Here It Comes: On the surface, Christopher Bryan Speight, Nidal Malik
Hasan and Aaron Poseidon Jackson seem like three very different fellows.
Speight, 39, is a relatively uneducated white guy with no kids who
worked as a security guard and lived with his sister's family in
Appomattox County. Hasan, also 39 and raised in Roanoke, is a physician
of Palestinian descent and an Army major who was stationed in Texas.
Jackson, who was 24 at the time of his death, lived in a Stafford County
trailer home with his two children and their mother. He was black. One
thing the three men have in common is the commonwealth of Virginia
issued each of them concealed handgun permits. Another is that each is
implicated in gun massacres that in total claimed 24 innocent lives...
(Criminals , by definition, don't obey laws. Even if they did, it's very
difficult to outlaw mental illness. Statistics are about averages;
permittees, on the average, are still more law-abiding than the general
public.)
http://www.roanoke.com/columnists/casey/wb/234116
---
Terror at the Mall?: ...Salt Lake City reveals the solution to the mall
terror problem. It is clear that the best method of negating the threat
would be to enlist customers themselves in defending and protecting
their malls. Operators and owners should meet with qualified locals -
ex-police officers and soldiers in particular - to set up an armed
patrol system. Local police cooperation would be necessary to assure
proper training and liaison. The goal would be to have one or more
patrols present at all times during opening hours. A communications
system could be established (no real challenge in the age of the cell
phone), both to assure regular contact and to alert members of potential
threats. Regular mall security would continue handling everyday
problems. By such a means we could avoid a terror-related Virginia Tech,
Salt Lake City, or, for that matter, Fort Hood. Another possibility
would be to organize and train mall workers who own guns, assuring that
their firearms would be available at work in case of an emergency. While
many retail franchises and chains have strict rules against interfering
with criminal activities (workers are supposed to wait for the cops),
certainly this should be set aside in dealing with terror attempts...
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/01/terror_at_the_mall.html
---
Note: This was a good week for article from law-enforcement sources. I
know that most list members don't carry a badge but the following
articles have wider application. I'm sorry if some of them may not be
accessible without a restricted login. As noted, I have the first in
this group in the form of a Word document, if it proves to be restricted.
---
Training Family Members for Self-Defense Incidents: You may be ready to
engage in an off-duty confrontation, but is your family? That's a
question you'll want to be sure to ask yourself far before you actually
have to make the decision whether to get involved (which, in itself, has
a lot of factors to consider - a discussion for another time). Although
it's not known whether the off-duty officer involved in the recent
shooting at a Philadelphia movie theatre was with family, he could have
been, and his experience serves as a catalyst for discussing family
preparedness. Here are five tips for making sure your family is ready to
do what's necessary should you find yourself in an off-duty encounter...
(An off-duty incident for a cop is virtually the same as a self-defense
incident for private citizens. I have taught this stuff for years but
this article has been added to the syllabus for my CWP course. If you
are unable to access it, feel free to contact me for a digital copy of
the Word document.)
http://www.policeone.com/off-duty/tips/1992127-5-tips-for-family-preparedness-in-an-off-duty-encounter/
---
Handgun Training for the 21st Century: We are a full decade into a new
century, but the way we train police officers to employ deadly force is
no different than we did a decade before the 21st century began.
According to FBI statistics, 80 percent of officers killed each year in
gunfights die at seven yards or less, a figure little changed in the
past 30 years. Officers routinely score 100 percent at the seven yard
line on the training range, but in gunfights far more than 50 percent of
the bullets they fire miss the target. The low hit rate scored by police
officers on the street is not a marksmanship problem... We need to
prepare officers for the next gunfight, not the next competitive
shooting match. We must train deadly force in a manner that will ensure
officers pass the real test -- winning a gunfight at 20 feet, not
punching tight groups at 15-25 yards. Taking the "top shooter" award in
your training class is cool, but winning your first gunfight is way
cooler... (Make sure that any force-on-force training you do is
conducted in an environment that guarantees the absence of any live
weapons. Except for dedicated perimeter personnel, this is one time when
you want to be in a gun-free zone.)
