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Navigation In Poor Weather

By
Reuben Bolieu
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Navigating a snow-covered trail in bad weather is challenging. Determine your direction and use the methods in this article to find your way back.

Finding your bearings doesn’t rely on a mythical “sixth sense of direction.” Direction finding in less-than-ideal conditions hinges on keen observation. Navigation in poor weather isn’t easy. 

Poor Weather Navigation

Nature has a way of sending out hints that we often overlook, particularly when the weather isn’t cooperating. At first glance, the woods, deserts, or jungles might seem like a big blur of sameness, but with a bit of practice, you’ll start spotting the usual suspects and those quirky oddities that make things interesting.

Instead of trying to commit every little detail from your walk to memory, focus on what really jumps out at you. And when the skies turn gray and you find yourself without a compass, navigating by the stars or leaving a trail of breadcrumbs can be a bit of a challenge!

Shadow-Stick Navigation

Finding direction can be as easy as using the shadow-stick method. Just grab a three to four-foot stick and poke it into the ground in a sunny spot. Sharpen the top if you want a clearer shadow—if it’s rocky, a good whack with a rock does the trick.

After clearing some debris, mark the tip of the shadow with a small rock, wait 15 minutes, then mark it again. Draw a line from the first to the last rock, and voilà! You’ve got your east-west line.

During a winter survival class, the shadow-stick method marks west first, then east after 15-30 minutes, establishing north and south.

If the sun plays hide-and-seek, you can still navigate using an analog watch. Just point the hour hand at the sun, and halfway to 12:00 shows south (north is behind you). No watch? No problem! Sketch a clock face on paper or even the ground, and follow those same steps. 

While camping, we noted our shady spot was on a north-facing slope—cool and mossy. Across the way, the sunny south-facing slope had less moss and plenty of sunshine. It’s all about finding the right materials for shelter, though that’s a different story altogether!

Moss on Trees

When it comes to navigation, let’s rethink the old saying, “moss grows thickest on the north side of a tree.” It’s a common belief in survival books, but it needs a closer look.

Moss and lichens are not the same. Moss thrives in moisture, so find straight, smooth-barked trees in the sunlight. Disregard leaning trees or those in shady spots; they’re misleading.

Focus on a few select trees instead of getting distracted by the abundance of greenery. With some plant knowledge and keen observation, you can navigate the wild without a compass or the sun.

The Rings of Trees

Leonardo da Vinci once noted that tree rings not only show age but also indicate whether the years were wet or dry, and they develop thicker on the north side, making the center closer to the bark on the south.

In a survival training class, the author used a clock diagram as a backup for the shadow-stick method when the sun was blocked.

In a fascinating 1893 exploration, the New York State Forest Commission tested this idea by examining 700 black spruce trees in the Adirondacks. They found that only 42 trees pointed south, west, or southwest—just 6%—while a striking 94%, or 658 trees, pointed north and northeast!

Additionally, the bark on older trees tends to be thicker on the north and northeast sides. Nature sure has its quirks; this is why navigation in poor weather is challenging.

Jungle Navigation In Poor Visibility

After spending time in the jungles of the South Pacific, South America, Mexico, and Southeast Asia, I’ve realized that relying on the sun or stars for navigation is a lost cause. Those thick canopies block out all light! Instead, just follow the water. Smaller rivers will lead you to larger ones, acting like highways back to civilization. This is especially true in South America, where tributaries abound. And the best part? Fishermen are your lifeline back to the outside world!

Overview

Navigation is just a small part of the adventure, not the whole kit and caboodle. Whether you call it bushcraft or something cooler, it’s a lifelong skill. There’s plenty to learn—from watching birds and feeling the winds to using maps, compasses, and gadgets. You can figure out your path by piecing together nature’s clues. So, grab a compass, take a walk, and mentally connect the dots!

Just remember, keeping a cool head is your best tool when outdoor plans and weather clash!

This photo captures the northern view from the mountain’s shaded north face, highlighting the distant south slope.

Horace Kephart Said It Best

“The first time a man loses his bearings in the wilderness, his wits refuse to work. There is no use offering advice to men about what they should do if they get lost, because a lost man is an insane man, anyway, and will remember nothing that has been told to him.”

–Horace Kephart 1906

Weird Gun Genres – Entry Weapons

By
Travis Pike
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If you had to go through a door and there was the potential for a threat to be on the other side of that door, what gun would you take? What’s your entry weapon? That’s a tough question to ask. A handgun makes sense due to its small size. A short carbine has been proven to drop threats. Submachine guns and shotguns both have their benefits as well. An entry weapon is a finicky thing.

Entry Weapons of Note

In the modern era, the entry weapon of choice is some form of AR carbine. It’s a 5.56 gun with a barrel that falls somewhere between 10.3 and 16 inches. Most people don’t even use the term entry weapon anymore because it’s the same weapon the entire stack of SWAT police officers are employing.

However, there was an era before the carbine became the ultimate entry weapon, and police and military forces were still trying to figure it out. Entry weapons became a firearm genre, one that’s admittedly micro-sized, but a perfect candidate for an episode of weird gun genres.

What Makes an Entry Weapon?

Any gun going through the door is an entry weapon, right? Basically. But let’s discuss a weapon that’s built for that exact task. The idea behind these specialized weapons was fairly simple. How do we give the point man the most effective weapon possible that’s also not going to get in the way when he kicks open that door?

It needs to be compact, but fight-stopping. The point man has an incredibly dangerous job, so you want him to be well-armed and capable. Thus, the idea of a dedicated entry weapon became popular starting in the late 50s and up into the early 2000s. It faded away when everyone figured out a fairly standard-sized 5.56 carbine worked well.

Finding a gun dedicated as an entry weapon isn’t easy. There were only a few firearms that billed themselves as such.

The High Standard Model 10

Police officer Alfred Crouch developed the idea of a shotgun-based entry weapon. His idea was to take a Remington semi-auto and bullpup it. In the mid-1960s, he sold the idea to High Standard, and High Standard took their C1200 Supermatic shotgun and bullpupped it. This became the High Standard Model 10.

The Model 10 was a semi-automatic, 12-gauge shotgun with an overall length of about 26 inches. The gun held four to six rounds. A shotgun is a good entry weapon. Shotguns excel at close quarters and pack a punch. Plus, in the 1960s, the rifle had barely entered police service, and the idea of SWAT or similar teams was still brand new.

The long gun of police use was the shotgun, and boy, was it long. The High Standard Model 10 was short, super short, and held between four and six rounds. They made some sales to law enforcement. However, it was never all that reliable.

They did take some interesting steps forward in gun design with integrated weapon lights and decent ergonomics. That paired with silly features like a rotating stock that could be braced against the bicep to shoot from the hip. It couldn’t be fired from the left hand cause the charging handle would smack you in the mouth.

The DPMS Kitty Kat Panther

The Kitty Kat was an attempt to create an entry carbine the size of a submachine gun. As far as I can tell, the DPMS Kitty Kat Panther predates guns like the Mk18 and similar short carbines. The Kitty Kat featured a 7.5-inch barrel and fired the 5.56 round.

