Apparently You Have AK Questions.. So here.

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July 8, 2020

I don’t know what kind of planetary alignment came about but I have been inundated with information requests about AK’s.

So, here is the Polish AK Pro himself, Rob Ski, of AK Operators Union 47-74 talking about things to look at when you’re picking up an AK from across the counter.

AK’s are scarce on the ground right now… like.. really scarce. The Serbian Zastava imports with the new more ‘Americanized’ features like chromed barrels were about the only ones I’ve recently seen in stock just about anywhere. A few Arsenal’s were too.. but not many. Ordering a Rifle Dynamic might be just as quick as finding a regular rifle.

Also remember that Jim Fuller will have his launch coming up soon too, Fuller Phoenix AK’s, and those are likely to be fantastic.

So, let me cover the questions I’ve been seeing most frequently.

Is the AK a good home defense rifle/pistol?

Yes.

Which caliber should I get?

Which caliber do you want/can you find?

Right now, with the general scarcity, a 6.5 Grendel might not be a bad idea but the classics in 7.62 are usually the solid bet. After that I would actually say getting one in 5.56 might be next and then 5.45. Ammo for all the varieties out there are still around but it is tough at the moment. The three core calibers, 7.62, 5.45, and 5.56 are probably overall the best bets for full support. In my immediate distribution chain the 5.45 is the only ammo that can be found at case volume.

Are AK’s still cheaper than AR’s?

Not really, no.

A good entry AK and good entry AR will run you in the $800-900 range. Accessories for both run roughly the same for the same quality. My RD NATO full kit MSRP tags out at around $4,000 and so does the LWRC sitting next to it when you roll in optics, lights, triggers, and furniture.

Assume a system complete rifle will run you ~$2,000 over the whole spend and that’s a good opening ballpark.

Can you do it for less?

Sure.

Can you do it for more?

Absolutely, been there and done that.

Will $2,000 get you a system you’ll have pretty much no worries with?

Yep, that’s why I throw that number out. It is a realistic number and you can spread out the cost. That will cover rifle, light, optic, mags, sling, and ammo all in good quality and quantity.

Which brands should I look at?

The imported WASR types are still your entry price point. The new Zastavas are probably up from there while still being sub $1,000.

Arsenal SGL or SLR series are my go to recommendation.

Getting into the semi-custom realm I recommend the IWI Galil ACE with great enthusiasm. It is one of the best takes on a modernized AK, they have robust aftermarket support and the calibers take the most popular magazines for their respective chamberings so magazine support doesn’t require hunting down anything expensive or exotic.

Then there is the Rifle Dynamics and Krebs Custom level items and upcoming Phoenix line from Fuller.

You do, generally, get what you pay for if you’re paying around market.

What should I buy after the rifle?

Ammunition, magazines, sling, light, optic, training course. In that order and not skipping any of them, especially not the last one. Get a good basic rifle course under your belt to run the gun from an instructor that knows their way around an AK.

Brands?

Ammo: Any, really. FMJ steel case is an AK’s normal fodder. New production.

Magazines: I like Magpul and Circle 10’s. I’ve got good recommendations on Beryl mags for 5.56 AKs and US Palms for 7.62×39. Even surplus steel and aluminums are probably okay as long as they’re still in the proper shape and fit your particular AK’s mag release so check fitment.

Slings: Blue Force Gear, Savvy Sniper, Magpul.

Lights: The four horsemen of the lumen apocalypse: Streamlight, Surefire, Modlite (w/Reptilia), and Cloud Defensive.

Optics: I like magnified optics on many many platforms, but AKs… I like the Fuller approach. Dot on the Ultimak gas tube and call it good. To that end my favorite is the Aimpoint CompM5 but any T1/T2 or RMR footprint dot of quality will serve. Holosun(s), Trijicon MRO and RMR, Aimpoint PRO and T1/T2.

Training: Sentinel Concepts Carbine Employment. 2 Days, nothing crazy, just shooting the gun better.

If you had to pick one AK

Mine.

RD NATO Rifle Dynamics AK in 5.56 NATO .223 Remington with Aimpoint CompM5 and ALG AKT-UL Trigger — Cat shadow photobomb game is strong

Rifle Dynamics NATO, Ultimak railed gas tube, Aimpoint CompM5, Surefire M600DF (Or Modlite PLHv2), Magpul ‘midlength’ forend, ALG AKT-UL Trigger, Krebs safety lever, Blue Force Gear 2-Point sling on QD’s.

Ok… but like on a budget..