http://www.policeone.com/use-of-force/articles/1988802-21st-Century-deadly-force-training-for-police/
---
Firearms Training on a Budget: ...Your first job is to conduct a
thorough review of your current training programs. The last thing you
want to do is cut back on the frequency of your training. Traditional
learning curves show that the skills needed to master semi-automatic
pistols under high-stress conditions need more and frequent fine-tuning
than those old revolver skills. So cutting back to twice-a-year is
probably not a good idea. However, you can probably cut some line-item
expenditures and keep the training at three to four times annually...
You're probably thinking, "No way. I don't have enough ammo now and I'm
not going back to reloads." Well, don't fret. You can still maintain a
thorough and comprehensive range program, keep factory ammunition, and
cut a dollar or two off your ammunition expenses at the same time. How
about modifying your programs to include more malfunction/stoppage
training or ball and dummy drills? Maybe add in a few role play
scenarios? In other words, implement a few programs that require less
live-fire exercises but still keep it realistic and relevant? ...
(Airsoft guns are not only a less costly alternative to modifying real
firearms to use Simunition for force-on-force training, at short
distances they can also be used to teach and refresh principles of
conventional marksmanship and point shooting. I purchased mine to be
able to conduct low-light training in my garage as I don't relish having
to locate and truck all my range props back from the forest in the dark.)
http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/articles/1988760-Firearms-training-Doing-more-with-less/
---
Why a Seven-Yard Line?: ...There are no seven yard lines in the real
world, but there is plenty of cover! When Frank Repass of Orlando PD
first introduced a "one-hit qualification" lots of folks were stunned
that he would put officers under that kind of pressure, but the wisdom
of the process soon became evident. Now we see targets with subjects
looking away, ten rings that are heart-lung shots, and cover being used
more and more. This is great but what are you doing? We need to practice
all of the skills associated with "winning" not qualifying. We need to
verbalize, use cover, shoot from varied distances, and all the other
attributes that will build confidence and faith in our ability to win
gunfights. We need to provide a variety of stimuli to our officers and
make sure they aren't "gaming" the system like we used to do in the old
qualification courses where we would stage our triggers, pace our shots,
and blacken our front sight, to improve our "scores." ...
http://www.policeone.com/training/articles/1988789-Hitting-the-target-in-2010-Why-a-seven-yard-line/
---
A Realistic Look at the OODA Loop: ...Any technique that will be used to
save your life must be applied without a great deal of thought. In a
situation that will last but a few seconds, there isn't time to observe,
orient, decide and act (OODA). Col. John Boyd's OODA loop has become a
mainstay of combative training in the U.S. but, at times, it's applied
incorrectly. Many believe that you must cycle through the entire loop,
which isn't true. Boyd created the loop while training fighter pilots
who may very well engage in the ultimate gunfights. After all, these
combatants fight with missiles and large caliber weapons that are
designed to bring down an airplane. They're also traveling at speeds in
the hundreds of miles per hour. Do you really think they have time to
"orient" to the situation they're facing? In reality, these pilots must
see and do, knowing what action they must take based on what's unfolding
in front of them. According to Boyd's original loop diagram, they're
able to accomplish this through "implicit guidance and control," which
brings us to a quality training program... Many of us who consider
ourselves firearms enthusiasts have read about the training conducted
for the British SOE and American OSS during WWII. Trainers like
Fairbairn, Sykes and Applegate trained a sizeable number of people to
parachute behind enemy lines and conduct covert operations against the
Germans and Japanese - America's first Shadow War, if you will. This
training program is well-chronicled and it's clear that they didn't
receive the amount of training time that's currently committed to
today's police cadet in the basic academy. The difference was that great
pains were taken to eliminate anything that wasn't needed and to keep
what was taught straight-forward and simple. Again, simple is easy to
teach, master and maintain with minimal time and effort. As is often the
case, less is more...
http://www.lawofficer.com/news-and-articles/articles/lom/0601/the_trendy_trap.html
---
From John Farnam:
19 Jan 10
2010 SHOT Show, First Day:
The SHOT Show is in Las Vegas this year, and for the next five years!
