rank and your charge. Today, it is an infraction, even
for generals! It is a measure of how badly this civilization has
deteriorated.
Those of us who teach and enlighten must never become delinquent in this
regard. Let it not be said of us, that our students "died in the gaps."
/John
(Leaving aside John's insistence on the use of the Weaver "stance," the
initial point of this missive about "dying in the gaps" reminds me of a
friend who runs the gun shop in a small city where I used to live. I
learned that he was referring students to my CWP course with the advice,
"Forget all that kung-fu gunfighting Steve teaches and concentrate on
the legal stuff." In a world where most attacks are not likely to become
sufficiently clear to justify the use of deadly force until the
assailant is within one or two arm's lengths, one is likely to need to
use unarmed techniques to deflect the initial attack and to create the
time in which to draw the gun. If these techniques are not trained on
the shooting range, as an integrated part of the shooting exercises, the
instructor has left a massive gap for the student.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
