How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police by Chris Rock
Rifle Positions from Paladin Press
Both (obviously) at the things worth believing in
Showing posts with label Gunoob Lectures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gunoob Lectures. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Things Worth Believing In
The Tactical Preschool series is a Good Stuff. For those who don't know, you should all have been reading this here for quite some time. I expect you all to go and get caught up with the rest of the class.
Too often these days, we find the adjective "tactical" on anything that is a) black, b) fitted with rails, or c) both. In case you were wondering, ^that is tactics. Black with rails is equipment.
Too often these days, we find the adjective "tactical" on anything that is a) black, b) fitted with rails, or c) both. In case you were wondering, ^that is tactics. Black with rails is equipment.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
What To Wear and Bring To Gun Class
Here is a short list of what I want to see when my students show up to one of my gun safety/familiarization/marksmanship/etc. training classes.
Respect: no cussing, no fighting, no shooting people. Obey the Four Rules. Make a nuisance out of yourself and you may be asked to leave.
Food: bring enough lunch for you and maybe a little extra. Sandwiches are an easy and quick meal, well suited to eating out of doors (which you might want to do here).
Guns: bring yours if you have any. If not, you have to at least bring yourself (or get a ride). Bringing ammunition for other peoples' guns keeps the classes free -please bring ammunition unless you are dead flat BROKE.
Eye & Hearing protection: if you have impact-resistant glasses or earmuffs, bring them. If not, I can lend you a set.
Hat: a boonie hat or cowboy hat are preferable because they have a brim all the way 'round. A baseball cap will work, but your ears and neck stand a good chance of getting sunburnt. Also a brim behind your head can prevent hot brass going down the back of your shirt
Shirt: something with a high collar. A button-up shirt that buttons all the way up, a polo shirt, a non-stretched-out T-shirt, are acceptable. A V-neck or stretched-out collar are not. It is entirely possible to get a burn on your . . . well, on what a low-necked shirt doesn't cover. Guns sometimes send hot casings out faster than you can see, and when I say hot, I mean 2nd degree burn hot. I usually wear long sleeves but you don't strictly have to.
Pants: the shooting range has scrub mesquite on the grounds. You do NOT want to catch a scratch or puncture from a 2 inch long thorn. Also some firing positions call for lying on the dirt (these positions are optional).
Shoes: closed toes, for the same reasons as you want a proper shirt and pants. Wear some shoes you don't mind getting dusty or dirty.
Sunscreen. Texas summer, 'nuff said. Be sure to get your hands ears, and neck, especially.
Ammunition: Please bring, at a minimum -if you can afford it-
a box of .40 Smith & Wesson a.k.a. 40-caliber,
a couple of boxes of 7.62x39mm, and
a box of .22 Long Rifle a.k.a. 22LR.
Tell the guy at the gun store counter you want plinking ammunition, not specialty, hunting, or self-defense ammunition, unless you plan to use it for that, later.
It is not uncommon to have a few rounds left over at the end of class, and leaving these with the instructor is always appreciated and helps out for the next class. It also happens sometimes that the instructor will have to dig into his own ammo stores. Bringing your own ammunition keeps class fees to $0.
Feel free to bring as much ammunition as you want in any of the following calibers:
7.62x39mm <-- Men tend to like this one; we burned up 5 boxes last class
.40 S&W <-- Goes pretty fast sometimes
.38 Special <-- A favorite for beginners
.380 ACP
.22LR
12 Gauge
If there are other guns at class, there may be a limited supply of ammunition for them. If you are bringing a gun, please bring a box or two of ammunition for it.
This page is for me, so I can just send students coming to my classes a link instead of having to type up an email for everybody. It's also for you, if you found it by accident ;)
Respect: no cussing, no fighting, no shooting people. Obey the Four Rules. Make a nuisance out of yourself and you may be asked to leave.
Food: bring enough lunch for you and maybe a little extra. Sandwiches are an easy and quick meal, well suited to eating out of doors (which you might want to do here).
Guns: bring yours if you have any. If not, you have to at least bring yourself (or get a ride). Bringing ammunition for other peoples' guns keeps the classes free -please bring ammunition unless you are dead flat BROKE.
Eye & Hearing protection: if you have impact-resistant glasses or earmuffs, bring them. If not, I can lend you a set.