Arsenal SLR, Ultimak railed gas tube, Aimpoint PRO, Magpul forend (standard AK length), Streamlight RM1/RM2, Blue Force Gear 2-Point sling.

Conclusion

The AK still slams. It’s a functional option for a fighting rifle. Simple, accurate, effective, modernized through aftermarket with several modern variants, and durable. It has a few functional weak points (as do all machines) but if you are considering one, it is certainly worth consideration.

ReBAMFed! Cobalt Kinetics Now Under New Ownership!

By

Keith Finch

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July 8, 2020

CobaltOverwatch — Image via Cobalt Kinetics, Overwatch XL LE

The makers of the most space age, Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk AR rifle on the market have new management at the helm.

Washington Utah, July 7, 2020: Cobalt Kinetics Under New Ownership

St. George, Utah July 1 – Cobalt Kinetics, manufacturer of premium performance and precision engineered rifles, today announced that its holdings have been acquired by BAQ Defense, a company providing specialty training, products, and programs to non-profit entities involved in combating child sex trafficking.

As a niche manufacturer focused on enhancing functionality and features in AR type rifles, Cobalt Kinetics climbed to fame by designing and building specialty firearms unmatched in the industry. Endowed with bold aesthetics, cutting-edge technical innovation and state-of-the-art engineering, Cobalt rifles have garnered attention by gun enthusiasts, competitors, and high-level dealers since their inception in 2014.

“After a demanding run from 2015 to 2019, we felt ecstatic about the progress we had made. As we were in the steps of planning out our next phase of development, we were approached by BAQ Defense and began entertaining conversations about our future.” Said Skylar Stewart, VP of Cobalt Kinetics. “They were deeply interested in our R&D and the potential they saw for taking the company to the next level. From our very first conversations it was apparent they already had a vision in place, one that would capitalize on what we had already achieved, while moving towards new opportunities that would distinguish Cobalt even further. BAQ Defense was the answer we didn’t even know we were looking for.”

Commenting on the decision to purchase Cobalt, BAQ President, Aaron Quinn revealed, “We’ve been interested in Cobalt for some time. Their level of innovation and pure artistry is unprecedented. We watched them maneuver into the industry, filling a need for billet options while also meeting a heavy competition type demand. We want to continue their gold standard of excellence by developing additional firearms that meet every demand in the market. As trends come and go and the flux between tactical and competitive needs arise, we want to be there with products that outfit all buyers.”

Having eased off on production in August of 2019, Cobalt, now under new leadership, will immediately begin its next phase of manufacturing. Carrying on the tradition of AR Style Rifles, Cobalt now promises to move forward on several new projects, including work on a series of prototypes presently in R&D that are going to dramatically enhance Cobalt’s line up.

Jason Parker, VP BAQ adds, “With these exciting changes taking place, we want to assure Cobalt fans that the same level of professionalism that has made the company what it is today will remain the same. Several key staff members crucial to prior success will remain with us full time. We will not let the commitment to excellence slide backwards, regardless of the new channels we open.”

For gun owners seeking access to the best AR type rifles on the market, Cobalt is the product of choice. Now, under new ownership and new directives, the name that has predominantly been associated with elite circles, will also be known by every gun owner who wants to experience the best in the game.

Looking to the future,

Jason Parker
Vice President, Cobalt Kinetics

The Cobalt basic rifle costs about $2,000 and they can reach $5,000 in their Evolve variant of the BAMF (Billet Aluminum Modern Firearm). The company is known for using incredible materials and sharp aesthetics combined with forward thinking competition features like their automatic bolt release. But they are a company that makes an H&K look like a frugal purchase.

DRGO: A Message To Americans for Independence Day 2020

By

DRGO

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July 8, 2020

(from parade.com)

[Ed: This is excerpted from an article posted this July 4 on The Arbalest Quarrel, edited for DRGO.]

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“Americans have the right and the advantage of being armed—unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” — James Madison, Federalist 46.

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Dear Fellow Americans:

As we celebrate Independence Day this July 4^th we should think about the significance of the War that was fought 240 years ago against tyranny, and the sacrifices that were made to give us a Nation unlike any other–one conceived in liberty. We should give thanks for our founders, and give serious thought to where we are today and how we see ourselves tomorrow.

Americans are shocked at the breakdown of law and order in our Nation; at the destruction of businesses and private property; at assaults on and murders of innocent Americans; at the violent, senseless acts of rioters, looters, and arsonists that go unpunished.