The gun featured a carry handle upper, but would later evolve into an A3 and PDW format that was more modern with a flat-top upper. Earlier models had the standard CAR-15 stock, but those evolved into M4-type stocks later on.

The Kitty Kat guns are extremely lightweight and easy to wield. The 7.5-inch barrel doesn’t generate great ballistics, but for across-the-room, it has way more punch than a 9mm from a pistol or subgun. The Kitty Kat guns even saw some experimentation by Special Forces, but I can’t find any information on it being formally adopted or used outside of testing and training.

The Kitty Kat Panther walked, so the modern carbine we see as the universal entry weapon could run. In fact, the Kitty Kat’s small size would still make for an excellent entry weapon.

The Benelli M4 Entry

Last, but not least, the most modern entry weapon, or at least the oldest, is the Benelli M4 Entry. The Benelli M4 Entry is a Benelli M4 with a 14.5-inch barrel and a five-round magazine tube. It comes with the Benelli M4 stock, which everyone loves.

The Benelli M4, if you live under a rock, is a gas-operated semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun. It uses an ARGO gas system with a dual piston design for incredible reliability in the worst conditions possible. The ARGO gas system has made the M4 legendary for its reliability, and its military service in the GWOT cemented that reputation.

Surprisingly, the M4 Entry is available and can often be purchased by the average Joe. They pop up all the time and are solid, handy little guns. It’s a semi-auto SBS with excellent reliability.

The Entry Method

Maybe it’s just playing too much Ready or Not that’s got me locked on Entry Guns. I’ve dived into the idea and concept, and it’s a little sad that a boring carbine took over such a unique role. It makes sense, but making sense is rarely fun.

It Starts with Water – An Important First Prep

By
Jim Cobb
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Water storage

As I’ve said in numerous preparedness classes over the years, nobody has ever come out the other side of a disaster upset because they had too much clean water available to them. If you don’t have a reliable source of potable H2O, it becomes your priority. If you do have a good source, then everything else becomes easier.

Water Prep

Various experts have opined that the minimum amount of water you should have available is one gallon per person in the household per day of the crisis. That’s all well and good, but unless your crystal ball works a lot better than mine, there’s no way to know how long you may need to rely on what you have stored.

Storing water is your first line of defense. However, this can be problematic. It can’t be made smaller, and it can’t be made lighter. One gallon of water weighs approximately 8.34 pounds, and it adds up quickly. With that in mind, it’s best to divide and conquer.

What can you do to ensure you and your family will have clean water available? Let’s look at some options.

Bottled Water

Keeping a few cases of bottled water on hand is an easy way to store H2O for emergency use.

Cases of bottled water can be had fairly inexpensively, even today. One case of 24 half-liter bottles comes to a bit more than three gallons. So, if we go by what those experts say, one case should be good for two people per day.

Commercially bottled water is generally considered to have a two-year shelf life when stored in a cool, dark, dry location. Water itself doesn’t go bad, but after the two-year mark, the plastic bottles may begin to degrade.

Refilled Containers

One great approach is to refill 2L soda bottles or similar containers and put them in your freezer. When you fill them, leave two inches of headspace for expansion. The frozen bottles will help the appliance run more efficiently as well as keep the contents cold longer in the event of a power outage. Plus, if you need fresh water, you can pull one or more out and let them thaw.

The nice thing about this storage option is that it doesn’t take up any extra space in the home. Of course, unless you have a large, mostly empty freezer, you won’t be able to store several gallons here.

Storebought Containers

There are a number of products on the market that are designed for emergency water storage. One example is the Aquatainer. It holds seven gallons of water and has a spigot for easy use. Keep in mind what we said about the weight of water. Filled, the Aquatainer weighs nearly 60 pounds. When you have containers this size or even larger, it’s best to store them near where you’ll be using them. Carrying a 60-pound container of water up a flight of stairs might not be a lot of fun.

Water storage - Aquatainer
The Aquatainer holds up to seven gallons of water and has a hidden spigot for easy dispensing. Photo credit: Amazon.

WaterBOB

The WaterBOB is a bladder-style container. You roll it out into your bathtub and fill it from the faucet. It will hold up to 100 gallons of water. The WaterBOB has a hand pump for dispensing water. This isn’t something you’ll keep filled all the time. It’s just for emergency use.

While you certainly could just fill your tub without the WaterBOB, few of us routinely keep our bathtubs so clean that we’d readily drink water from them.

Water storage - WaterBOB
It’s a last-minute sort of option, but the WaterBOB will hold up to 100 gallons of water. Photo credit: WaterBOB.

Give some thought as to how you can store water at home, just in case the faucets aren’t an option for a while.

The Robinson Arms SR-11

By
Travis Pike
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Are machine pistols all that useful? No. Do I love them? Yes. Yes, I do. The closest thing to a machine pistol I’ve ever shot was a MAC-10, and many may argue that that doesn’t count and it’s an SMG. Regardless, guns like the Beretta 93R and Glock 18 have always captivated me, especially the 93R. One I only recently stumbled into was the Robinson SR-11.

The SR-11

The Robinson SR-11 never entered full production and only made it through various prototype stages. While it’s a machine pistol, it’s unlike any other machine pistol ever created, which is why it may have never gotten popular. The design seems ingenious, and what we know about testing seems to say it performed well.

We can’t grab one and try it, but we can at the very least examine the design and discuss what makes it seem so damn cool.

A World War 2 Machine Pistol

If you’re a fan of weird firearms, you’ve likely heard the name Russel Robinson. Russel Robinson is mostly known for his work with constant recoil machine guns, which are so dang cool. The SR-11 isn’t a constant recoil machine pistol, but it’s almost a constant recoil design.

Robinson was an Australian, and the Australian Army Inventions Directorate directed him to produce a 9mm version of another machine pistol called the Gatenby gun, which was a .45 ACP pistol. Robinson began knocking out various prototypes, and eventually, in 1944, he had the SR-11. The SR-11 was subject to numerous small changes and improvements throughout its lifespan.

The first prototyped SR-11 was produced in 1945. In 1946, he took the gun to the United Kingdom’s Ordnance Board. This is where we see a little data from the gun’s testing. Small Arms Review is our only source of real information about this firearm.

The testing showed that the Robinson SR-11 was more accurate than the STEN Mk V in automatic fire but less accurate in semi-auto. I know what you’re thinking. How does a machine pistol perform better in full auto than a dedicated submachine gun? That’s a matter of design.

The SR-11 – What’s Different

Machine pistols are well known for being difficult to control. They often require some form of stock to work correctly, and the SR-11 had a stock. Kind of. There was an option for a detachable tubular stock that attached to the rear tang of the pistol. We didn’t have much of a stock, but it was better than nothing.

The SR-11 used a straight blowback system, but also used an open slide design. The open slide design is essentially an open bolt design on an automatic pistol. The only other notable open slide design I’m aware of is the PM-63 RAK. I imagine the slide being fired from the open position didn’t help with semi-auto accuracy. The slide slamming forward when the trigger is pulled might cause some accuracy issues.

