Government A "Tragic Irony"

I wish it was simply amateur hour at the Administration, but the utopian vision in the White House is so deluded that they can't recognize that civilians will choose to protect themselves, when the state fails and avoids to protect the people, while simultaneously violating the people's right to do the same.

Progressive statism is a bankrupt ideology - always was. Glad to see the masses recognize it as such.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/10/wh-no-idea-why-americans-buying-so-many-guns/

Centralism Is Sexy, BUT ...

Centralism is sexy. It explains how people the world over could be drawn in by the damaged goods called Hitler. He was even popular in the USA for a while.

Rabid individualism can be sexy too. The mountain man. The ronin. The Marlboro man. The Equalizer.

Both sides are unrealistic and destructive, especially when they discount the contributions of the opposite extreme.

Where does that leave us?

No man is an island. But that doesn't mean the state is the arbiter of the vast gray area between collective and individual existence. The state is - unnatural.

New "Cheap Gats" Blog

In a completely arbitrary and unfocused way, I've created a new blog about cheap guns:

CheapGats.Blogspot.com first post.

Liberal Media Is Super PAC

“I know the Democrats have the ultimate Super PAC, it’s called the mainstream media,” Rubio said. “Last week, Hillary Clinton admitted she sent emails to her family saying ‘Hey, this attack in Benghazi was caused by Al qaeda-like elements.’ She spent over a week telling the families of those victims and the American people that it was because of a video. And yet, the mainstream media is saying it was the greatest week in Hillary Clinton’s campaign. It was the week she got exposed as a liar. […] But she has her super PAC helping her out: the American mainstream media.”

- Marco Rubio, CNBC GOP Debate, as quoted by TheFederalist.com

If so, then it is time for them to come under the scrutiny of campaign finance regulation, OR all such regulation should be eliminated.

It is funny to think that a major corporation would be required to register their advertising dollars as Democrat campaign contributions.

Oh, The Humanity!

Remember this! Politicians are only human, and the majority are just awful at being human.

Rand To Be "First Libertarian President?"

Way back when (1998), Toni Morrison labeled Slick Willy "... our first black President. Blacker than any actual black person ..." Well, shucks. I didn't know how spiritually "black" Clinton was, nor did I cringe as much way back then, when I first heard "first black president," because I hadn't paid attention to nor was aware of Morrison's full logical argument for such a label. Her argument was an equal-opportunity reflex cringe inducer and offender.

CONTINUE READING

Government Is "Illegal"

"The authority claimed by governments is unique because it is considered license to use force or coercion against peaceful people. There is simply no way around it: government is control by force." - from Freedom! (free ebook) by Adam Kokesh

M855: Sporting Purpose and A Natural Right

Unfortunately for many gun-control fanatics, the right to bear arms is an inherent, natural right that was not giving to us by a government and is not limited to sport, but includes sport under an umbrella of rights more fundamental that our government is limited from violating: the right to property, the right to self defense, the right to self preservation, the right to self determination.

Unfortunately for many gun enthusiasts, the federal government has taken it upon itself to attempt to violate the right to arms by subjecting it to "sporting use" criteria and pro "police safety" rules. Arms and other weapons are not legally ours just for sport. And LEOs' safety is not more important that ours.

The fight over our natural right to arms  is more fundamental than administrative regulations and a constitutional amendment. It is wrapped up in our rights to property, self determination, self preservation, self defense and of course additional rights like speech, religion, and justice.

M855 is the latest canary in Obama's coal mine of rights-violating ideas. Though M855 is not the best AR round nor used by everyone, it is our natural right to obtain, possess, and use it.

THE ALTERNATIVE: The Debate

Here is a little of what others are saying about THE ALTERNATIVE™ less-lethal weapon:

"San Diego-based Alternative Ballistics has introduced one of the most terrifying “less lethal” alternatives I’ve ever seen, called 'The alternative.'"
- "The Worst 'Less Lethal' Force Idea Ever?" by Bob Owens at BearingArms.com

 "On the ground, Ferguson protesters were subject to the use of tear gas, armored vehicles, rubber bullets packaged in cluster grenades, flash bangs, smoke bombs, sound cannons known as Long Range Acoustic Devices, bean bag guns, pepper spray, wooden batons, the presence of German shepherds, the issuance of a no-fly zone over the area, and darkness aided by night vision goggles, not to mention other violent threats made with firearms. All are billed as less lethal than outright firing bullets, yet they were no less daunting for a community seeking justice for Brown."
- "Ferguson police training with ‘less lethal’ alternative bullets" at RT.com

PREVIOUS POST IN SERIES

Tools Versus Methods

Alternative Ballistics's THE ALTERNATIVE™ has raised the hackles of some gun-safety proponents and the hopes of some law-enforcement critics. Ferguson, MO will be the first police department to deploy the new tool, following a fight between a police officer and a felony suspect in which the tool most likely would have not changed the outcome of the altercation. (But it might have helped reduced injuries sustained to people shot with rubber bullets during protests that followed the Brown/Wilson fight.)

credit: AlternativeBallistics.com

Whether it works as intended as a less-lethal tool - or whether it fails to protect the lives of criminal suspects, deranged individuals, and LEOs - will be evident once it is deployed. Its success depends on its inherent effectiveness, the tactics applied in its use, and the context of its use.