Mood in the Industry is upbeat! All ammunition companies are still in
backlog. Gun companies are getting caught up, and some even have excess
inventory, but there is much enthusiasm and many new products.
My notes:
ASP showed its new "Agent" extendible baton. It is extremely compact
and collapses manually, so there is no need to bang the tip on something
hard to re-collapse it, and it will not re-collapse inadvertently.
Excellent for concealed self-defense!
At the SIG booth, SIG's 556 rifle is on display. With its
adjustable/folding stock, I have a copy, and few rifles run better! SIG
also showed its new 516. The 516 is a gas/piston rifle with the profile
of an AR-15 and three gas setting (the 556 has two).
I have not had good luck with gas-piston rifles with the AR-15 profile.
SIG's attempt is well put-together, as is everything from SIG. However,
in general with these rifles, the piston and op-rod are both way too
thin, and most have a two-piece op-rod, so it must bang into the
bolt-carrier with each shot. The best system is where the piston,
op-rod, and bolt-carrier are all one piece, as on the Kalashnikov and
the RA/XCR. But, when piston and op-rod are thus adequately robust,
cosmetic similarity with the AR-15 is
lost.
Cor-Bon's DPX line is extremely successful, in both rifle and pistol
calibers. This year, new African calibers are available, including
458WM, 404 Jeffreys, 458 Lott, 505 Gibbs, and a host of others, DPX and
solids. Great stuff! I killed my Cape Buffalo two years ago with a
Cor-Bon 458WM. First round was a solid. Second was a DPX. Both
performed superbly!
Crimson Trace is making a nice laser for Kahr's P380. Most lasers are
now green, and most pulsate. That is the current trend. Crimson Trace
also has a wonderful, compact unit for rifles that includes both a light
and a laser.
Vertical/forend-units for rifles, containing both light and laser, are
popular this year, and are offered by a number of companies.
Nighthawk's line of serious pistols are impressive, albeit expensive!
The "Ladyhawk," with its thin grips and high-tech coating, garnered much
attention. Nice carry-gun!
Lasermax introduced its new "Gemini." It's an extremely compact unit,
containing both laser and light, designed to fit on both pistols and
rifles. It is so small, it can be left on permanently with all rifles
and most pistols.
Prisim was on hand with an active display of its video-simulator.
They're now integrated with the "Davork System," which uses a CO2
cartridge to realistically simulate recoil in both pistols and rifles.
Slides reciprocate normally, and normal decocking is required on
manually-decocking pistols. Felt recoil is also normal. The only thing
missing is ejected cases, and there is no tether!
Directly competing with Ruger and Kahr, S&W had on display their
"Bodyguard/380," a small 380 autoloader, very similar to Kahr's P380,
albeit slightly thinner. It has a two-position (redundant)
manual-safety, manual slide hold-open, and excellent sights. And, it
features an integral laser. It's built-in! I think S&W has decided
that most purchasers of this kind of pistol will want a laser anyway, so
the pistol just comes with one!
At Springfield Armory's booth, I saw their XD/M "3.8" compact (short
slide) pistol. I have an XD/M, and it is extremely reliable and an
excellent carry-gun, albeit big. The 3.8 makes a superior carry
package, while retaining the XD/M's legendary capacity.
Glock's "Generation 4" pistol was on display. With variable
grip-geometry (similar to S&W's M&P's), the gun is eligible for
contracts that demand that feature. The pistol comes as a standard
"short-frame," but two individual inserts can be used to make the grip
sequentially bigger. But, the biggest advance is a vastly improved
recoil spring that does not need replacing nearly as often as its
predecessor. The pistol is built around the
40S&W cartridge. It is set up for long service!