Another weird design feature is the helical floating barrel. Robinson took some influence from his constant recoil designs. When you pressed the trigger and the slide slammed forward, the helical barrel portions engaged with helical cuts in the slide. This helps reduce recoil, as does a slight bit of additional movement after the gun fires. The barrel and slide reportedly move forward just slightly.

After the gun fires, the slide shoots rearward and stops, which is why it’s not a true constant recoil design. This semi-constant recoil design explains why the gun had better automatic accuracy than the Sten, which I imagine was due to less felt recoil.

That’s Not All

Mr. Robinson wasn’t stopping at an odd operating system. The SR-11 would also automatically eject spent magazines, and when reloaded with a fresh magazine, the slide would automatically cock to the locked position. Those magazines held 14 rounds, an impressive amount for the era.

The gun’s firing rate hovered around 600 rounds per minute. That’s fairly controllable and likely another benefit of the semi-constant recoil design. Sadly, the SR-11 might have gone through several incarnations and experimented with everything from different metals to heavier slides, but it never escaped the prototype stage.

Where would a machine pistol ever fit in a modern military or police force? That’s tough to say. We haven’t really seen any machine pistols ever succeed in a serious role. Still, the SR-11 had some interesting ideas, and it’s one of those many guns we’ll never get our hands on.

Ruger Releases Two New 77/44 Rifles

By
Tim Stetzer
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I always thought pistol caliber bolt actions were a neat thing. Ruger has had their 77/44 around for a good while, but they just dropped two new versions of it. As the name implies, these guys are chambered in .44 Magnum.

The Ruger 77/44

The 77/44 uses a scaled-down Ruger Model 77 action. Current 77 series rifles have a three-position safety. It’s easy to access and allows the shooter to load and unload the rifle with the safety engaged. The 77/44’s use a stainless steel bolt with 90° bolt throw and rapid lock time. It feeds from a four-round detachable rotary magazine, similar to that of a 10/22.

Construction of the barrel and receiver is all steel, either stainless or blue, depending on the model. It comes with a 16.6-inch threaded, cold hammer-forged barrel with a factory-installed thread protector.

A suppressed .44 bolt gun using .44 Specials would make a great brush gun. With the 16-inch barrel, it would still be fairly short even with a suppressor attached. Integral scope mounts are machined directly on the solid-steel receiver, and the rifle includes scope rings. There are also barrel-mounted iron sights if you want to keep things simple.

What’s Different with the new 77/44?

The main difference between the new models is the stock and finish. They both use synthetic stocks with included sling swivel studs. The one that has the Desolve Bare Reduced Camo pattern stock is all brushed stainless steel. The model featuring the Kryptek Obskura Nox Camo stock has a blued finish barrel and receiver.

MSRP is $1279.00 on the Desolve model and $1249.00 on the blued Kryptek one.

With an overall length of just 36 inches and a weight of around 5.5 pounds, the new 77/44’s should make great brush guns. They’ll be easy to handle, and pack plenty of punch for deer or wild hogs.

Desolve Camo Specs

StockDesolve Bare Reduced Camo Synthetic
Front SightGold Bead
Rear SightAdjustable
Barrel Length16.60 inches
Capacity4
MaterialStainless Steel
FinishBrushed Stainless
Weight5.5 pounds
Twist1:20″ RH
Thread Pattern5/8″-24
Overall Length36 inches
Length of Pull13.50 inches
Grooves6
MSRP$1279.00

Kryptek Camo Specs

StockKryptek Obskura Nox Camo Synthetic
Front SightGold Bead
Rear SightAdjustable
Barrel Length16.60 inches
Capacity4
MaterialAlloy Steel
FinishBlued
Weight5.3 pounds
Twist1:20″ RH
Thread Pattern5/8″-24
Overall Length36 inches
Length of Pull13.50 inches
Grooves6
MSRP$1249.00

Is This the Rarest Beretta 92SB?

By
Travis Pike
-
(Proxibid)

Did you know the ATF will seemingly randomly remove guns from the NFA that qualify as curios and antiques? It’s an odd process that can be confusing, and the ATF doesn’t do it all that often, especially these days, but every so often, something surprises you. For example, I recently discovered that the ATF removed 27 Beretta 92SB models from the NFA.

What is the Beretta 92SB?

The 92SB predated the FS and is, for all intents and purposes, the same gun. The FS got a few final modifications as it was adopted for military service. Why would any model of the 92SB be on the NFA? Why would 27 of them be on the NFA and then be removed by the ATF? It’s because they were short-barreled rifles, specifically LAPD contract guns. The ATF must have deemed them rare and interesting enough to warrant NFA removal.

The 92SB – SB Doesn’t Stand For Short Barrel

These 27 ultra-rare Beretta 92SB short-barreled rifles were manufactured in 1984 for the LAPD. The LAPD ordered these guns for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Olympic events seem like an absolute nightmare for police forces. Too many people, too many languages, and too much crime. It’s prime for a terrorist attack, and it’s not like terrorist attacks haven’t famously occurred during the Olympics.

(Proxibid)

What’s odd to me is that they ordered twenty-five of these guns. Beretta reportedly kept two. What these guns were intended for is lost to time. It’s known that Beretta provided several Model 12 submachine guns for security in the Olympic Village. Forces from SEAL Team 6, the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, Delta Force, and two SWAT teams were on standby in the event of an attack.

Security was high. A stocked pistol would offer shooters a more stable platform overall. Throw a stock on a pistol and make shots at 50 yards is easy. Even at 100 yards, a competent shooter could make some shots. The stock offered greater stabilization and would make it easier to use the weapon with one hand.

The 92SB wasn’t known for its recoil. It’s a full-sized 9mm. A stock would tame that recoil even more. Overall, it would be easier to control. It’s not a bad idea, but how 25 would make a difference is unknown to me. If we had a little more information on who and why they ordered them.

(Proxibid)

The Stock

These Beretta 92SB SBRs have a notch cut into the grip to accommodate a folding stock. The stock was the same one from the Beretta 93R. One side folds over the other to create an extremely compact package. The stock could be carried in a back pocket if need be, and the Beretta 92SB would fit in a standard duty holster.

An officer wouldn’t be forced to use the stock and could easily deploy the system as needed. Again, it’s a cool idea that makes sense, but why were there only 25 ordered? Sadly, we don’t know, and the LAPD never got to field them.

Rock Island Armory

The guns wouldn’t arrive in time for the 1984 Olympics, so the LAPD never got their hands on them. Beretta then sold the 25 models on the open market. The ATF eventually released the NFA boundaries on the weapons, and they are Title 1 guns. Title 1 guns that cost almost ten grand and are highly desirable amongst collectors.

A few have popped up at auctions every now and then, but whoever has them holds onto them. They are a slick design, and I’m a 92 fan, like any man of culture. This has to be the rarest Beretta 92 series, if not one of the rarest Berettas of all time.

Nature’s Camouflage: Stealth Camping Using Natural Materials

By
Reuben Bolieu
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At higher elevations, hemlock, spruce, and fir offer materials for survival shelters. This one, built at 7,000 feet, uses bark panels for added protection and to secure the boughs.