We have witnessed the wanton destruction of symbols of our nation’s history, culture, and heritage. We see the defacement, defilement, and destruction of treasured monuments, statues, and artwork.

We are disgusted by the reactions of “liberals” to the anarchy and chaos happening all around us, and we are appalled at their constant attacks on the Presidency.

The reactions of the radical left leadership make clear their contempt for our nation, for our people, and for our Constitution. The weak-kneed reactions of many conservatives to this lawlessness are no less disturbing and alarming.

But these radical forces have done us a favor. They have shown us their true colors and are telling us what they want: the end of our free Constitutional Republic. Never before has a U.S. Presidential election been so important.

This is a modern civil war. [See the Arbalest Quarrel article “In The Throes Of America’s Modern Day Civil War.”]

In some ways this modern civil war bears more relation to the American Revolution than to the American Civil War, because we are seeing something different, something potentially even more catastrophic. This could lead to the eradication of our Bill of Rights!

Our elected officials in Congress are not representing our interests. We had National Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation in our grasp but the Senate threw it away. Of all the timely issues the Arbalest Quarrel has addressed over the years, this was one of the most important, the right to possess and bear firearms unrestricted. [See the AQ article “It’s Time For National Handgun Carry Reciprocity To Secure The Citizen’s Right Of Armed Self-Defense, Throughout The Country.”] If we are ever to see national carry legislation become a reality, we must do so with Trump as President and with Republican control of both the House and Senate.

This 4^th of July should remind all Americans that true freedom and liberty always exists with and because of an armed citizenry.

We see firsthand in States like New York, Illinois, Washington, and California to name a few, progressive strong-holds where state and local leadership have either capitulated to lawless mob rule or have actively participated in undermining law and order.

These recent events have also demonstrated how vulnerable the American people are, how helpless they are, and how they are made to feel.

Just take a look at New York City. This is a city which had for years seen a reduction in crime. It is now experiencing a massive resurgence as violent crime and murder rates have soared, equal to or surpassing those seen in Chicago.

Progressive Mayor Bill DeBlasio still refuses to allow licensed Federal Firearms Dealers, gun stores, and shooting ranges to open as “essential” businesses. Yet, he has let criminals out of jail to prey on innocent people, while at the same time he has defunded and dismantled the Police Department, disbanded undercover units, given them conflicting orders, and emasculated what remains of the police.

DeBlasio has made it extremely difficult for average, sensible, law-abiding citizens to exercise their fundamental right to possess firearms for personal protection. He claims citizens who reside in New York City don’t need firearms because the police serve that function–even as he decimates them. That, of course, is a bald-faced lie, as the police have no duty to ensure the life and safety of individuals.

The function of the police is to protect the safety of the community as a whole. [AQ has discussed this issue at length in the article “Can We, As Individuals, Rely on the Police To Protect us?”]

But today DeBlasio isn’t even providing New York City residents with that minimal level of protection. Instead of reinforcing the police, and supporting them, he has bowed to the will of the mob.

DeBlasio has empowered criminal, sociopathic elements. He has demoralized the police and left average, responsible, law-abiding citizenry helpless. If this is DeBlasio’s intention, he has succeeded. If not, this is evidence that he is incompetent and clueless.

This is repeated across the Country. You see it happening every day. America is on fire!

Governors and mayors fail to protect us, fail to protect society at large, and deny us the right to protect ourselves. They exercise absolute control. They ignore their own legislatures, arrogantly issuing illegal executive orders to exert control over Americans. They use that same authority to benefit themselves and the radical left agenda. This must stop.

Well-funded and well-organized left-wing forces, from within our country and outside it, have infiltrated our government, our schools, our social and business institutions–our very way of life.

Their focus for the time being is on the progressive-controlled sanctuary cities and states.

These destructive forces aim to accomplish their goals through a seditious “Fake News” media to create a totalitarian regime. They hide behind the protections of a “Free Press.” Beware if you are not “politically correct.”

Fortunately, President Donald Trump is not their puppet. He does not stand for their antics. He calls them out for the corrupters they are. He cannot be bought.

Leftist forces intend to defeat Trump at all costs. They constantly proclaim a runaway “Blue Wave” victory. It is the same claim they made during their failed attempt to elect Hillary Clinton.

These forces will be met by a counterforce. It is the same counterforce that succeeded in electing Trump President in 2016 and it will see Trump reelected in 2020. That counterforce consists of you, me and the great “Silent Majority.”

We need to understand the issues, know the facts, and be proactive. We will put out the fire burning in America with a backfire! The Presidential 2020 Election is only a few months away. The stakes are high.