CSE (Critical Safety Equipment) displayed a clever, light, and compact
system for restraining prisoners who must receive an MRI. There is no
metal in it. Nothing needs to be removed! Here is a product I wish I'd
thought of!
More tomorrow!
/John
(It seems as though lasers are here to stay, at least for a decade or
so. By coincidence, I received this, this morning, from one of the more
astute and communicative list members: "...trying to use the laser in
daylight, even at 3-5 yards, is much slower and less satisfactory than
the big dot. It is much easier to stay focussed on the front sight
during muzzle rise and fall than to try to find the silly dot." Lasers
have what I perceive to be a limited niche. I recall a student who did
not really learn the principles of body-index as well as he could have
because he kept twisting to look for the little red dot, at one arm's
length from the threat target. It would have made no difference if the
dot had been green or if it had been pulsating.)
20 Jan 10
2010 SHOT Show, Second Day:
Beretta had copies of their new TX4 shotgun. It's a five-shooter,
gas-gun. Self-adjusting gas system permits it to cycle normally with
all kinds of twelve-gauge ammunition. Looks like a nice patrol-shotgun!
SIG's P250 is available with an ambidextrous, manual safety. Nothing
that I find useful, but it works like a 1911 manual safety. Comes "off"
just fine during the draw, but a grip compromise is required to push it
back "on."
Who want a serious 308 have a choice between DSA's FAL, the PTR-91, and
SA's M1A. All are most satisfactory, run well, and all are on display.
I have copies of all three. DSA tops the List.
Leatherman's new MUT (Military Utility Tool) is something I surely wish
I had with me when in Vietnam! I have several Leatherman tools, but the
MUT tops them all. It includes a seat-belt cutter, brass
carbon-scraper, wire-cutter, pin-punch, along with all the other usual
Leatherman accessories. All servicemen going overseas should have a copy!
High-Vis makes a square light-tube as the front sight on Ruger's LCR.
Fits nicely into the square rear-sight notch! All other light tubes
I've seen are round.
Taurus' "Slim" 709SS 9mm, eight-shot, polymer-frame pistol really is
thin! Similar in size to Kahr's excellent PM9.
Winchester is now making a "Buck & Ball" twelve-gauge shotgun round. A
Forster slug, plus three 00 buckshot pellets (ahead of the slug), in the
same round! It is called the PDX1. Seldom seen since the Civil War!
They're also making a 410 round (also called the PDX1) for the Taurus
Judge Pistol that features twelve BB-Shot pellets behind three plated,
lead disks up front. This round will be popular with Judge-owners!
Friends at Winchester tell me they still sell a lot of 9mm 127gr +P+
ammunition. It is restricted to LE, but much filters to other users.
They also tell me that current 45ACP sales are so strong, they're
approaching demand for 9mm! By contrast, 45GAP and 357SIG are produced,
but constitute little more than obscure footnotes by comparison.
Bushmaster had on hand copies of their ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle).
Once called the "Masada," this 223 gas-piston rifle has a nice
folding/adjustable stock. Bolt holds open on the last round, and it
takes AR-15 magazines. Bulkier than the AR-15.
Firstlight's Tomahawk flashlight, a copy of which in carry daily,
features a combination of red and green lights that make blood stand
out. Popular among medical folks!
MGM (Mike Gibson Manufacturing), celebrated makers of targeting systems,
has a charging-target system called the "Attack Target." The target
charges the shooter at a high rate of speed, and requires neither
electricity nor compressed gas. Teaches students to get off the "X!"
Mark LaRue is making a quick-release, offset mount for the Aimpoint T1.
It mounts on the rifle's top rail, but offsets the optic to the right,
so that one can use his magnifying ACOG normally, but quickly tilt the
rifle counter-clockwise and pick of the T1's red dot. The two optics
otherwise do not interfere with each other.