This article is Part 2 of the last Stealth Camping Hacks article here on Gat Daily. Stealth Camping Using Natural Materials explores using natural debris and materials to create stealthy camps that can save your life.

Extra Stealthy Camping 

Using subdued colored manufactured gear adds to the stealthiness, for sure. However, incorporating natural materials into your setup or constructing your camp shelter entirely from natural resources achieves complete stealth. 

When you are carefully stealth camping using a variety of natural materials, bark, branches, leaves, ferns, and grass are all your camo friends. Using natural colors that blend with your surroundings will definitely make you the Harry Houdini of your camping partners. 

There’s an entire community of stealth campers adventurous enough to camp in desolate and obscure places out of sight. They can achieve this by using the techniques and hacks outlined in my previous article, Stealth Camping Hacks. However, adding natural foliage helps them take this type of adventurous camping to new heights! 

Stealth Survival Shelters

The author and students built this shelter at about 7,000 feet in high winds. They used large bark panels for protection and to secure the boughs.

These types of stealth camping shelters using natural materials also moonlight as survival shelters. Forget about wild animals; the real threat is the environment. Many people end up in trouble due to exposure. A sunny day can quickly morph into a chilly, snow-filled night.

So, before you tap into your inner Bear Grylls, check out these handy tips. Convert your stealthy camps into survival shelters for an unexpected night in the wild!

Necessary Tools

Only minimal tools are necessary, such as everyday items you might carry during a hunt, fishing trip, hike, or a day of shooting. Typically, these tools include small fixed blades and multi-tools that have a saw. And of course, leather gloves are always helpful whenever shelter construction is on the table. 

The ribbing under the debris shelter shows insulation added before the final layer of debris.

Wilderness Stealth Camps

Building a Debris Hut demands some effort and time, but you can manage most of it with just your hands—don’t forget to wear gloves to dodge splinters and thorns! A Swiss Army Knife (SAK) is your best friend here; it’s a must-have for any outdoorsy type and features a handy wood saw perfect for trimming branches. Think of it as your personal outdoor sidekick!

In the sunny Southern U.S., longleaf pines such as Loblolly, Slash, Eastern White, and Virginia pine are perfect for building a debris shelter. Start by lashing a ridge pole to a tree at waist height, then gather small dead sticks to form the ribs, creating a structure that resembles a dinosaur skeleton. Cover it with dry pine needles, ensuring no sharp bits stick out to prevent rain from sneaking in.

Inside, make a cozy bed of pine needles—this is crucial for staying warm. Use any materials you can find to insulate the entrance, including your backpack. Finally, cover your shelter with bark or branches to protect it from the wind. You’re now ready to face the elements!

Natural Structures of Desert Landscapes

To build a solid desert shelter, prioritize shade with minimal effort. First rule: escape the sun! Water scarcity means fewer plants, complicating your search for shelter materials, but don’t panic—it’s still manageable. The sun can zap your energy faster than you think. In the southwestern deserts, juniper and cedar trees offer a cool refuge.

Just remember, a juniper won’t keep you dry if it rains—because who doesn’t love an unexpected shower? A cluster of trees gives you the shade you need and some wind protection, keeping you comfy in the heat.

A natural shelter discovered in Arizona during a hike offers protection from rain, sun, and wind. Small caves and outcrops are typical in the desert.

Rock shelters are the crème de la crème of natural hideouts in the desert. They provide ample shade, shielding you from the scorching sun while keeping winds and rain at bay. If you find one that’s tall enough to sit in and long enough to stretch out, you’ve struck gold!

When building a fire inside, proceed with caution. Warm the space slowly, or you might just anger the rock gods and invite a surprise rockslide during your sleep. For extra comfort, consider stacking a small rock wall in front of the shelter—it’s like giving your spot its own bouncer.

And remember, flash floods are no joke in summer. Even if the desert looks dry, distant storms can turn your cozy nook into a gushing river. Watch out for drainage areas and keep your camping plans high and dry!

Look For

If you’re near a stream, keep an eye out for willow trees, quaking aspens, and cottonwoods—they’re your best friends when it comes to shelter materials. Just be careful of sneaky snakes and scorpions hiding in the dry grass; you really don’t want them crashing your party!

A grove of Juniper trees can be a good place to take refuge, but not the perfect natural shelter. However, the trees provide materials for making a shelter.

You can build a desert debris hut just like in the woods, provided you have enough supplies. Dry grass offers excellent insulation against the desert’s scorching heat and chilly nights, where ground temperatures can reach a staggering 190 degrees Fahrenheit—definitely hotter than the average sauna. Also, the bark from juniper trees makes great overhead thatching and ground insulation. If you gather enough, you might even create a cozy, albeit rustic, bed.

Enjoy stealth camping shelters using natural materials!

Is the .22LR Viable for Self-Defense?

By
Travis Pike
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Can the little .22LR be a capable defensive cartridge? Is it viable? Can you grab a .22LR revolver or micro-sized semi-auto handgun, toss it in your pocket, and call it a day? The answer is yes, as long as you’re willing to do the homework, accept the downsides, and are prepared to train, train, train. Let’s dig into the defensive .22LR.

The Defensive .22LR and Terminal Ballistics

Let’s talk about terminal ballistics and handguns. First, they suck. All handgun calibers suck. We accept it, and we accept it because these guns are easy to carry and convenient. We also have to accept that there is no such thing as stopping power when it comes to a handgun. The .45 ACP isn’t magic because it’s bigger, and the old Thompson meat yard test was a waste of government resources.

A handgun round, regardless of its size, isn’t moving fast enough to cause secondary wounding characteristics. The only damage done is the direct damage done by the projectile, tearing through flesh. A bigger bullet makes a bigger hole, but the benefit of a bigger hole is blood loss. Blood loss isn’t a great way to stop a threat quickly.

With handgun cartridges, you have to be able to put a round in a vital area. The round needs to strike something that can effectively end the fight, like the brain, the heart, or the spine. Lung shots can be effective, but you need to make a lot of them to make a quick end to the threat. If you aren’t striking something vital, the size of your bullet doesn’t matter.

At least not in that moment. This is where we get to the most important defensive characteristic of a handgun cartridge, and that’s penetration. We want a cartridge that, when fired from our pistol of choice, can penetrate at least 12 inches of properly calibrated ballistic gel. Past that, we can get into expansion, which makes a bigger hole and helps prevent overpenetration.

Does the .22LR Meet the Standard?

Yes, sometimes. And it depends. There are lots and lots of different types of .22LR ammo on the market, and not all of it will reach the standard. Hollow points and soft lead nose rounds aren’t going to penetrate deep enough to make it. We need to avoid those rounds, and we have to get rid of any idea of expansion from a hollow point.

Defensive .22LR ammo is the way to go. Yep, they make it. Specifically, rounds like Federal Punch work well for defensive use. This round uses a solid, hard-nose projectile to maximize penetration from a short barrel. It’s 29 grains and moves at 1,080 feet per second from a short barrel.

