A few thoughts about TSHTF bags and plans

   I saw this article on FB, and reposted it because it does contain some VERY helpful hints.Things you should carry in your car
   While the article is clearly written for "normal" times when you have a reasonable expecation of help from decent people and/or official help, what happens when the shit REALLY hits the fan when you're on the road or away from home?
   You need a SHTF bag.
   It should be as light as possible and tailored for your "worst case scenario."
   How to determine the"worst case scenario."
   That's easy. You are at the furthest point from your home during a normal day and all that it entails when the SHTF.
   The "reason" is immaterial. It could be an earthquake, tornado, civil unrest, martial law, etc. The point is to get away from that situation and home.
   To show you where "I'm coming from," I'll share my "worst case scenario."
   I work in Louisville, KY, 42.5 miles away from home. When the SHTF, I have to get out of the city and make my way home any way I can.
   To make this task easier, I have a SHTF bag, ready for instant use. Just grab and GO.
   Before you start building that wonderful SHTF kit, sit down and plan how to get home. Then THINK about how far you are willing to go to ensure your survival. The mindset you have is what will get you to safety or get you killed and all the gee-whiz toys in your SHTF bag won't save you.
   What I expect:
   I won't be the only one wanting to leave town. I work close to major roads, and while I plan on being able to get to the roads before the inner city folks stream out of town, I AM NOT COUNTING ON IT. I expect thousands of panicked, unprepared people to jam the roads trying to go anywhere but where they were. If I manage to get to a road, I expect some yuppie dipshit in a blinged-out Prius will cause a semi to flip over, jam the road and I'm stuck x-number of miles from home. Thus the SHTF bag comes in handy.
   Planning your SHTF bag:
   Consider YOUR intellectual and physical abilities. By "intellectual" I mean, "Do you have any survival training or skills?" I do not consider "camping" a skill. Most campers (myself included) take everything except the kitchen sink when they go. Survival training and skills reduces the weight of the SHTF bag and increases your survivability.
   By "physical," I mean, "Can you carry your SHTF bag and weapon two miles before you need to rest?" Weight is THE big factor. The heavier and bulkier it is, the less distance you can go.
   A dark-colored book bag will do just nicely as long as you do not overload it. Make sure the shoulder straps can handle what you put in.
   WHAT TO PACK:
   The SHTF bag should contain suitable food, medicine, shelter, clothing and other items needed to make the trip home easier.
   Food: MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat) ARE available in various forms. These lightweight meals contain sufficient calories to keep a person alive. They are easily stored and take up very little space. I have 4 MREs in my TSHTF bag.
   Medicine/Health: You will need a first aid kit. A GOOD one. If you cannot treat a gunshot wound with one, it's not good enough. Go to a surplus store and buy one inside a little green plastic box. It has several bandages suitable for gunshot wounds, sunburn, normal cuts, etc., inside. It's handy and reasonably waterproof.
   If you have a medical condition needing "maintenance" medicines, inevitably, you miss doses and wind up with extras in your medicine cabinet at home. Stick them in your SHTF bag so you will get that next dose on time.
   If you wear glasses, get a second pair in case something happens to the first.