Hat: a boonie hat or cowboy hat are preferable because they have a brim all the way 'round. A baseball cap will work, but your ears and neck stand a good chance of getting sunburnt. Also a brim behind your head can prevent hot brass going down the back of your shirt
Shirt: something with a high collar. A button-up shirt that buttons all the way up, a polo shirt, a non-stretched-out T-shirt, are acceptable. A V-neck or stretched-out collar are not. It is entirely possible to get a burn on your . . . well, on what a low-necked shirt doesn't cover. Guns sometimes send hot casings out faster than you can see, and when I say hot, I mean 2nd degree burn hot. I usually wear long sleeves but you don't strictly have to.
Pants: the shooting range has scrub mesquite on the grounds. You do NOT want to catch a scratch or puncture from a 2 inch long thorn. Also some firing positions call for lying on the dirt (these positions are optional).
Shoes: closed toes, for the same reasons as you want a proper shirt and pants. Wear some shoes you don't mind getting dusty or dirty.
Sunscreen. Texas summer, 'nuff said. Be sure to get your hands ears, and neck, especially.
Ammunition: Please bring, at a minimum -if you can afford it-
a box of .40 Smith & Wesson a.k.a. 40-caliber,
a couple of boxes of 7.62x39mm, and
a box of .22 Long Rifle a.k.a. 22LR.
Tell the guy at the gun store counter you want plinking ammunition, not specialty, hunting, or self-defense ammunition, unless you plan to use it for that, later.
It is not uncommon to have a few rounds left over at the end of class, and leaving these with the instructor is always appreciated and helps out for the next class. It also happens sometimes that the instructor will have to dig into his own ammo stores. Bringing your own ammunition keeps class fees to $0.
Feel free to bring as much ammunition as you want in any of the following calibers:
7.62x39mm <-- Men tend to like this one; we burned up 5 boxes last class
.40 S&W <-- Goes pretty fast sometimes
.38 Special <-- A favorite for beginners
.380 ACP
.22LR
12 Gauge
If there are other guns at class, there may be a limited supply of ammunition for them. If you are bringing a gun, please bring a box or two of ammunition for it.
This page is for me, so I can just send students coming to my classes a link instead of having to type up an email for everybody. It's also for you, if you found it by accident ;)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Ethics vs. Lethal Force
For those who are confused on the matter, Oleg Volk has a simple illustration to demonstrate the ethics of using weapons.
Hat tip to Uncle
Hat tip to Uncle
Monday, June 22, 2009
Marksmanship Training for Girls (and Women)
This weekend I put some advice into practice and found it to work beautifully. We took my barely-teenaged sister out in the front yard to do a little shooting, and my dad had her mount his rifle to her right shoulder. She couldn't see through the scope at all.
I threw a red flag and had her give the rifle back to dad.
I told her to make a gun with her hand and aim it at me. Left eye, right hand. That is the fastest test I know of to help discover what is referred to as cross-dominance. I said to him, "She's cross-dominant," and to her, "Shoot from the left shoulder." She did, with the resultant (expected) zero difficulty using the scope.
As we found (for her using that rifle/scope combination), sometimes using a scope is near-impossible for a cross-dominant shooter using the "wrong" shoulder. Using open sights is somewhat easier but no less awkward, with the rifle on the "wrong" side. For someone with cross dominance, advise and train them right from the start to mount ALL long guns to the shoulder on the side that has the dominant eye. Most people have enough manual dexterity to be able to work the controls on a gun with their hands switched up.
From what I have heard (from Col. Cooper I think) about half the women out there will turn out to be cross-dominant. Don't freak out over it, it's no big deal, just have her mount long guns on the other shoulder as required for easy aiming. Handguns do not require holding with the "wrong" side hand; they can hold with their dominant hand because all you have to do is adjust your head a little -which comes naturally- to use the "other" eye.
Now get out there and train!
I threw a red flag and had her give the rifle back to dad.
I told her to make a gun with her hand and aim it at me. Left eye, right hand. That is the fastest test I know of to help discover what is referred to as cross-dominance. I said to him, "She's cross-dominant," and to her, "Shoot from the left shoulder." She did, with the resultant (expected) zero difficulty using the scope.
As we found (for her using that rifle/scope combination), sometimes using a scope is near-impossible for a cross-dominant shooter using the "wrong" shoulder. Using open sights is somewhat easier but no less awkward, with the rifle on the "wrong" side. For someone with cross dominance, advise and train them right from the start to mount ALL long guns to the shoulder on the side that has the dominant eye. Most people have enough manual dexterity to be able to work the controls on a gun with their hands switched up.