C-products, makers of rifle and pistol magazines, is now making a
twenty-five-round FAL magazine, and a forty-round AR-15 magazine. Both
all-steel. They're also marketing a "magazine for magazines." It is a
spring-loaded AR-15 magazine dispenser, worn on the chest, that holds
three magazines. As they are grabbed and removed, a new one pops in
place. Clever!
More people to see tomorrow!
/John
(Gas-operated shotguns are generally more pleasant to shoot than their
manually or recoil-operated brethren. My 20-gauge Remington LT-1100
cycles with all loads although I have no idea how well it would stand up
to a heavy diet of slug and buckshot loads. My Remington Police 11-87,
designed to stand up to an exclusive diet of full-power slug and
buckshot loads, will not cycle with either birdshot loads or the
reduced-recoil "tactical" loads. Sounds as though Beretta came up with
the right idea in making the gas system of the TX4 self-adjusting.
Personally, I can't applaud ammunition tailored for the Taurus Judge -
it's a gun I consider a cruel hoax. As Mordan Claude says, in the full
"polite society" quote, "That's a personal evaluation only.")
21 Jan 10
2010 SHOT Show, Third Day:
I talked with friend and blade-master, Ernie Emerson, today. Like Lynn
Thompson of Cold Steel, he really lives the Art! Ernie showed me his
new "Gentleman Jim" folding blade. It is a thin 3.75-inch folder,
equipped with his famous "Wave" quick-opening feature. "Gentleman" Jim
J Corbett was a famous boxer of the early Twentieth Century who was
celebrated for routinely dressing up when in public. This new blade
honors him.
My friends at PTR91 (formally "JLD Inc"), famous for their wonderful
PTR91 308 military rifle, showed me their newest addition, the PTR32.
It is in 7.62x39 and proportionally smaller than the PTR91. It takes
standard, AK magazines. Collapsing stock is available, which makes it
suitable for low-profile transport. Its fluted chamber, necessitated by
its gas-delayed blowback system, makes it sensitive to some foreign
ammunition that uses tar as a sealant. However, I've run some pretty
disgusting stuff through my copy of the PTR91, and I've never had so
much as a hiccup!
Colt is displaying their new 0781ODA pistol. It looks like a 1911 in
profile, but it is self-decocking (DAO). Trigger is heavy at twelve
pounds. Reset is deep. No manual safety (which would be a silly
redundancy anyway).
Self-decocking, autoloading pistols (no manual decocking-lever and no
manual safety) are definitely the trend in American Law Enforcement, but
many federal and big-metro-area police contract specifications now
require that pistols be "striker-fired." Traditional, arching,
exposed-hammer ignition systems are thus being systematically excluded
from consideration. So, Colt's new pistol may be rearing its head at
precisely the wrong moment. SIG's otherwise-excellent P250 suffers
from the same issue!
Rimfire-consuming AR look-alikes are all the rage currently, owing to
high ammunition costs. Shooter's can acquire and exercise all manual,
operating skills while consuming relatively low-cost 22LR, rather than
223 ball. Colt's version has a bolt-lock/release lever that is
non-functional (cosmetic only), automatically eliminating it from
consideration for most police training. I can't imagine why they
designed it that way!
As originally designed and produced, John M Browning's 1911 pistol had
no mechanical interlock that prevented the firing pin from going forward
when the pistol was dropped on the muzzle, nor when the slide went
forward in the normal loading procedure, nor during the normal cycle of
operation. These theoretical circumstances through which the pistol
could conceivably fire unintentionally (or even go full-auto) were
considered so astronomically unlikely, Browning was unconcerned.
History has proven him correct! I, for one, have been training people
(including myself) to carry and shoot 1911s since 1968 and have had
thousands of 1911s come through classes, including many that were
manufactured during, and even before, WWII. My students have loaded
them, unloaded them, performed chamber checks, shot them, and even
dropped them more times than I can count. In those forty-odd years, I've
never once personally witnessed a 1911 slam-fire, a 1911 go full-auto,
nor a 1911 discharge as the result of being dropped. Maybe these things
happen, but they have never happened in front of me. Yes, like all of
us, I've heard many third-hand stories, but my personal experience
causes me to believe Browning was right, as we have discovered over the
years that he usually is!