Voting has consequences, as evidenced in the midterm elections of 2018 which allowed Democrats to take control of the House of Representatives while Republicans narrowly held on to the Senate. That midterm election upset put a halt to any possibility for the passage of national concealed carry reciprocity.

Then, too, the recent swing vote by U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts on the New York City gun transport case has done nothing to strengthen our Second Amendment rights. [AQ discusses this in the article “Antigun Crowd Breathes Collective Sigh Of Relief After Supreme Court Majority Gives NYC A Victory In Gun Transport Case.”]

Only President Trump’s reelection, along with Republican majorities in the House and Senate, will preserve a free Republic and our fundamental, unalienable rights. We cannot take anything for granted. The stakes are too high!

Conservatives must also fight for control of states and localities presently under the grip of the Left.

We must prioritize and plan our battles. But to successfully counter the forces that wish to undermine our Nation, we must keep informed. We need to understand the issues, know the facts, and be proactive. All of us must do our share. Let your voice be heard!

Keep up with Second Amendment news, and share it on social media. Share this message with your family, friends and acquaintances. Reach out and touch someone.

Call President Trump and the candidates for your Congressional seats. Let them know how you feel about these important issues. Remind them that they work for you, not for themselves. Make it clear that you will monitor how they vote on legislation and that you can as easily vote them out of office as vote them in.

The Capital telephone number to reach anyone in the Federal Government is: (202) 224-3121. This is staffed by switchboard operators who will connect you to the official’s office you want to reach. We use this phone number often. It only takes a few minutes. You, too, can make difference.

Remember well that if we do not retain control of the Federal Government, this July 4^th Independence Day celebration could easily be our last one as a truly free nation.

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— NYPD veteran Stephen D’Andrilli is President & CMO of the Arbalest Group, holding masters degrees in Criminal Justice Administration and Public Administration. He is NRA Certified as a Firearms Instructor & Training Counselor. He is passionate about the Constitution and Bill of Rights, testifies before government panels, and writes and appears in various media.

Ballistic Adjustable Mount (B.A.M.)

By

Keith Finch

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July 7, 2020

Stephanie has talked at length about SPUHR and the engineering marvels of Hakan. Then this past weekend I see Ian of Forgotten Weapons post this gem about an optic system in a slightly different train of thought than the typical bomb proof SPUHR scope rings.

BAM! Or B.A.M. the Ballistic Adjustable Mount is SPUHR’s solution to the conundrum of machine gun optics.

As Ian points out, rifle and machine gun optics are two very different animals. I was having these discussions at the beginning of the decade with my platoon commander, I was sitting as the defacto platoon sergeant watching our squad leaders run contact drills and we were discussing the M249 SAWs and upcoming M27’s. We both had pretty much matching opinions on the subject. Ian’s opinion closely matched ours.

In the Marine Corps, for all our line company weapon systems, we ran ACOGs. M16’s and M4’s ran TA31’s, M249’s (and later M27’s) ran TA11’s with RMR’s on top, and the M240’s ran TA648’s with RMR’s. It was a… durable solution to the problem of providing our support and suppressive weapons with greater observation power and quicker adjustments to get rounds on target.

The problem is that automatic weapons use a ‘One Sight Picture/Burst’ instead of a ‘One Sight Picture/Shot’ method of operation. Firing 7-10 rounds it an area to control movement within it as well as cause casualties. Automatic weapons are about area dominance, they are used more often to deny an enemy element movement then they are to cause direct fire casualties. That is what rifles are for.

A burst is going to break your sight picture, period. A magnified optic, even one with a 1x setting, has an eye box that is going to be disrupted during firing. This means getting back onto target becomes more difficult as you deal with searching the narrow field of view to reacquire and re-engage. Ideally, you want magnification to find and observe and an open sight to engage so the gunner can very quickly reacquire the sight.

Marines will often use two person teams to accomplish this, one observes and calls adjustments and the second sits behind the gun pulling the trigger, supporting the gun, and looking at the narrower sight picture. This is an imperfect solution as it requires two brains to communicate and process two visuals that the other cannot see and is not processing in the same way, but it does work. It takes practice to do well and a team that has worked together will do it better than two who have not.

Solutions to lower the number of people needed to effectively run machine guns have been a heavy focus of GWOT efforts and SPUHR’s optics solution helps further the cause quite nicely.