   Get the strongest painkillers you can get. Over the counter pills are good for the little shit, but you need something SERIOUS, just in case. IF you have medications, keep the medications in the prescription bottle, just in case you run into some asshole cop with a drug dog before TSHTF. You cannot be charged for possession if you have a LEGAL prescription in the properly-marked container. If you can get it, "Torodol" is a non-narcotic pain killer that stimulates the body's ability to fight pain on its own. It's a SHORT TERM solution for INTERMEDIATE pain (it kills pain for kidney stones easily). You don't get drowsy or buzzed. Again, keep it in the PRESCRIPTION bottle so you don't get charged with some crime before.
   Antibiotics are vital in wound management. Again, get legal prescription for a suitable antibiotic and keep it in the bottle.
   Shelter: While you're at the surplus store, buy TWO ponchos. One to use as a tent, one to use as rain gear. You should buy at least 50 feet of "parachute cord" (green is the best color for camoflage) for setting up your shelter.
  Clothing: The weather is NOT your friend. In winter, hypothermia will kill you. In summer, dehydration will kill you. Take your choice. Have a long-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved sweatshirt or wool sweater (wool can still keep you warm even when soaking wet) in your pack. You need at least 1 pair of socks. You will need two hats. One knit cap for cold weather, a dark colored baseball cap or "boonie" hat for summer/rainy weather. You will need (especially women) a second pair of good shoes. Three-inch stiletto heels won't cut it.
   Water: Anything drinkable and purified beats nothing. Even if all you can do is break open a vending machine and load up with sodas, that's better than nothing. Use canned/bottled liquids when you cannot use this: Lifestraw Water Filter
   Like the name implies, just go to your nearest stream, put one straw in and suck away. If you have a gallon jug, just fill it with water and ALWAYS USE THE STRAW. There is a version that simply pumps stream water into a canteen.
   Fire: Buy a Bic lighter. Thousands of lights in a neat little package. It takes practice and patience to use a magnesium firestarter, fire piston, fire trough, whatever. A Bic lighter will do just nicely.
  Map: Your "normal" route home will most likely be impossible due to traffic jams, human congestion, etc. Your travel needs will determine if you even need a map. If your plan is simply "get across town and lock my doors," you probably know the roads well enough to make that happen. If you're like me and have to drive long distance between towns, a road map won't do.
   You need an ACCURATE topographical map that shows the terrain as well as roads. The "topo map" also shows animal trails, streams, creeks, swamps, wetlands, and locations of buildings. Just as importantly, you need to know how to READ the topo map to get the most out of it, otherwise those brown squiggly lines won't mean a damn thing to you. Those little lines will show you the easiest terrain to cross.
   I anticipate being stuck in a monster traffic jam with no help coming to clear it up. Depending on the situation, leaving my car could become my best option. While I know the way home by my primary route, what if a bridge is gone? What if there's troops patrolling the roads, looking for looters? What if there's equally desperate people who aren't as well prepared as I am, blindly following the roads and willing to rob/kill those who are prepared?
   My solution: cross country. Distance myself from people needing help and or seeking to take what I have.
   Helpful items: I carry a few things to make my trek easier. Basic rule: If you don't NEED it or anticipate a serious need, don't pack it.
   1: My old government issue "Laundry bag" to help carry goods I might pick up along the way (remember the vending machine).
  2: 1 quart canteen.
  3. Poncho LINER. This is a nylon blanket. You tie it to one of your ponchos and you have a reasonably warm blanket that is lightweight.
   My SHTF bag contains a folding knife with a whetstone. A vital tool AND a weapon.
   I also carry my "saperka" entrenching tool.