Today, nearly all major manufacturers of pistols, other than 1911s, have
trigger-activated firing-pin locks standard on all their products, and
have had this feature from the first gun they produced. In the 1980s,
Colt added a trigger-activated system to their version of the 1911, and
all Colt's 1911s have come with it ever since. A trigger-activated
firing-pin lock makes it mechanically unachievable for the firing pin to
reach the primer of the chambered round without pressure being applied
to the trigger.
Other modern-day 1911 manufacturers, specifically Kimber, instead use
their version of the "Swartz-System," which is a grip-safety-activated
firing-pin lock. The Swartz System was designed to address the
drop-safety issue only. It oes not address the slam-fire issue, nor the
full-auto issue, as the pistol is properly gripped (depressing the grip
safety) when it is being loaded and/or fired.
My friends at Kimber tell me that ninety-percent of 1911s they produce
come with the Swartz-Safety. A "II" stamped on the slide indicates a
pistol is so equipped. However, parts and machining necessitated by the
Swartz-Safety makes the pistol difficult to clean, so many devoted 1911
users and carriers thus don't want it.
Accordingly, Kimber makes their 1911s both ways, and you can order yours
with or without!
My personal choice is "without."
STI, makers of excellent (albeit expensive) small, 1911 carry pistols,
showed me their "Escort" version two years ago. Last year, the Escort
had evolved into the "Shadow," which was even more thin, sleek, and
smooth. This year, the Shadow has evolved into the "Elektra." All are
fine, but the Shadow is still my choice!
Friend, Dan Coonan, is back in business with his "Coonan Arms" pistol.
Introduced over a decade ago, the Coonan Pistol will again be produced
later this year. The Coonan pistol is a 1911, chambered for the 38Spl
and 357Mg revolver cartridge! The serious pistol field is currently
crowded with many fine guns, and it remains to be seen if the Coonan
catches on this time!
Finally, a company called Bright-Strike is making the "Flex-a-Ton,"
which is a collapsible baton, combined with a bright, strobe-enabled,
flashlight. It is designed specifically for officers who are heavily
restricted with regard to deploying batons, but essentially unrestricted
with regard to deploying flashlights. An equipment solution to a
political problem!
More to come!
/John
(Slam-fires and unintended bursts are not entirely unknown with 1911's.
However, they are typically associated with improper "trigger jobs,"
which reduce the engagement between the sear and the hammer notch.
Within the past decade there was a close call in Scottsdale AZ, when a
1911, just back from the gunsmith, slam-fired a round into the floor of
the owner's home. The real close call came when hoplophobic deputy city
attorney was unsuccessful in her efforts to get the county attorney's
office to file a felony charge of negligent discharge with "dangerous
nature," under Arizona's misguided "Shannon's law." Much rarer, I have
heard reports of the same things happening with very worn military 1911's.)
22 Jan 10
2010 SHOT Show, Last Day:
Last time the SHOT Show was in Las Vegas (2008), it was at the spacious
Hilton/Las Vegas Convention Center. That venue was popular with just
about everyone.
This year, and for the next several, it is being held at the far-less
satisfactory Sands Convention Center. I heard legion complaints from
vendors and attendees alike. Of course, complaints are normal at
trade-shows, but this year we had vendors spread out over many isolated
ballrooms, as well as the main halls. Booths were difficult to locate,
and the "lower level" had a ceiling so low, many displays could not be
used, as they did not fit! Restrooms were inadequate, and the roof leaked!
Several major vendors, who have always maintained a presence in the
past, were conspicuous by their absence this year. The SHOT Show is an
important industry event, and I surely hope more do not elect to drop
out next year!