Other cartridges include CCI Velocitor and Winchester 37-grain Varmint HE, which penetrates deep from short-barreled guns. I keep bringing up short barrels because that’s what most people are going to carry a .22LR in. If that’s not you, and you want to step up to something longer, then you have even more options thanks to the extra velocity. If you stay away from hollow points, most three to four-inch barrels will work.

But Why The Defensive .22LR?

If you want a pocket pistol, your options are limited. A lot of micro-sized .380 ACPs are options, but they suck to shoot. Getting fast follow-up shots simply isn’t going to happen for most shooters. The other option is the rare .32 ACP, which is my preferred option, but .32 ACP is expensive, and the guns aren’t all that common.

That leaves us with .22LR. There are a handful of pocket-ready .22LR pistols that are easy to conceal and easy to shoot. Recoil, even with hot defensive ammo, is a joke. For non-gun people, the pocket defensive .22LR is a viable option for self-defense that allows for easy follow-up shots and lots and lots of training.

You can shoot a lot without getting tired or feeling beat up and without spending a lot of money. That’s the main advantage of the defensive .22LR. There are very few pocket .380s I’d carry over a pocket .22LR because I like fast follow-up shots, and I want to be able to shoot with a single hand if necessary.

The Downsides

Obviously, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The defensive .22LR faces issues with ignition thanks to rimfire primers. Premium ammo seems to be reliable, so it’s less of an issue, but still one to be ready for.

Additionally, even the best .22LR is only making it just past the minimum amount of penetration. Introduce odd angles, or having to shoot through arms and hands, and the round tumbles, losing velocity and therefore penetration. That can be a serious downside, and you need to be competent with your shot placement, but that’s a problem with any handgun.

Carrying a .22LR

A .22LR isn’t the optimum carry solution, but it can be a solution. With the right ammo, the caliber can reach deep enough to matter. A defensive .22LR has minimal recoil, often excellent capacity, and for some people, it’s the only option. If that’s your option, carry smart, with proven ammo, and a competent carry gun.

The Pocket-Sized Escape from Grim Workshop

By
Michael D'Angona
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You may always say it will only happen to the other guy…and then it happens to you. An abductor taking you away and locking you up against your will is an absolute nightmare. But when you have the Grim Workshop SERE Kit in your possession, the odds of escaping go way up!

This compact kit contains loads of tools to pick locks, open handcuffs, sever bindings, and bypass door locks. I was a bit skeptical of its effectiveness due to the amount of gear within its small footprint. However, I quickly changed my mind as soon as I put the kit’s components into action.

Grim Workshop SERE Kit

Initial inspection

The entire assembly of components came packed within a slim steel case. It featured a sliding lid and sturdy construction throughout its small footprint. At first glance, you would assume it’s similar to the obligatory “Altoid” canister that is used for homemade mini survival kits. However, this steel canister was so much tougher.

Inside the steel tin was a sealed packet of folded paperwork. The three individual packets were titled “How to Bypass a Lock”, “Escape and Evasion Skills”, and “How to Pick a Lock.” Four credit card-sized components were positioned underneath the paperwork. Two featured lock-picking tools. Grim Workshop’s designers shaped one component into a bypass tool and loaded the last one with mini escape gear.

With all these practical goodies at my fingertips, I was ready to dive right in.

Examining durability and ease-of-use

What was noticeable immediately was the rigidity of the four cards. What I suspected would be flimsy metal tools (in order for them all to fit in such a compact tin) turned out to be wrong. The three gear cards and the bypass card were all solid when examined. They felt like tools, not novelties, and when your very life may depend upon these tools performing, that’s exactly what you need.

Grim Workshop’s ingenious card design allows for the removal and replacement of all tools thanks to its magnetic retention system. I tested this numerous times as I selected and removed various tools. Then, they were all replaced within their original locations and held firmly within their holder. It prevents loss of the tools, as well as keeping everything organized in its place for quick muscle memory access when time matters.

Putting it to use

I haven’t mastered complex lock-picking techniques, mind you, but I did dabble in them a bit in the past. I used the picks against a deadbolt door lock. Though my skills were lacking to quickly bypass the lock, I did get a good feel of the tools, and they didn’t disappoint.

Though they may appear thin and fragile, they first withstood me forcibly removing them from their card (I since learned the trick of bending back the card frame for easy removal) and second, they held up to my repeated jabbing and turning of the picks within the solid deadbolt.

To be honest, the lock didn’t open, but that wasn’t a reflection on the tools but rather my own lack of proper lock-picking skills. I have no doubt that with enough practice, I would use the tools to do their job and bypass the lock.

Concealability for daily carry

The major benefit this kit has over many others on the market is its extreme concealability. As mentioned, it is about the size (if not smaller) than an Altoid tin canister. As such, it can fit easily in your front, back, or jacket pocket without fail. This kit can go everywhere you do, which is vitally important if you’re abducted.

Additionally, the individual cards are easily removable from the tin. They are transferable to your wallet for even greater carryability and assurance that they will always be nearby.

Final thoughts

This kit, without a doubt, packs an amazing number of useful tools in a small package. This is where the SERE Kit excels and exceeds many other kits on the market today. It covers a wide range of circumstances, from lock-picking to binding cutters to escape keys against handcuffs. It’s both well-rounded and constructed to work.

I noticed nothing novelty-like about any of the cards or tools included in the kit. Just saying you have the ability to escape means nothing if it doesn’t work when it counts. I’m confident this kit will give you a definite edge to escape your situation and allow you to get to safety.

Is S&W Bringing Back the 5906?

By
Travis Pike
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I’m not a big Twitter guy, or X, or whatever the hell it’s called. I don’t like the format, but I need to start liking it as gun companies tend to do a lot on Twitter. Someone sent me a screenshot of S&W’s Twitter with a May 8th post asking to “Name one gun you’d resurrect.” After that, they posted a picture of the S&W 5906, indicating that’s the gun they’d revive.

Is the 5906 Making a Comeback?

On August 14th, they tweeted another photo, joking about how everyone asks about the 5906, but never asks how the S&W social media girl is doing. I have to ask, are they teasing a comeback of the 5906 and the 3rd Gen guns in particular? Are they maybe looking to create a new 4th generation of the all-metal guns?

SHOT Show is coming quickly, and S&W has been throwing a lot at the wall, with a lot of it sticking. They’ve been on a tear, producing a variety of new firearms, like the FPC, the M&P 5.7, the M&P 12, and many, many more. They’ve also introduced new old guns, like the 1854 lever action. Plus, bringing back guns like the 432 and the various Mountain Guns has been a nice touch.

It seems like it’s completely in their wheelhouse to do so, but should they?

The S&W 5906 – The Reality

The S&W third-gen guns are fine, but not exceptional. I do believe the Beretta 92FS and the CZ-75 were better all-metal designs. The 3rd Gen guns had a lot of silly features, like the magazine safety, the ill-placed safety/decocker, and the grips felt a bit like a wedge to me. Not to mention, for a heavy, all-metal pistol, they seem to have more recoil than you’d expect.