But I suspect that the larger context of the relationship of law-enforcement officers and other citizens will show THE ALTERNATIVE™ to be a stop-gap, uselessly-divergent tool - that might end up being deadly. Tasers offered a similar less-lethal tool and have proven deadly at times, and have shown that "less lethal" might just be an avenue for LEOs to apply unneeded force in situations that can be resolved my less violent means. Much of the failures of Tasers can be deduced to the misapplication of the tool. Will the same be said of THE ALTERNATIVE™?

And what of the general relationship between LEOs and other citizens? Are suspects being more violent? Are cops becoming more violent? What came first? The chicken or the egg? And is the enforcement of victimless crimes - clear violations of individual freedom - bringing into question the legality of police activity on a more fundamental level, and therefore debasing the moral legitimacy of LEOs? What came first? The chicken or the egg?

NEXT POST IN SERIES

I Really Want To Love This Gun

I really like the idea of having a standard cartridge to use in all my guns. Revolvers, carbines, autoloaders. But alas, all my guns use different cartridges. But maybe, Heizer Defense has come to my rescue.

credit: HeizerDefense.com

They have promised to release their pocket rifle-caliber single shot in 7.62x39 at the next NRA show. Since my carbine is in that caliber, I would be one step closer to standardizing my firearms. And with the ability to switch barrels, I could still use the gobs of battlefield pickups, during the coming zombieesque apocalypse.

I do have a few concerns. The grip profile makes me think that shooting it would be equivalent to chopping wood with a full-tang axe without a handle. But then again, there are so many experts out there that state that you don't notice the recoil during a violent encounter. I guess that's why so many cops are practical sharpshooters with .40 S&W on the street.

 Also, I really think that they could have made the extra effort and produced a double-barrel version. Maybe Heizer Defense is avoiding a litigious conflict with Double Tap Defense.

Obama Complains About Guns, Again

credit: The Blaze

“As long as you can go in some neighborhoods and it is easier for you to buy a firearm than it is for you to buy a book, there are neighborhoods where it is easier for you to buy a handgun and clips than it is for you to buy a fresh vegetable, as long as that’s the case, we’re going to continue to see unnecessary violence,” Obama said in a response to a question at the town hall meeting at Benedict College. - "Obama Complains It's Easier to Buy a Gun Than a Book or Fresh Vegetable" by Fred Lucas, The Blaze

A disingenuous, stupid lie. Really, the Administration is following the well-worn format of a cheap reality show. You're more likely to refute a "fact" purported by the Administration with a quick Internet search than to forget to eat all day long.

M855: An Appeal To Heaven

A Little (Gun) Color

Today, I went and checked out the brand-new gun range that I watched being built a few miles from my home. I wanted to see if it was an appropriate place to take my nine-year-old-son, and if they had a handgun that my wife might be interested in.

They had the obligatory wall of rental guns, so I looked to see what my son could shoot and my wife might like to try. Standing there, I actually found it difficult to distinguish among those autoloaders, because - save one - they were all totally matte black. Now poor lighting might have contributed to my difficulty, but the situation got my wheels a turnin', especially since color choice is a major part of what my wife wants.

I've always liked guns with a little character, but I like original finishes and modern guns, so I generally end up with the oh so exciting black polymer frame and stainless steel slide - or something damn well similar to that.

So what colors do I want to see? 1911 nickel with pearl grips.

credit: ArmsBid.com

Wood furniture on something

(Even on a fancy AR).
Parkerizing.
Case hardening.
Blueing.
Damascus steel.
Those are all out there, but not popular - or cheap.



And my wife wants to see a little feminine color from an Italian manufacture (Talk about narrowing down the choices.).

credits: TinCanBandit.blogspot.com, EAACorp.com, EAACorp.com, GunsAndAmmo.com

Maybe Cerakote is in my future. Maybe home blueing.

Restorative Justice and Discipline

Has "libertarian" ideals snuck their way into our school systems through a "liberal" bleeding heart?