From what I have heard (from Col. Cooper I think) about half the women out there will turn out to be cross-dominant. Don't freak out over it, it's no big deal, just have her mount long guns on the other shoulder as required for easy aiming. Handguns do not require holding with the "wrong" side hand; they can hold with their dominant hand because all you have to do is adjust your head a little -which comes naturally- to use the "other" eye.
Now get out there and train!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I'm Not The Only One Catching Grief . . .
. . . but I hope not to share in Midnight Rider's dramatic demonstration of why we wear sidearms in the house in our nice, quiet neighborhood.
Carry your guns, people!
Hat tip to Xavier
Carry your guns, people!
Hat tip to Xavier
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Police vs. Police Homicide In New York City
When you are dressed in plain street clothes while carrying out your duties as a policeman and see a man in plain street clothes with a gun chasing another man, do you say:
a) Drop the gun! BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
or
b) Police! Drop your weapon!
?
If you chose b) then you are obviusly not this particular New York Police Detective with four years of service under your belt.
Say it with me now: when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. And the Only Ones will shoot at the outlaws.
********
As an aside, I'll mention that there are FOUR BULLETS unaccounted for in the middle of a densely populated residential area of NYC. I guess 2 hits out of 6 shots is good enough for New York's Only Ones.
Also, they played it but you have a pretty high standard of proof if you want to make the Race Card work here. Cops shooting a man who was chasing someone else with a gun doesn't automatically scream racism to me, regardless of the level of melanin in the shooter's and shootee's skin.
a) Drop the gun! BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
or
b) Police! Drop your weapon!
?
If you chose b) then you are obviusly not this particular New York Police Detective with four years of service under your belt.
Say it with me now: when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. And the Only Ones will shoot at the outlaws.
********
As an aside, I'll mention that there are FOUR BULLETS unaccounted for in the middle of a densely populated residential area of NYC. I guess 2 hits out of 6 shots is good enough for New York's Only Ones.
Also, they played it but you have a pretty high standard of proof if you want to make the Race Card work here. Cops shooting a man who was chasing someone else with a gun doesn't automatically scream racism to me, regardless of the level of melanin in the shooter's and shootee's skin.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Col. Cooper On Pistol Stances, Weaver vs. Isosceles
In his July 2005 Cooper's Commentaries, he wrote:
Considering that he was a master shooting instructor, it almost goes without saying that, in order to be able to get those hits, you must train to get hits.
With no less an authority than Jeff Cooper agreeing with me, I consider this matter to be Officially Closed.
You're welcome.
"There is a great deal of foolish discussion bouncing around concerning the proper arm position for serious pistol work. Jack Weaver's classic contribution consists in power control. If you crank that left elbow down and pull positive counter-pressure, you dampen recoil very considerably. If you use mechanical means of reducing recoil, and if you lay great importance upon very rapid bursts of succeeding shots, this may matter, but in the overall picture, I do not believe it does. It hardly matters whether you use the Weaver Stance or the Isosceles "with both arms straight" as long as you get hits, and those hits should be delivered with a major powered sidearm under controlled conditions. The argument is silly, and I wish it would go away."
Considering that he was a master shooting instructor, it almost goes without saying that, in order to be able to get those hits, you must train to get hits.
With no less an authority than Jeff Cooper agreeing with me, I consider this matter to be Officially Closed.
You're welcome.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Weapon Readiness Conditions
From Wikipedia
Colonel Cooper favored the Colt M1911 and its variants. There are several conditions of readiness in which such a weapon can be carried. Cooper promulgated most of the following terms:
Condition Zero: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety off.
Condition One: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety on.
Condition Two: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer down.
Condition Three: Chamber empty, full magazine in place, hammer down.
Condition Four: Chamber empty, no magazine, hammer down.
Some of these configurations are safer than others (for instance, a single action pistol without a firing pin safety should never be carried in Condition 2), while others are quicker to fire the gun (Condition 1).
This firearm condition system can also be used to refer to other firearm actions, particularly when illustrating the differences between carry modes considered to be safe for various actions. For example, DA/SA weapons are designed to be carried in Condition 2, which is not safe for 1911s. The Glock and actions like it, with no cocking or external safety mechanisms, do not have a state like Condition 2 or 1. They are 4, 3, or 0. We should go over that fact in detail when we have our safety briefings.
Colonel Cooper favored the Colt M1911 and its variants. There are several conditions of readiness in which such a weapon can be carried. Cooper promulgated most of the following terms:
Condition Zero: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety off.
Condition One: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety on.