I’m not sure if they are undersprung, or the heavy slide causes the somewhat snappy nature of these pistols. The guns are reliable, well-made, accurate, etcetera, but it’s easy to see why Glock ate their lunch and why S&W produced the M&P series to compete. While they are cool, I’m not sure if a direct clone of the 3rd gen 5906 is a great idea.

What This Internet Gun Writer Thinks They Should Do

I’m just a humble dude with a keyboard and an opinion, but I think they could bring the 5906 back and make it better. First, it’s going to be expensive regardless. All-metal guns tend to be pricey. If that’s the case, make it worth the squeeze. I’d produce two models, a standard and a tactical.

The standard would be a 5906 through and through. I’d ditch the magazine safety, maybe offer a decocker-only slide safety, and replace the 14-pound recoil spring with an 18-pound spring. If possible, I’d lighten the slide through small changes or material changes. You also improve the trigger a little, which has never been the best. Removing the magazine safety might do that.

The second model would be the tactical version. It would feature the same improvements as the standard version and a little more. Add a rail like the TSW variants for one. Next, cut the slide for an optic. Revamp the sights to be suppressor height. Use G10 grips with an aggressive grip texture. It doesn’t have to be G10, but we need something more textured on these guns. The tactical should be a decocker-only model as well.

Will It Happen?

Will the 5906 ride again? Maybe. I wouldn’t get my hopes up. Sometimes social media is just for engagement. However, a man can dream. Will they take my advice? That’s doubtful, but I’m betting the folks at S&W would make some modern allowances to make the 5906 a better-handling gun.

Maybe we’ll see a Gen 4 model of the old 59? Time and SHOT Show will tell, but if they are just teasing, they need to stop. No one asks about the social media girl, but even fewer people ask about how the guys who love metal-frame wonder nines feel.

RFK Jr. Says Guns Not The Problem, Will Explore Psychiatric Drugs

By
Mark Chesnut
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After four years of the Biden Administration blaming guns and gun owners for every violent crime, it’s refreshing to have members of the Trump Administration look at the issue differently. Specifically, RFK Jr. stating that guns are not the problem and will explore the effects of psychiatric drugs.

Focusing on the Real Problem, Not the Guns

One key component of the Biden tactic was to declare guns a “public health crisis,” a move that the Trump Administration reversed early on. Now, President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary is speaking out on guns in a different way following the recent mass murder at a Catholic grade school and church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

So, What’s Up?

Following the attack where a trans man fired into the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church as the children were participating in the beginning of the school year mass, killing two children and injuring 17 others, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that blaming the gun for the tragedy was nonsensical.

“People have had guns in this country forever,” he said in an interview with Fox News. “When I was a kid, we had shooting clubs at our school. Kids, my classmates, and other people would bring a .22 rifle and other guns to school and park in the parking lot. Nobody was shooting up schools.”

As Kennedy pointed out, such attacks on various public places on a widespread basis aren’t something that has been happening frequently since schools and public places were invented.

“There’s never been a time in the history of humanity where people walked into a crowd, or a church, or a movie theater, or a school, or a crowd of strangers and just started randomly shooting,” Kennedy said. “It’s happening in our country, it’s not happening around the world. And there are many other countries that have comparable levels [of] guns that we have in this country—we had comparable levels in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, and people weren’t doing that. Something changed, and it dramatically changed human behavior.”

What About Drugs?

Since guns aren’t the problem, Kennedy is trying to figure out what the root cause of these attacks could be. He now plans to look at the role certain drugs could be playing in the phenomenon.

“One of the culprits we need to examine is the fact that we’re the most overmedicated nation in the world, and a lot of those are psychiatric drugs that have black box warnings on them that warn of suicidal and homicidal ideation,” he said. “We are doing those studies right now for the first time, and we will have an answer.”

Of course, anti-gun Democrats, who are quick to blame guns, were even quicker to attack Kennedy for even mentioning that drugs could be somehow involved.

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, went as far as calling for Kennedy’s firing just for asking the question of whether psychiatric drugs, far more widely prescribed to youth now than any time in the past, could be part of the equation. She even categorized Kennedy’s mention of the drugs as “peddling bullshit.”

“I dare you to go to Annunciation School and tell our grieving community, in effect, guns don’t kill kids, antidepressants do,” Smith wrote on social media. “Just shut up. Stop peddling bullshit. You should be fired.”

Ultimately, since guns don’t fire themselves into churches full of children, there has to be another cause. Hopefully, Kennedy’s look into the widespread prescribing of certain drugs to troubled youth will answer the question one way or the other.

Is a 34mm Tube All That Great for an LPVO?

By
Travis Pike
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Low-power variable optics are all the rage and continue to be a popular choice for carbines, rifles, and even PCCs in the right conditions. The LPVO has grown a lot since the old Short Dot. We’ve seen them increase in size and magnification, topping out to 1-12X variants with everything from 1-4X to 1-10X being daily common. One of the latest additions to the LPVO market is the 34mm tube.

To 34mm or Not to 34mm?

The typical LPVO uses a 30mm tube, which is a fairly common diameter and one we see amongst cheap and expensive LPVOs. In the last few years, we’ve seen the 34mm tube peek out of the rubble and make its way into the LPVO market. With that said, is the 34mm tube worth it? What are the benefits? What are the downsides? That’s what we’ll explore today.

The 34mm Tube – What It’s Not

The biggest claimed improvement of the 34mm tube is supposed to be increased light transmission. Better light transmission means a brighter, clearer picture with better low-light performance. That sounds fantastic, but it’s a half-truth. This big old tube offers more light potential, but it takes more than just a big tube.

The 34mm allows you to use a 30mm objective lens, which will increase light transmission. We also need the right high-quality coatings and good glass. You combine those three things, and the big tube helps increase light transmission.

I’ve seen 34mm tubes with 24mm objective lenses, and that’s a bit of a silly combo. Sure, there are some other benefits besides light transmission, but there are also downsides, and you aren’t getting the biggest upside of the big tube. The 34mm tube is one part of the equation for getting a brighter, clearer picture when looking through an LPVO.

So What Are the Benefits of the 34mm Tube?

First, we get a wider adjustment range. Big tubes give you more room to make adjustments. More adjustments can be great for zeroing an odd setup, I suppose, but the real benefit comes when you want to make precise adjustments. This is why 34mm tubes are so common on precision optics.

With that said, how many people are doing that with LPVOs versus just using the fairly versatile reticles most LPVOs come with these days? Still, a benefit is a benefit.

The larger tube can be more durable. It’s thicker and often less likely to break or fail. It also provides more protection to the internals of the optic, which are what is most likely to break.

Downsides of The Big Tube

Bigger things are heavier things. A 34mm tube weighs more than a 30mm tube, and you’ll see that. It makes an LPVO a fair bit heavier, and light is good when it comes to carbine optics. Not only does your optic weigh more, but your mount will weigh more.

Oh, and speaking of mounts, you’ll have fewer options. You can find plenty of 34mm rings, but finding modern LPVO mounts for modern carbines in the 34mm range is tougher. They will be more expensive and harder to find, with an overall smaller selection.