   It is lightweight, can be used for digging and chopping. With practice, it can be used as a chopping, slashing and throwing weapon. Good for finishing off wounded game or silently killing some asshole who thinks I'm going to provide him a survival kit.

   Load the bag up, put in your trunk or behind the seat of your truck. COVER the bag with cloth so the bag does not attract attention or get sun-damaged.

   Now to complete the SHTF requirement.

   Firearms: If you can, keep a rifle/carbine in your car. You should buy the best you can get. While all the well-published experts recommend you carry an M4 carbine with the latest high-tech Most Righteous Holo-WonderSight, the Ultimate Atomic Death Ammunition, most of us don't have the money. We make do with what we have.
   Buy the highest quality, compact weapon you can afford AND SHOOT WELL. In an ideal world, I'd have an M4. I can't even afford a "Draco" (chopped down AK47 without the stock) pistol.
   There are many viable alternatives such as the old Winchester 30-30 lever action. Don't discount old surplus guns. The M44 Moisin-Nagant rifle is a neat little package firing one hell of a powerful round. It also has a folding spike bayonet which can come in VERY handy. As a last resort, I can use it as a baseball bat.
   While the holosights and such work, they may fail. Stick with iron sights. They're VERY hard to damage and very reliable. You don't need pinpoint accuracy.
   I recommend 50 rounds in appropriate stripper clips, magazines, or speed loaders.
   If a rifle/carbine is out of the question, I recommend a .357 revolver in stainless steel as it will need less maintenance and .357 revolvers can shoot .38 Special. If your trip home takes longer than expected, the .357 can bring home the game.
   Three helpful tips on firearms usage:
   1. Stay out of sight as much as possible. There will be people who might see you as a "protector" and expect you to protect them. Some may see your weapon and do whatever it takes to get it from you.
   2. The weapon is for YOUR survival, not anyone else's. Remember, you can carry only so much ammo. Don't play Good Samaritan. If you see a crime being committed, do not try to save the day. IF you survive that, you will probably wind up with extra mouths to feed and people who will slow you down. You will DEFINITELY have less ammo. You are not out to save the world, you are out to save yourself.
3: You MUST shoot to kill. I cannot emphasize this enough. As a society, we are "conditioned" to use the least amount of force to resolve a situation. When society breaks down, there are no rules. You do not have the luxury of a warning shot. Shooting to wound is not an option.A dead enemy is no threat. A wounded enemy could get away and bring his buddies with him.
   SUMMARY: Prior Planning prevents piss-poor performance. When the shit hits the fan, only you can save your own life. The SHTF bag is only an aid to survival, not a guarantee of survival. Practice using those items. Check on those items every so often to ensure medicines don't go out of date.
   Good luck!
   
   
   

NSA-Gate, 9-11 and Winston Churchill's bust

   Another "revelation" by Edward Snowden revealed that (gasp) America is spying on its allies! Heaven forbid! We got to stop this before it gets out of hand!
   Not so fast.
   I'll provide an example of why keeping an eye on our allies is ALWAYS a good idea.
  
   After 9-11, NATO declared Al-Qaida a threat and authorized military action against them. The underlying principle of NATO is "an attack against one is an attack against all."
   Like other NATO members, Spain sent troops to Afghanistan to wipe out Al Qaida. This came to a screeching halt after a series of bloody bombings against Spanish civilians. Shocked by the carnage, the Spaniards pulled out and there have been no bombings since.
   Think of how that "pullout" occurred. Step One: Notify NATO they are withdrawing. Step Two: Stop offensive operations. Step Three: Pack up. Step Four: Go home.
   While Spain "gave notice" of its withdrawal, imagine what could have happened if Spain DID NOT give notice and we did not know of their withdrawal in advance. There would have been areas where the enemy could build strength and seek safe haven. It could have been bloody.
      
   When Il Douche took office, one of his first acts was to remove a bust of Winston Churchill, one of the most respected leaders in world history. The bust was a gift from the United Kingdom and had sat in the Oval Office for years as a quiet reminder that the UK/Great Britain was a staunch ally.
   When I heard this, I thought the Worthless Narcissist in Chief did not want to be reminded that no matter what he had done or would do with his pathetic excuse of a life, his carefully-crafted "rockstar messiah" image could NEVER be 1/10th as awesome as Churchill's.
   Consider Winston Churchill for a moment. Yes, he was a great leader. He also had his failures. His biggest happened during his tenure as "First Lord of the Admiralty" from 1911 to 1915.
   He proposed the Gallipoli operation, an utter fiasco. The eight-month campaign resulted in 252,000 Allied casualties and did nothing to hasten victory in World War One. After that, he was "out in the wilderness" politically and did not do much until he replaced the World's Second Greatest Ass-kisser and Spineless Wimp, Neville Chamberlain, as Prime Minister.
   Fast forward to "now" and the missing bust of Winston Churchill.
   There is another message in the the bust, a message Barack Hussein Obama is too stupid to understand.
   Our allies are sovereign nations. These nations are led by human beings, who are capable of great things and great stupidity. While our allies are allies, THEY place their interests above ours, just as we place our interests above theirs.
   And it is in our NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS to know what they're going to do before they do it.