Condition Two: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer down.
Condition Three: Chamber empty, full magazine in place, hammer down.
Condition Four: Chamber empty, no magazine, hammer down.
Some of these configurations are safer than others (for instance, a single action pistol without a firing pin safety should never be carried in Condition 2), while others are quicker to fire the gun (Condition 1).
This firearm condition system can also be used to refer to other firearm actions, particularly when illustrating the differences between carry modes considered to be safe for various actions. For example, DA/SA weapons are designed to be carried in Condition 2, which is not safe for 1911s. The Glock and actions like it, with no cocking or external safety mechanisms, do not have a state like Condition 2 or 1. They are 4, 3, or 0. We should go over that fact in detail when we have our safety briefings.
The Four Rules.
Strict observance of these four rules is all that is required to ensure 100% safety in the handling of small arms. They are presented here as written by Colonel Jeff Cooper, who first promulgated them. I have added links to Xavier's blog for you to follow for additional explanation, as well as my own [commentary].
RULE 1: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
The only exception to this occurs when one has a weapon in his hands and he has personally unloaded it for checking. As soon as he puts it down, Rule 1 applies again.
[This can be done to the point it would appear to be an absurd ritual, but you should never, ever, EVER feel embarrassed to check a weapon. A group of men passing a pistol around in a circle to ooooh and aaaah, for example, should all perform a press-check to ensure the condition of the weapon. Even if you saw the empty chamber when the next man checked it, check it yourself. Get your pinky in there if you can't see it well. Nobody was ever shot by an empty gun. "I thought it wasn't loaded" doesn't bring your brother back from beyond the grave.] More Information
RULE 2: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY.
You may not wish to destroy it, but you must be clear in your mind that you are quite ready to if you let that muzzle cover the target. To allow a firearm to point at another human being is a deadly threat, and should always be treated as such.
[If you have a malfunction on my shooting range. If you have finished shooting. If there are no cartridges, there is no magazine, and there is no bolt, and there is a big STICK poking through the empty receiver. UNDER. NO. CIRCUMSTANCE. should you allow the muzzle of a weapon in your hands to point at another person. Never, never, not once, ever. The only instance in which a shooting *may* be called accidental is when a weapon will actually fire by itself. That is not an accidental shooting, it is a criminally negligent gun owner who did not fix his piece. Keeping even an unsafe weapon pointed in a safe direction means it will not shoot anyone.] More Information
RULE 3 KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER TIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
This we call the Golden Rule because its violation is responsible for about 80 percent of the firearms disasters we read about.
[This will be especially important in class due to the large number of weapons with which you will not be familiar. Some will have triggers so hard to pull they will barely fire when you want them to. Some will have triggers so light and crisp, you will be surprised when the weapon fires. You do not know which will be which, so keep your booger-hook off the bang switch until you are ready to make it go BOOM! I was at a shooting range with a new shooter once, and they were not familiar with a handgun they were holding. It had a light trigger, and was loaded. They turned to speak to me and fortunately Rule 2 was being observed. Without even being aware they did it, this person pulled the trigger and put a round of hot screaming death down range. DO NOT learn this lesson the hard way. Rule 2 and 3 apply simultaneously. Part of the fun of shooting guns is not catching a bad case of dead, or a $20,000 hospital bill. Let's all have fun, shall we?] More Information (with video)
RULE 4 BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
You never shoot at anything until you have positively identified it. You never fire at a shadow, or a sound, or a suspected presence. You shoot only when you know absolutely what you are shooting at and what is beyond it.
[Our class may be on land where there are neighbors, however distant they will be. We will be shooting weapons with capability to be lethal well over a mile away, out of sight, over the horizon. We will also, it is hoped, be shooting at something safe to shoot, with nothing terribly important behind it. Still, you are expected to know that you never shoot water (it will ricochet at a narrow angle) or ANYTHING with even the slightest possibility of having a person or valuable property behind it.] More Information
Failure to observe these rules will get you evicted from the party. If a Range Officer sees any person breaking the rules once, they will be warned and lectured. Depending on the violation, the lecture may seem like an up-close and personal bawling out from a Drill Instructor to a recruit. It is not to hurt your feelings, it is for the safety of your fellow shooters. Second violations will result in a time-out and a lecture. Third violations will get you asked to leave the firing line immediately, not to return for the duration of the day. Go inside and eat, go home and sulk, or fall behind and watch, but you will not be shooting after your third violation.