Oh, and cost, bigger tubes are more expensive, and 34mm tubes are pricier than 30mm tubes.

Worth the Squeeze?

I’m not an expert, but the advantages of the LPVO with a 34mm tube seem to be fairly small. Even the benefits aren’t that beneficial unless you’re embracing a larger objective diameter, and again increasing the cost and weight of your low-power variable optic. I might not see the value, but I’m willing to learn. Until then, I’ll stick to my 30mm tubes.

In Defense of the .40 S&W

By
Travis Pike
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The .40 S&W is dying this slow death. We are watching the death of a caliber in real time. It’s more likely that you’ll see new .45 ACPs and new 10mms than new .40 S&Ws hit the market. The .45 ACP and 10mm still have followings, but the only people I see sticking up for the .40 are rappers. I’ve never been a big fan of the .40 S&W.

The Rise and Demise of the .40 S&W

When I got into shooting seriously, the cheaper 9mm had that monetary appeal. Additionally, the .40 S&Ws I fired were snappy, and I couldn’t imagine carrying a subcompact .40 S&W. As the 9mm took over and the idea of stopping power faded away from serious firearms enthusiasts and professionals, I made fun of the .40 S&W.

I shared the memes talking about it dying. I even made memes, argued against the cartridge, and thought, “good riddance.” I’m also a natural contrarian, which is cringe, I admit, but I can’t help but like things that aren’t all that popular. As the tide turned on .40 S&W, I found myself looking a little more into the round and tried to see if it was worth defending.

The .40 S&W – Why It Exists

It was 1986, in Miami. The only thing hotter than the spring sun was Michael Lee Platt and William Russell Matix. They were dangerous, violent murderers who robbed banks and armored cars and weren’t afraid to rock and roll at the drop of a hat.

Manhunters from the FBI were on the streets trying to take this dangerous pair down. The FBI agents outnumbered the bank robbers by a factor of four. It was eight versus two, and numbers matter, but as the FBI quickly found out, the two bank robbers weren’t going to prison. When the two groups finally clashed, it was a bloody, violent fight.

Two FBI agents were killed, both suspects were killed, and only one man walked away uninjured. The fight was technically eight versus two, but William Matix was out of the fight for the vast majority of it. Michael Platt, armed with a Ruger Mini-14, faced the FBI largely by himself.

The FBI agents were armed with a mix of 9mm handguns and .38 Special revolvers. Some revolvers were .357s but were loaded with .38 Special rounds. The 9mms were S&W Model 459s. The FBI had one 870, but the agent carrying it was wounded in the hand, making aiming and using the pump-action shotgun difficult. Admittedly, that didn’t stop Edmundo Mireles from rocking and rolling with the 870.

It took six rounds to kill Matix. It took double that to kill Platt. Platt was famously hit early in the gunfight by fallen Agent Jerry Dove with a 9mm round that stopped an inch away from his heart after passing through the man’s arm.

The Disruption

As one could expect, this firefight became a massive incident for the FBI. They went through everything that occurred during the firefight: the agents’ tactics, their skill in a gunfight, and, most importantly for this article, the weapons and calibers they used. It was determined that the various .38 Special and 9mms fielded weren’t enough.

The FBI adopted the 10mm round and a S&W third-gen pistol to go with it. I can’t help but assume the move to 10mm was due to the 9mm round’s failure to kill Platt and end the fight. The new 10mm was powerful, hard-hitting, and deep-penetrating. The FBI fielded the 10mm for a short period, but quickly found the recoil of a true 10mm round was too much for most agents.

They downloaded the cartridge, and the 10mm FBI or 10mm Lite was born. Someone at S&W looked at the 10mm Lite and realized they could make that cartridge with a smaller case and a smaller gun. S&W produced the .40 S&W in 1990 and the S&W 4006 pistol.

The .40 S&W exploded in popularity. It became the dominant round for law enforcement agencies and became nearly universal amongst law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. It was the best mix between 9mm and .45 ACP, right?

What the .40 S&W Does Right?

The .40 S&W does one thing better than both 9mm and .45 ACP: it penetrates. It penetrates deeply into soft targets. Both 9mm and .45 ACP penetrate deep enough to stop a threat without a doubt, but the .40 S&W goes deeper. The advantage of that penetration is the ability to penetrate deep enough in odd situations.

For example, if you shoot through a threat’s arm into his torso, like Dove did to Platt. The .40 S&W is more likely to penetrate that little extra to provide the ability to hit the vitals. Modern 9mm can do pretty good through these odd scenarios in this era. Better-built bullets are what closed the gap between the 9mm and .40 S&W and led to its mass adoption.

The .40 S&W still penetrates deeper on average than the best 9mm. Outside of soft targets, the .40 S&W rounds tend to do better through barriers. If you’re fighting around cars, for example, the .40 S&W is more likely to go through a barrier and maintain its energy to penetrate a threat. It’s not a guarantee, just more likely to travel through barriers.

What Killed the .40 S&W?

Better 9mm projectiles have put a big dent into the .40 S&W’s sales and adoption. That’s the most obvious answer, but I think it’s worth mentioning that another big change to law enforcement since 1986 is the dawn of the patrol rifle. In 2025, or even 2015, guys hunting bank robbers aren’t going at it with handguns and shotguns.

I’m betting if the FBI had a rolling stakeout right now, every car would have a patrol rifle. Most police forces have a patrol rifle. A patrol rifle is going to penetrate through soft and hard targets better than any pistol round. They are much less likely to run into handgun penetration issues, through soft or hard targets, while using rifles!

Ultimately, the .40 S&W isn’t a bad cartridge. It penetrates deeply, expands well, and you can hold a fair bit of ammo in a gun that’s not larger than a 9mm. However, it’s just become outdated in the modern era.

Fight or Flight – Understanding the Acute Stress Response

By
Jim Cobb
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Fight or flight

Most of us are familiar with the term “fight or flight.” It refers to how our bodies are wired to react to sudden stress. For example, you’re walking to your car after work late one night, and you’re surprised by someone who steps out from a doorway.

What is “Fight or Flight”?

Our bodies are amazing in their efficiency. It reacts faster than conscious thought. Instantly, your heart leaps into your throat, and your pulse is doing double-time. Those aren’t the only physical changes in our bodies as we react to external stimuli that has caught us unaware. Understanding how the fight or flight response works and how it affects our bodies is the first step in learning how to make those changes work for us.

How It Starts

A potential threat is detected. Maybe a car backfires nearby or your smoke alarm’s screech woke you from a great dream involving a lottery win. The stimulus information is sent to the amygdala in your brain. Its job here is to sound the alarm if it determines danger is present.

The amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus that something isn’t right. The hypothalamus is responsible for your autonomic nervous system. It governs your involuntary functions like breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, and such. The hypothalamus tells your adrenal glands to kick it into overdrive. They, in response, begin dumping adrenaline into your bloodstream.