From Wikipedia:

Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender. Victims take an active role in the process, while offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, "to repair the harm they've done—by apologizing, returning stolen money, or community service".^[1] In addition, it provides help for the offender in order to avoid future offences. It is based on a theory of justice that considers crime and wrongdoing to be an offence against an individual or community, rather than the state.^[2] Restorative justice that fosters dialogue between victim and offender shows the highest rates of victim satisfaction and offender accountability.^[3]

When I first read about it, when researching it when I found a reference to it while checking out my kids' school system website, I was taken aback by how much it seemed to be trying to compensate for the negative effects of centralized state schooling. Also, it seemed to be focused too much on the disadvantage experience by "people of color." And I can see a level of "disadvantage" for people that don't fit into the mainstream, regardless of color, so focusing on "the system is racist" instead of a system that violates everyone's rights does all of us a disservice.

I feel that the most important part of "restorative justice" is that it "considers crime and wrongdoing to be an offence against an individual ... rather than the state." And yes, I edited out "the community," because crimes are never committed against collectives.

More to learn.

(edited 2/25/15)

Triggers: More Than Booger Hook Meets Bang Switch

Triggers. Everything comes back to the trigger. Should he be a striker-fired double action (really, a 1-1/2 action), "traditional" double action/single action (DA/SA), double-action only (DAO)? Oops, forgot to take into account revolvers, but I'll get to that later.

There are the beliefs that:

• Heavier, longer triggers are safer
• Shorter, lighter triggers are easier to shoot
• Carry guns should have safeties
• Carry guns shouldn't have safeties
• Consistent triggers are more manageable
• You can learn any trigger
• Small stature shooters need this
• Women need that

And all of those opinions necessitate a look at triggers, "trigger control," and everything else that might affect that relationship.

Types of Trigger Mechanisms:
Single-action (SA) Pistol: The original semi-automatic pistols were single action. You racked the slide, or pulled the toggle, and the firearm was ready to fire with a pull of the trigger. For the 1911, the "manual of arms" originally required a loaded magazine in the gun and an empty chamber, until the action started. Then, I assume the slide was racked (cocking the gun), and then the gun was carried cocked with the safety on. Most operators carried 1911s cocked and locked from the get go. The hammer can be manually cocked. (Examples: 1911s and clones, Luger, highend or competition versions of DA/SA guns like the Sig Sauer GT10.)

Double-action/Single-action (DA/SA) Pistol: The gun is carried decocked. After the chamber is loaded, the operator decocks the gun with a lever or by lowering the hammer after pulling the trigger. Some DA/SAs have safeties, safety/decockers, or just decockers. A pull of the trigger cocks and fires the first shot. Each subsequent round is fired with the gun already cocked, so the trigger pull for those rounds is lighter and shorter. Some DA/SAs can be carried cocked and locked, for example, some CZs. The hammer can be manually cocked.

Double-action-only (DAO) Pistol: Every time the trigger is pulled, the trigger cocks and fires the pistol. Some of these pistols have safeties, but most do not. Also, most of the DAO pistols are based on DA/SA pistols. But guns such as the Sig Sauer P250 were designed from the ground up as DAOs. The trigger cannot be manually cocked. (Examples: Beretta PX4 Storm DAO, Ruger P95 DAO, Sig Sauers with DAK trigger.)

Striker-fired Pistol: Most striker-fired pistols have a partial pre-set trigger, where the striker is partially cocked by the slide being racked to load the first round in the chamber, and where the movement during firing does the same thing. The BATF classifies them as double-action firearms. (Example: Glock, Kahr.) Some striker-fired pistols have a fully "pre-set" trigger, where the striker is fully cocked by the slide during loading and during firing. The BATF classifies them as single-action firearms. (Example: Springfield XD.)

Single-action Revolver: Hammer must be pulled back before each round can be fired.

Double-action Revolver: A pull of trigger cocks and fires the gun. The gun can also be manually cocked.

Double-action-only Revolver: A pull  of the trigger cocks and fires the gun. The gun cannot be manually cocked.

TO BE CONTINUED

The Cartridge Debate, Part III: A Divergence

I have many more profound things to say about the New Conventional Wisdom of handgun cartridges, but alas I have been sidetracked by knowledge that has descended upon me by podcast. Woe is me.

I have to thank the PowerFactor Show podcast for rejuvenating my interest in the 10mm cartridge. I've always liked "magnum" cartridges, which the 10mm by power alone (and not development from) definitely qualifies. It is not a "magnum" derived from a lesser, a la .38 Special to .357 magnum, but definitely is in the magnum class.

But its origins definitely bring into question the "conventional wisdom" of "adequate" power for defense.

So for the sake of studying the 10mm in the pantheon of service cartridges, I require a little revisionist history to help me get my thoughts straight.

The 10mm Cartridge, A History:

Everyone knows that the 10mm pistol cartridge was created by Col. Jeff Cooper (Ret.), was introduced in the Bren Ten, and was adopted by the FBI for a short time after the famed Miami Shootout.

But according to a few sources, the "real story" goes something like this: Col. Cooper wanted to create a gun that pushed a 200-grain bullet to a 1000-feet-per-second impact velocity. That performance approximates what the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge turned out to be.