Silence of the Media

   Today, several thousand veterans paid a visit to the World War Two Memorial. The first thing they did was tear down the "Barrycades" and made sure the Park Police did not put the Barrycades back or run people out.
   They admired their handiwork and greeted WW2 veterans visiting their memorial. Sarah Palin,Ted Cruz and Mike Lee were there, showing solidarity with the veterans. They gave well-received speeches.
   Meanwhile, the media called it a "Tea Party" rally, their tone indicating the rally consisted of "misfits" "freaks" and "extremists."
   (Pay no attention, citizen, move along. Next up, Miley Cyrus licks herself again!)
   Then the veterans took the Barrycades to the White House. One Wounded Warrior put a Barrycade on his Segueway!
   That rates a 11.0 on the "HOOAH" scale! WELL DONE!

   One point five miles later, the Barrycades were stacked in a pile in front of the White House. Riot police came in and formed a little cutesy line:

   Let's make one thing abundantly clear. These riot police DID NOT STOP the veterans from going any further. They were badly outnumbered, surrounded and had they started any crap, they would have learned those cutesy collapsible riot batons can fit into a certain orifice.
   No doubt the media will pat them on the back for "standing tall," but the truth is that had the veterans did not want to fight today. Had they chosen to knock down the fence and take the White House, nothing could have stopped them.
   NOTHING.
   The veterans WERE NOT INTIMIDATED by the likes of these guys. Let's be honest: MANY of these veterans went toe to toe with REAL badasses. They survived far worse than a cop with a badge, Glock a riot baton and an attitude problem can dish out. The vets could have "swarmed" (five or so people on one--common police arrest technique) the riot cops, disarmed them, shoved those cutesy nightsticks in a certain orifice and kept going.
   But you won't hear THAT from the media either.
   The veterans gathered in front of the White House, completely unarmed. Let me synopsize the situation.
   The veterans were:
   UNARMED. 
   ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE FENCE.
   Facing police with riot batons. Snipers on the WH roof. Secret Service agents ready to fire.
   Inside, IL Douche probably had this conversation with Bush 43...

   A few minutes later:

   Il Douche, The Bravest Rockstar Holy Messiah Savior Awesomenest Mommy-Daddy figure, RAN from unarmed vets on the wrong side of the fence.
   You won't hear THAT from the media.
   I will be surprised to hear ANYTHING about WHY Obama ran (excuse me, began an unscheduled family outing) from UNARMED citizens.
   Today proved three things in such a clear fashion nobody, not even those mush-brained Democrat cheerleaders at MSNBC can deny.
   1: The veterans were VERY restrained. Remember the vast majority were trained to KILL before they received their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty--job) training.
   2: Obama never had the trust or respect of the veterans. The shutdown only cemented that mistrust. With his shutdown, he guaranteed the veteran's block of voters will never vote Democrat ever again.
   3: Obama ran from UNARMED vets. This shows a lack of trust in his own security and police. It also shows something more.
   Several thousand CITIZENS stood up to tyranny and ran Obama out of "HIS HOME." Never forget that. When push came to shove, UNARMED VETERANS chased Barack Hussein Obama, the "Leader of the Free World" and "Most Powerful Man on Earth" OUT OF WASHINGTON.
   That's a FIRST in HISTORY.
   Anyone who has Secret Service protection, living in the most heavily-guarded AND FORTIFIED residence in America who runs from an UNARMED CROWD has no spiritual, intellectual, moral or physical courage.
   The media cannot praise Obama, so all you will hear is their silence.