Adrenaline Has Entered the Chat

Adrenaline causes many changes in your body. Your heart begins to race, delivering more blood to your muscles and organs. This also increases your blood pressure, which can cause problems for those with heart issues.

Fight or flight - brain
Our brains and bodies are hard-wired to respond to stress in a mostly predictable manner.

Airways in the lungs expand to increase the amount of oxygen they can absorb. Your breathing will get heavy, as though you’ve just run a race. This extra O2 will help your brain and your senses get sharper and work more efficiently.

As part of the fight or flight response, adrenaline will also begin releasing fats and glucose from where they’re stored in the body. This is converted to energy, so that you’re ready to respond to the threat.

Your hands and feet might suddenly feel cold, and your face flushed. The stress response is redirecting blood flow. More blood going to your brain means less is available elsewhere. In order to bring more visual data to the brain, your pupils will dilate.

All of this, from the amygdala sounding the alarm to your pupils getting wide, happens so fast that you’re not aware of it happening. It all happens without conscious thought.

Cortisol Comes to the Party

If the situation isn’t instantly resolved, like you realize the person who surprised you isn’t a threat, your body continues to react. The hypothalamus notifies the adrenal glands to start producing cortisol.

Known as the primary stress hormone, cortisol increases the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. This provides your body with an energy dump. Interestingly, cortisol also suppresses non-essential systems, such as digestive and reproductive. The intention is to prioritize energy in the fight or flight response. Anything not immediately necessary to deal with the threat is set aside.

Fight or flight - running
There are times when your best option is to just vacate the area as quickly as possible.

Time to Act

In some cases, and probably most of them if we’re being honest, the potential threat turns out to be entirely benign. The person who stepped out from the doorway as you were walking to your car is just another workaday shlub like yourself. It was indeed a car backfiring and not a gunshot. It’s just your cat up to its usual shenanigans, not a burglar rifling through your silverware late at night.

In those cases, it might take you a moment or two to get your breathing and pulse back under control. You may have a chuckle or two as well, in relief if nothing else.

However, if the danger is real, you’ll fight, flee, or perhaps engage in a blend of the two. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. Remember that the goal is to go home and sleep in your own bed. Whatever needs to happen to make that a reality is acceptable.

On the other hand, should you find it necessary to fight, bear in mind that there is no such thing as a fair fight. There’s a winner and there’s a loser. Do whatever you can to ensure you’re on the prevailing side of the confrontation.

Fight or flight - time to act
Regular training and practice with martial arts and similar disciplines will reduce your reaction time as well as hone your defensive skills.

Freezing Up

There is a third outcome with the fight or flight response. In some cases, you may freeze up. Essentially, your brain hits the pause button. It can’t decide yet if you’re in danger and, if so, what you’ll need to do about it.

It’s believed that this freeze response is a sort of hard-wired passive defense response to being prey. We freeze for the same reason a rabbit does when it perceives a possible threat. Predators can detect movement easily.

Fight or Flight Response Drawbacks

For all of its benefits in a crisis, this acute stress response does have a few downsides.

When adrenaline and other hormones are dumped into the bloodstream, we tend to lose some of our fine motor dexterity. We may experience trembling in our hands, arms, and legs. Gross body movements are going to be preferable to any sort of delicate maneuvers. Complex decision-making is also going to be tougher when you’re under stress.

The good news is that you can not only reduce your reaction time but also reduce some of those negative impacts on your skills through extensive training and regular practice.

Guided .50 BMG Rounds – A Snipers Best Friend

By
Travis Pike
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Cpl. Laura Y. Raga, a production specialist with 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and Fort Worth, Texas native, fires a .50 Cal machine gun during sustainment training in D'Arta Plage, Djibouti, Dec. 9. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the embarked 11th MEU are deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Laura Y. Raga/Released)

Guided munitions aren’t exactly new. We’ve had guided missiles for decades, even man-portable stuff like the famed Stinger rocket launchers. Colin Powell once said, “We can hit a quarter-inch target under a bridge without destroying the bridge.” The problem with guided munitions is the size. It’s rockets, it’s missiles—it’s large and it’s heavy. Until now. Now we have two competitors aiming to create guided .50 BMG cartridges.

A Guided .50 BMG?

Firearms firing .50 BMG rounds aren’t known for being small, but they are a lot smaller and lighter than Stinger missiles, rocket launchers, and Sidewinders. Smaller guns and smaller munitions allow for a guided round with a lot less potential for harming civilians. There is a lot of potential for these munitions and how they can integrate with the infantry. Let’s examine the two programs aiming to take the cake.

The DARPA EXACTO Round

Those pesky scientists at DARPA are working on something called the EXACTO round. EXACTO stands for Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance. This .50 BMG cartridge combines a smart cartridge with a high-tech optic and a remote control.

The idea is to produce a cartridge that could change direction mid-flight or to compensate for wind, rain, and similar factors. The EXACTO round isn’t a remote control in the same way as a drone. You can’t make it turn around or take a 90-degree turn. Think of the EXACTO round more like a gentle push than total remote control.

DARPA intends to produce this in fire-and-forget technologies. Imagine setting an M2 or Barrett M82 on a hill and leaving it behind when things get rough. The system could provide precision fire on targets while a sniper team bails out, or is never even there beyond setting the gun up.

Additionally, the EXACTO round could correct for shooter mistakes. In fact, the shooter won’t have to do the math for windage, bullet drop, or the effect of the earth spinning. It could simplify the work of snipers and make shots fast and more accurate.

The Sandia National Laboratories Guided Bullet Technology

Sandia National Laboratories has produced its own guided bullet technology. SNL is a private company that’s been involved in government procurement and development for quite some time. Their guided bullet technology also uses a .50 BMG cartridge but relies on laser designation rather than remote control.

The laser designating rounds are fired from a smooth bore. The nose of the bullet features an optical sensor along with counterbalancing mass and stabilizing strakes. Small fins control the projectile and allow it to steer its way to the target.

This system could also be paired with fire-and-forget systems and remote laser designators. According to SNL, the rounds are cost-effective, but no price is quoted.

So Where Are They?

Testing was conducted as far back as 2015, and the results were promising. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be much movement on these guided .50 BMG rounds. However, in an era of drone warfare, the guided .50 BMG round might be a viable option.

Small, explosive drones have made life difficult for snipers and might even push them out of the current meta of modern warfare. The USMC even got rid of its sniper platoons to face new threats. A drone could eliminate a guided anti-material rifle with fire-and-forget capabilities, but it would be casualty-free.

Barrett M82A1 heavy and anti-material sniper rifle, in service with the Israel Defense Forces Combat Engineering Corps רובה צלפים כבד בארט בשירות חיל ההנדסה הקרבית של צה”ל

The smaller package and profile of the system and its ability to hide from thermal cameras could make them very lethal components in modern warfare. You could even pair this technology with land-based drones and have an anti-material option that’s entirely remote-controlled.

The possibilities are exciting, and when it comes to combating America’s enemies, embracing high-tech solutions will enhance their efficiency and save American lives. I’d love to see the development of these platforms continue. Here’s to America’s guided .50 BMG rounds.

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