Is that true? Is any of it true? Let's see.

I found a few sources that stated that Col. Cooper did call for the development of a .40-caliber cartridge that pushed a 200-gr. bullet to a 1000-fps impact velocity for a semiauto. Apparently, Col. Cooper specified a muzzle velocity of 1050 fps to achieve that performance at 50 yards. He then pushed the muzzle velocity to 1100 fps as cushion to achieve performance. He wanted to have a pistol like the Browning Hi-Power chambered for the cartridge.

Well, it seems a little more complicated than that, according to a forum exchange on thehighroad.org, and quoted or paraphrased by Cal4D4:

"In the early 1970's an individual by the name of Whit Collins started looking at the feasibility of rechambering the 9mm Browning Hi-Power to a more powerful cartridge. Originally he was considering the .38 Super, but Col. Cooper's idea of a 200gn bullet of .400" diameter traveling at 1,000fps changed his thinking. Whit Collins did a lot of work just looking into the feeding geometry to see if a .40 caliber bullet could be made to function. When he was satisfied that it could he began looking for existing rifle cases that had the proper casehead dimensions and could be trimmed down to proper length for the Hi-Power magazine. With his drawings and some "dummy" loads made up he approached Jeff Cooper about his idea. Col. Cooper lent his support to Mr. Collin's idea and with investigative and research help from Guns & Ammo the project moved ahead. Next came assistance from Irv Stone of Bar-Sto and master gunsmith John French and by 1972 a Browning Hi-Power chambered in .40 G&A was being test fired. The loads being fired consisted of a 180gn bullet at 1,050fps out of the 5" barrel. In 1973 Col. Cooper and Mr. Collins started talking about a longer cased .40 caliber round that would be developed with the various .45 Auto platforms in mind. At this point Whit Collins went on to continue working on his .40 G&A and Jeff Cooper began his work on what was being called the .40 Super. A number of years went by until 1978 when Col. Cooper teamed with Thomas Dornaus and Michael Dixon. Via the Bren Ten semiautomatic pistol the .40 Super evolved into what we now call the 10mm Auto and the rest, as they say, is history." (This comment references the following deadlink http://www.bren-ten.com/bren10mmautomainpage/id3.html.)

So D&D agreed to develop the gun, and they patterned their contribution after the CZ75, which was "inspired" by the Browning Hi-Power.

Norma signed on to create the ammo for the D&D Bren Ten pistol. Norma upped the ante with velocity by increasing it to 1200 fps at the muzzle. D&D requested more. Norma settled on 1250 fps and wanted to get into production.

The Bren Ten basically flopped, was pulled from "Miami Vice," the FBI had a bad shootout in Miami, the FBI chose the 10mm and the S&W 1076, the FBI quickly chose the downloaded "10mm Lite," because the full-power 10mm loads were too much for some special agents, and the .40 S&W was developed as a replacement for the "10mm Lite" to accommodate smaller hands, to take advantage of the reduced need for powder volume, etc.

TO BE CONTINUE
PREVIOUS POST IN SERIES

The C̶a̶l̶i̶b̶e̶r̶ Cartridge Debate, Part II: A Clarification

I complain about this, but I've gone and done it. I've used terms interchangeably and most likely incorrectly. To clarify what I am getting at I provide these definitions:

service cartridge: In the last post in this series, I referred to "major calibers" as what conventional wisdom says are okay to use for self defense. Well, I should have said "service cartridges."

Well, that's it for that. Because from re-reading my first post in this series, I discovered that I pretty much had fell upon the correct terminology toward the end of it. So a cartridge is a cartridge like a .40 S&W or 10mm, and a caliber can be both. Also, a "service cartridge" means a cartridge that is appropriate for self defense as a government official or not, instead of "major cartridge" which means something that puts you in a different class in gun games.

TO BE CONTINUED
PREVIOUS POST IN SERIES

The C̶a̶l̶i̶b̶e̶r̶ Cartridge Debate: The "New" Conventional Wisdom

The new conventional wisdom is that the selection of handgun c̶a̶l̶i̶b̶e̶r̶  cartridges doesn't matter, as long as it is at least 9x19 mm and - well - conventional. Or, one of those newfangled .380 ACPs with "modern" hollowpoints - er, something.

Apparently, modern "quality" "defensive" ammunition is so great that all "major" run-of-the-mill cartridges will save your life. Oh, and shot placement is "now" the most important thing. But high pressure cartridges apparently beat up guns, and heavier bullets risk over penetration. But again, having one of the regular players levels the field.

So, I sit comfortably with my selection of the 9mm "for war" cartridge in a handgun that can handle +P, NATO, and +P+ - I guess. And as a disclaimer, my chances of getting in a gunfight are irrationally south of nil. But people love to parse differences, so ...

(edited 2/8/15)

TO BE CONTINUED