Media ignores the baby steps

   It's Day Two of the three-day Trucker's Protest. So far, so good.
   The last word I received (via Facebook) was that the truckers are circling I-495 (DC Beltway) in shifts to keep their own costs down (Semis get 4-8 MPG) and keep things "hopping" so to speak.
  The WW2 Memorial is open.
   Glenn Beck and several hundred patriots and conservatives gathered at the Mall to pick up trash as the shutdown stops maintenance (yet doesn't stop the government from posting guards on previously UNGUARDED monuments and memorials).
  BIG SHOCKER: The Lincoln Memorial is open.
  Several hundred patriots simply knocked down the "BARRY-cades," walked past the Park Police and visited.
   What did the All-Powerful, All-Awesome Rockstar Holy Savior Messiah Il Douche do about this show of defiance?
   NOTHING. Nada. Zilch.
   NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE. NO CITATIONS FOR THOSE ON THE MONUMENTS ISSUED.
   Regrettably, the bikers have not turned out in sufficient numbers so far. The primary cause is the weather. It's rainy. Rain+semis+unfamiliar roads=high accident potential.
   Understandably, the propaganda arm of the Regime (AKA
"Mainstream Media," "CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, CNN") have not reported on these acts of defiance. Why not?
   First, they cannot disturb the official narrative that everyone loves Il Douche. But there is another reason, a much more valid reason they don't show the REAL news going on in DC.
   Right now, the Patriot movement (I define them as pro-Constitutional citizens, not JUST the pro-Constitution citizens who own guns) are taking baby steps. Those steps are shaky. Many a parent proudly put their kid's first steps on YouTube or Facebook.
   To those who dislike those "parents," the posts are annoying, useless, etc. They snort their derision and block the video, whatever. They don't like the thought of those baby steps getting stronger.
   Those of us aligned with the Patriot Movement, Tea Party, or Conservative Christian movements venerate the Founding Fathers for their courage. Memes show up on the Net chastising US for not stepping up to the plate.
   Our Founding Fathers took their baby steps too. They too had false starts, particularly in the months leading up to April 19, 1775. They put up with a LOT of crap from King George before they finally said "enough" and took up arms. Here's a link to the Declaration of Independence showing the reasons they felt justified in taking up arms. Declaration of Independence
   The media today will not show us taking our "baby steps" towards restoring the Constitution. Those that do show anything about the trucker's march have used phrases already like "trucker's march fizzled" to indicate derision and hint of "extremism not shared by the majority" and quite possibly, "lunacy."
   The media cannot show Americans taking their baby steps as a prelude to ousting corrupt leaders such as Obama, Reid and Pelosi. Such a show just might inspire more Americans to take their steps and prepare for the day when weapons are needed to finish the job.
   
   

How to save America from the Democrats AND the RINOs.

   I absolutely, positively, completely, totally and unashamedly HATE RINOs.
   RINO means "Republican In Name Only."
   Republicans are supposed to be conservative, dedicated to following the Constitution. A RINO starts off that way and by the end of his term, he will "cross the aisle" and vote for Democrat proposals, regardless if they're Constitutional or not.
   You can tell who the designated RINOs are by the Lamestream Media. The LM will use phrases such as "maverick Republican" and "Moderate Republcan" when referring to the RINO.
   This is what a "maverick Republican" RINO looks like:
   

  Kindly note the word FLAKE to the left of the screen.

  "Maverick" and "Flake" are synonymous with RINO.

   RINOs come in all sizes.

  

   The bloating comes from swallowing civil rights and tax dollars.

   Now that we've identified two of many RINOs for educational purposes, what do we do with them?

   A RINO is a back-stabbing SOB who will bend you over and nail you dry while swearing he's your best friend and has plenty of lubricants.

   I believe a part of RINO-DNA compels these creatures to take a "get under cover" mentality during the middle of their terms and huddle with the left so as to appear productive and "open minded" before moving to the right before election. Once reelected, he becomes more open-minded and eventually sides with the Democrats not because they are correct, but because he can.

   How do we save AMERICA from the Democrats AND the RINOs?

   It's not an easy process, but it must be done. First and foremost, it means giving RINOs a MOMENTARY FREE PASS at the elections.

   I hate saying those words, but I think they're true.

   We know what a Democrat-Socialist-Communist-Liberal want for America. We know their agenda will weaken the USA even worse than the thought of the Soviets with nuclear weaponry. If we vote even the "conservative" Democrat in, it only increases the majority in the Senate and closes the gap in the House.

   Voting "third party" is out. Remember Ross Perot? He came across as a solid conservative with some new ideas at first. He took away "just enough votes" to get and keep Bill Clinton in office for 8 years.

   How do we restore sanity and functionality to the House and Senate?