These rules are easy to violate unintentionally unless you are mentally prepared not to do so. So think about them whenever you see or think about a gun.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING. IT WAS ONLY CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
********
This post is was originally created to limit the length of the main Schutzenfest 2009 post. The Schutzenfest came and went, and nobody got killed, and great fun was had by all. I edited this page afterwards, to leave it as a reference for new shooters who may be attending my classes. If you wish to attend class under my instruction, you are required to read these rules and understand them. Ask me or any other competent gun owner if you have any questions about them, BEFORE the class.
RULE 1: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
The only exception to this occurs when one has a weapon in his hands and he has personally unloaded it for checking. As soon as he puts it down, Rule 1 applies again.
[This can be done to the point it would appear to be an absurd ritual, but you should never, ever, EVER feel embarrassed to check a weapon. A group of men passing a pistol around in a circle to ooooh and aaaah, for example, should all perform a press-check to ensure the condition of the weapon. Even if you saw the empty chamber when the next man checked it, check it yourself. Get your pinky in there if you can't see it well. Nobody was ever shot by an empty gun. "I thought it wasn't loaded" doesn't bring your brother back from beyond the grave.] More Information
RULE 2: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY.
You may not wish to destroy it, but you must be clear in your mind that you are quite ready to if you let that muzzle cover the target. To allow a firearm to point at another human being is a deadly threat, and should always be treated as such.
[If you have a malfunction on my shooting range. If you have finished shooting. If there are no cartridges, there is no magazine, and there is no bolt, and there is a big STICK poking through the empty receiver. UNDER. NO. CIRCUMSTANCE. should you allow the muzzle of a weapon in your hands to point at another person. Never, never, not once, ever. The only instance in which a shooting *may* be called accidental is when a weapon will actually fire by itself. That is not an accidental shooting, it is a criminally negligent gun owner who did not fix his piece. Keeping even an unsafe weapon pointed in a safe direction means it will not shoot anyone.] More Information
RULE 3 KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER TIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
This we call the Golden Rule because its violation is responsible for about 80 percent of the firearms disasters we read about.
[This will be especially important in class due to the large number of weapons with which you will not be familiar. Some will have triggers so hard to pull they will barely fire when you want them to. Some will have triggers so light and crisp, you will be surprised when the weapon fires. You do not know which will be which, so keep your booger-hook off the bang switch until you are ready to make it go BOOM! I was at a shooting range with a new shooter once, and they were not familiar with a handgun they were holding. It had a light trigger, and was loaded. They turned to speak to me and fortunately Rule 2 was being observed. Without even being aware they did it, this person pulled the trigger and put a round of hot screaming death down range. DO NOT learn this lesson the hard way. Rule 2 and 3 apply simultaneously. Part of the fun of shooting guns is not catching a bad case of dead, or a $20,000 hospital bill. Let's all have fun, shall we?] More Information (with video)
RULE 4 BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
You never shoot at anything until you have positively identified it. You never fire at a shadow, or a sound, or a suspected presence. You shoot only when you know absolutely what you are shooting at and what is beyond it.
[Our class may be on land where there are neighbors, however distant they will be. We will be shooting weapons with capability to be lethal well over a mile away, out of sight, over the horizon. We will also, it is hoped, be shooting at something safe to shoot, with nothing terribly important behind it. Still, you are expected to know that you never shoot water (it will ricochet at a narrow angle) or ANYTHING with even the slightest possibility of having a person or valuable property behind it.] More Information
Failure to observe these rules will get you evicted from the party. If a Range Officer sees any person breaking the rules once, they will be warned and lectured. Depending on the violation, the lecture may seem like an up-close and personal bawling out from a Drill Instructor to a recruit. It is not to hurt your feelings, it is for the safety of your fellow shooters. Second violations will result in a time-out and a lecture. Third violations will get you asked to leave the firing line immediately, not to return for the duration of the day. Go inside and eat, go home and sulk, or fall behind and watch, but you will not be shooting after your third violation.
These rules are easy to violate unintentionally unless you are mentally prepared not to do so. So think about them whenever you see or think about a gun.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING. IT WAS ONLY CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
********
This post is was originally created to limit the length of the main Schutzenfest 2009 post. The Schutzenfest came and went, and nobody got killed, and great fun was had by all. I edited this page afterwards, to leave it as a reference for new shooters who may be attending my classes. If you wish to attend class under my instruction, you are required to read these rules and understand them. Ask me or any other competent gun owner if you have any questions about them, BEFORE the class.
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