On the positive side, nearly all vendors with whom I spoke reported
excellent traffic. Everyone was upbeat!
Next year's SHOT Show dates are 18-21 Jan 2011 (Tues-Fri).
Notes:
Para-Ordinance (formally from Canada, now headquartered in NC) had on
display their TTR ("Tactical Target Rifle," an inherent contradiction,
but what do I know about marketing?). Currently available only in 223,
it looks like an AR in profile, but employs a unique operating system
that is neither, in the strictest sense, the original Stoner system, nor
a gas-piston system. A gas-delivery probe, extending rearward from the
barrel's gas-tap, fits inside a hollow "op-rod" halfway down the
forend. As the rifle cycles, the two never separate completely. It is
called the DIGS (Delayed Impingement Gas System). Soot, and other
garbage associated with combustion, never make their way back to the
receiver. Plus, the receiver does not heat up as much as is the case
with the Stoner System.
Recoil spring surrounds the op-rod, so there is not one in the stock.
Hence, the rifle has a legitimate folding stock, not the traditional
telescoping one.
I'll have a copy to test before long!
Barrett's contender for the AR market, the "RET-7," is well and truly a
gas-piston gun, but both piston and op-rod are bigger and more robust
than is the case with most of the others. The copy I got my hands on
was in 6.8mmSPC. Everything Ronnie Barrett makes is top-drawer, and I'm
sure this rifle will demonstrate itself to be no exception.
Rohrbaugh has added a 380Auto Pistol to its line of extremely small
9mms. The 380 is the same size as the 9mm, but recoil is much reduced.
My copy of the Rohrbaugh, which I carry as a backup, while not fun to
shoot, has proven itself to be extremely reliable.
My old friend, John Kline of Sage International, continues to come up
with innovative ideas! This year, he showed me a drop-in, telescoping
stock for the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 pump-shotguns. These will
be helpful to trainers tasked with effectively combining shotguns with
small-statured students! Most shotgun stocks, as they come from the
factory, are suitable only for average, to large-sized, males.
The "DUOStock" replacement AR stock maintains superior body-contact as
the Operator moves and fires. I have a copy on an AR, and students love it!
Long-time friend, Ed Taylor from Advanced Training Systems, showed me
his "Ranger" animated target. It is a three-dimensional mannequin,
mounted atop a four-wheel drive, electrically-powered, low-profile,
remote-controlled trolley. It goes forward and backward, neutral-turns,
and can be controlled (no wires) from as far away as one-thousand
meters. It makes an ideal rifle target. Before the Ranger, something
similar cost $5,000, and up. The Ranger can be had for half that!
Folks at Blue-Force Gear showed me the most useable trauma kit I've
seen. It is compact, but contains everything necessary to treat
gun-shot wounds in the field, and it deploys so that you can get at what
you need fast!
A company called SOLKOA demonstrated a product called "Fast-Fire." It
is an innocuous, white, odorless cube the size of a moth-ball. When you
touch a match to it, it burns with a hot flame for five minutes,
sufficient to get a fire started nearly anywhere. It now enjoys a
permanent place in my range bag!
Gerber is marketing a compact tool that should be in the hands of every
AR-owner! It is called the EFECT, and it is a Leatherman-like device
that has a front-sight adjustment tool, stiff brush, pick, scraper, and
pin-punch. It also will soon reside in my range bag!
The foregoing are my notes on products that garnered my attention.
While by no means complete, I still hope they inspire everyone to
personally attend the next SHOT Show and, in so doing, advance the Art
and support our politically-vulnerable Arms Industry.
/John
(Take note of John's last paragraph. As I noted earlier in the week, the
SHOT Show is so large that I don't believe it's possible for one person
to see it all in the time available. Just as I only picked a few things
to share from what I found posted during the week, any attendee would
have to focus in accord with his own perspective.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
The tactics and skills to use a firearm
in self-defense don't come naturally
with the right to keep and bear arms.
http://www.spw-duf.info