   Step 1: Get and KEEP the majorities. We have the House of Representatives. We need to take AND hold as many seats in the Senate as we can.

   I don't like RINOs, but at least a RINO MIGHT vote with his party. A Democrat WON'T. AT ALL.

   By taking and holding the House and Senate, we weaken the Democrat stranglehold on power. We effective negate Obama. IF we can get 67 seats in the Senate, IMPEACHMENT IS POSSIBLE.

   Imagine Step One has been successful. We have the House AND Senate. We need to keep on the offensive, making sure we do everything to increase that hold.

   When we are CERTAIN we have that control that's when RINO REMOVAL comes to play. Replace the RINOs with more conservative members. It will take time to identify/out/remove the RINOs, but it will be far more effective than starting a new party or voting so many RINOs out we lose it all.

   Don't give in to the urge to vote the RINO out. As useless as RINOs are, Democrats are worse.

   

   

   

One spark

   In the past few months, America has seen an "upswing" in protests against The Alleged Rockstar Messiah. Ask WHY this is.
   It's NOT racial. If race was a factor, these protests would have happened YEARS sooner.
   It's about "action and reaction."
   Here's a list of scandals that have pushed America to the brink of revolution.
List of Obama Scandals
   There are too damned many to type out and define. But you get the idea. 
   NEWSFLASH: Americans are sick and tired of being lied to, crapped on, disrespected by their own "President," taxed even more and sequestered to the point of disgust.
   When the government went into shutdown mode, Obama dug in his heels and said "we can negotiate AFTER a spending bill is passed." The GOP learned the last time not to cave in. They're not going to renew Obama's never-ending credit card unless Obamacare is defunded.
   Obama's response is beyond contempt.
   Most visibly, the World War Two Memorial, an open-air memorial with no guards/park rangers under normal conditions, is closed. The government spends more money CLOSING the memorial than keeping it open.
   More importantly is the absolute contempt Obama is showing for the citizens. Just when you thought he couldn't go lower, he manages to sink to a new level.
   Q: What is more contemptable than shutting down a memorial?
   A: Allowing a pro-amnesty rally (DEMOCRAT supporters) to take place during the shutdown. So DEMOCRATS have First Amendment rights, but veterans don't?
  Last month, there was what I NOW call a "combination" rally consisting primarily of bikers and a few patriots (The March on DC I couldn't get to).
  This weekend, truckers are going to park their rigs, or if they're close enough, block two of three lanes of traffic on I-495 in protest of EPA, high fuel costs and corruption. If the DCPD/Federal government wants to take it to another level, the truckers promise to block all THREE lanes, lock the brakes and "do what they have to do."
    Revolution is one incident away.
   

   
   

Meet the Bullet Magnet Brigade and a few thoughts on combat marksmanship.

   This will be a semi-long blog as I'm trying to incorporate as many possible lessons/thoughts as I can.
   Again, I'm NOT trying to start a fuss-fest or piss people off, but trying to open some eyes and maybe help someone learn something useful. Here goes:

   I knew I was going to have a VERY light day at work, so I planned a stop at the range on the way home.
   It's been a month and a car accident since my last trip. As I had a concussion from that, I figured zeroing my sights should be the first order of business, just to make sure nothing changed.
   My personal "mantra" is "Train right, fight right."
   When I go to the range, I try to make my shooting as REALISTIC as possible, consistent with RANGE SAFETY REGULATIONS. That's why I zero from the prone (though I wimped out with a shooting mat to stay somewhat clean and comfy), with my webgear (you read that right) because it affects your body position.
   Six rounds later, my sights were still on, so I waited for a cease fire so I could put up a new target and have a little fun. I put my gear on my table and chilled. Couple of tables down, there was a group of guys, mid-30's to 50+, most in camoflage, watching one guy fire from the SEATED and SUPPORTED position.
   Seated and supported means you're sitting in a nice chair, your rifle is supported (usually with sandbags) to the Nth degree in order to set/check your sights. It's a comfortable position, and most commonly used to set/check sights, but not as stable as the prone supported position, but it works well enough.
   The shooter was blasting away from the seated-supported position and the brass was flying. Obviously, he wasn't zeroing his sights, maybe he had a bet of some sort going.
   I went back to my table, brought out my handy-dandy scope (broken crosshair, but the 4x12x40 scope does what I need it to do) and watched the guy lay down a fist-sized shot group at 100 yards. What shocked me was the cheering after the guy cleared his weapon. "Way to go!" "You qualified!"
   What. The. Fuck.
   Qualification for what?
   Turns out they were forming a militia and this was their "monthly qualification." Out of curiosity I asked what their standards were.
   "Hitting a man-sized target at 100 yards." Unsaid was the "from the seated, supported position."
   Failing to train is TRAINING TO FAIL and these guys were doing just that. I pondered how to tell them they're training wrong without looking like a know-it-all 'range god.' Fortunately, a cease-fire came before I spoke and it was time to change targets.
   While changing targets, I decided to ignore them and get on with my program. The range went hot and I was doing my thing.
   I'm NOT bragging, but explaining what I was doing so you understand "context.".
   As fast as you can, fire 20 rounds prone unsupported, first fire at the 150 meter target, then at 300. Repeat until empty.
   The drill gives you practice moving from near to far targets and engaging quickly. Most people tend to go for perfect aim when doing this drill. This drill is NOT about "precision accuracy" but "combat accuracy" (getting hits center mass, between shoulder and navel is the goal, not the size of the shot group). Change mags and do the same drill sitting, kneeling and standing. Total of 70 rounds of ammo.
   Here's the catch: Each magazine had two "snap caps" or "dummy rounds." As I didn't look when I loaded the mags last night, I didn't know WHEN the dummy rounds would come up. When they did, I had to apply immediate action. Doing this under pressure is hard enough. Doing it in the shooting position then resuming the position adds a greater degree of difficulty.
   Meanwhile, the "bubbas" contented themselves with their concept of "practice." Yes, indeed, they were having a great old time on the 100 meter line. I finished my shooting for that cycle then watched two of them repeat their supported shooting qualification.
   After the last guy finished, one of the group came over to me and asked me what "sorry assed loads" I was using because I was having so many jams. When I explained the dummy rounds, he got that "deer in the headlights look" while concept of immediate action went right over his head.
   "Good ammunition doesn't go bad," was all he had to say.
   While that is true 99.99% of the time, there's always that one round that always manages to make it past quality control. We've all had misfires. Common causes include no powder in the bullet. Heavy charged ammo (yes I survived finding a double-charged round with a Iver Johnson .30 carbine). Bad primers, deep-set primers, the list of possible issues goes on and on, but I digress.
   5.56 mm/.223 is one of the most popular rounds in America. Military and police love the round because it's lightweight and hard-hitting.
   While I'm confident my ammo (I only shoot handloads in my guns), will work, I can only carry so much. In time, I will run out and have to use ammo I've acquired from other sources. Can I absolutely guarantee that ammo will be as reliable as mine? No. That's why I practice immediate action.
   After a reset of targets, I went to the "weak eye/hand" drill. Not too intensive, just 20 rounds AIMED fire at 100 meters. Using different eye/hand changes where your bullet hits. While that PHd trigger finger on your dominant hand might know when the trigger is gonna break, your idiot finger on the other hand doesn't. Easy becomes difficult.
   Why practice weak-side shooting?
   Urban fighting. Imagine you're at the corner of a building, with that building on your right side. If you lean out far enough, you can use your right eye and hand--and make yourself one hell of a big target. Using the weak hand makes you a much smaller target.
   Once I finished my weak-hand shooting, I decided to go as fast as I can between two 100 meter targets, see how fast I could get head shots, 15 weak hand, 15 strong. My time was not impressive. Almost two minutes to fire thirty shots. They were all hits, but the goal was to do that QUICKLY. I packed my gear, policed my brass and waited for a cease-fire so I could reclaim my target.
  That's when the ranking member of the Bullet Magnet Brigade came forth and said I needed to "stop playing around and learn to shoot." Then he offered to teach me how to "really shoot" if I joined.
   I politely declined because dumbasses like those guys are known as bullet-magnets. Bullet magnets don't WANT to train, think they know it all and we should pay homage to them. 
   The world does have need for bullet magnets. They attract the bullets and carry the ammo those who trained will shoot.
    
   
   
   

What we SHOULD be reading right now

   If you get pissed off at this post, it means I'm pushing you out of your happy-go-lucky comfort zone. I'm not trying to make enemies or have a drama-fest.
   I'm trying to wake people up.
   So you read the Constitution and the Bible. You probably can debate the Constitution and the Founding Fathers' intent with the best of them.
  You can provide the appropriate quote for any situation from the Bible and your soul is "right" with God.
  That's nice. But what GOOD does it do you?
   Obviously, the Bible provides spiritual comfort and guidance. With the exception of the Book of Numbers, the Bible is kind of lean on military theory.
   Knowing the Constitution gives you more appreciation of the genius shown by our Founding Fathers. You know which laws are truly Constitution and those that aren't.
   That's nice.
   Keep on reading those, but expand your reading list significantly.
   The "militia" of today is smaller, less open and more secretive than it was "back in the day." This is because government fears the possibility it could be deemed non-essential and replaced with people who actually give a damn about the USA.
   Reality check: On the battlefield, you don't give one rats ass about what's in the Bible or the Constitution. You'll be too busy staying alive and delivering high-velocity death to tyrants to thank God for His love or the Founding Fathers for giving you the right to purchase the weapon of your choice to defend your God and freedom.
   Shoot, move and communicate become your mantra.
   Military tactics and techniques change constantly.
   In 1914, "going over the top" to charge machineguns was considered a viable tactic.
  In 1939, "blitzkrieg" was the "ultimate" in warfare.
  In 1945, the Soviet "echelon" tactics (based on blitzkrieg) were the threat to face.
  Now the emphasis is on small-unit, URBAN tactics (not surprising, given our involvement in Afghanistan/Iraq).
  What have YOU done to keep up intellectually?
  Reading the Bible will help keep your soul "in right" with God, but it won't help you on a battlefield. Knowing the Constitution isn't going to save you either.
  Being knowledgable of CURRENT tactics and techniques is a part of staying alive.
   Back in the day, we studied the echelon tactics as best we could, pored through magazines to learn weaknesses we could exploit.
   Here is a link to various field manuals. Army Field Manuals
  What should you study?
   Most "groups" I'm familiar with envision themselves filling a "hit and run" role. Some see grandiosely envision themselves as "nucleus" groups. That is, when TSHTF, they feel patriots will rush to them, join up, eager to follow orders.
   Either way, review what you percieve your mission to be, and then refresh your knowledge on what you THINK you know. Some of the "new recruits" will be veterans. Given this day and age, you might find yourselves being looked at by some 19-year old who did a tour in Afghanistan. If you're using 19--something training, he's going to spot it and walk the hell away. Nobody wants to hang with incompetents.
   After you've reviewed and relearned the MODERN way of making war (or coupled new techniques to old ideas), you need to expand your thinking.
   Defensive doesn't work. Hiding doesn't help. To be effective when tyranny comes out to play, you have to be in their faces. You have to be OFFENSIVE.
   If you've trained/prepared/considered hit and run raids like Victor Charlie did in Vietnam, that's a good start. When you go offensive, you will need more than basic skills.
   Most groups figure to live in the woods.
   But the fight is in the cities. Imagine the outcome if you've trained exclusively for woodland fighting and all of a sudden find yourself thinking you're going to take a town.
   Casualties galore.
   LEARN from the manuals. Apply new knowledge. While training, don't be ashamed to experiment. Use what works and discard what doesn't. DO NOT take manuals as "holy writ," for techniques and tactics change rapidly. Manuals only give you a basic idea. They are NOT a replacement for experience.
   Once you've mastered/remastered the skills needed for your outfit to win, learn more. Start thinking offensively and learn how to fight better.
   As inspirational as the Bible and Constitution are, you won't find the answers HOW to restore tyranny in them.