The B.A.M.

sphur BAM B.A.M. machine gun optic mount — Via SPHUR

This Bad Ass Mutha is a modification of what operators have been doing with the RDS/Magnifier combinations for a long time now. The open eyebox of a Holographic or Red Dot optic makes them fast and, more importantly, the fastest sight to reacquire. The magnifier behind the dot grants 3x and 6x observational capability and the ability to use shorter bursts (or single shots on newer machine guns) with great effect.

Added onto that base capability is a range knob that will adjust the whole simple assembly for greater distances. No drastic hold overs, point of aim/point of impact with your dot. This allows the gunner to do all the thinking and make the decisions for the gun on their own, limiting the feedback they need from a second person. Both LMGs and GPMGs are increasingly one person on the gun so being able to do more is a critical need.

The theory is simple, observe using the 3x or 6x magnifier to confirm the target and then flip it out of the way so you can track the dot during recoil and reset it to the spot after each burst. Flip the magnifier back for detailed obersvation.

The Marines tried, with a modicum of success, to do with this with the ACOG/RMR set up, but problem is you have to give up a good position on the gun to use the unmagnified optic and in moving your body you further disturb your aligned position. The B.A.M just allows this same capability from the strongest position behind the gun, for both magnified and unmagnified use it is the same body position and the magnifier just moves helpfully into and out of place with your support hand.

You can use it or lose it on the fly depending on your immediate need as the gunner, a solid position might allow you to fire with the magnifier in place while a hastier position may require you to flip it to the side to be effective.

The point ultimately being, the SPHUR B.A.M. provides a rock solid plate of capabilities to a machine gunner that needs a different set of optical capabilities than the riflemen they are supporting.

And that’s just neat.

Do you need to aim a shotgun?

By

Caleb Giddings

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July 6, 2020

Do you need to aim a shotgun? Thanks to television and movies, a lot of people don’t understand how shotguns actually work. We’ve all seen shows where shotguns blast circular holes out of doors, or where a scattergun fired down a hallway takes out three badguys. And of course good old Shotgun Joe Biden telling people to just go outside and “fire two blasts” to ward off intruders is comedy gold. But how true is all that? Are shotguns accurate?

The truth is you do need to aim a shotgun if you want to hit anything. To put this to the test, I took a Beretta 1301 and some Federal FLITECONTROL 00 buckshot to the range. We shot it at distances from as close as 3 yards to as far as 15 yards, which is about the longest shot I could personally take in my house. At 15 yards the Federal 00 buck was still shooting tight patterns that were 4-6 inches wide. At close range, it would put all 8 pellets into one big hole. That means two things: you do need to aim, but also that a shotgun with the right load is accurate enough to take a hostage rescue shot. We saw this for real in 2016, when a San Diego police officer shot a man in the face with a shotgun while that man held a woman hostage.

If you’re wondering do you need to aim a shotgun, we can absolutely answer “yes” to that. One of the key items to remember in any home defense situation is that regardless of why you’re shooting, you’re responsible for every round that leaves your gun. With a shotgun that means you’re dealing with 8 projectiles all at once. The best way to make sure that your rounds don’t hit something they shouldn’t is to hit what you’re trying to shoot. Even with a shotgun, and especially with a shotgun in a home defense context, that means aiming.

The next time someone says something to you about how shotguns just spray a huge pattern, you can turn to them and say “do you need to aim a shotgun?” Then reference the tests from the video that demonstrate that you do…if you want to be responsible.

Doctors’ prescription: Disarm

By

DRGO

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July 3, 2020

(from whatsonafrica.com)

The latest Lancet Psychiatry editorial mixes several poorly articulated ideas in a swing-and-a-miss effort to impugn American gun owners by suggesting that current gun purchases are fueled by cowardice in the face of economic adversity. Given The Lancet’s other-than-the-United States focus, it isn’t surprising that it woefully mischaracterizes us.

“Home of the brave?” links economic hardship with gun purchases, and even resurrects Obama’s whopper foot-in-mouth statement: “bitter clingers”! Their conjectured emotional logic goes something like this: an economic downturn breeds anxiety, and guns are a salve for unhealthily worried minds.

The purported association between gun purchases and anxiety misses the mark. People typically aren’t quivering in fear when they purchase house insurance, for example, and I’ve not seen either panic or anxiety in guns stores over the past months. I have met people who are appropriately concerned about possible bad outcomes. Rather than outsourcing the responsibility to prevent those outcomes, new gun owners are taking it upon themselves to be as self-sufficient as they can be.

In contrast to anxiety (often, “an irrational reaction to a stressor”) concern is a thinking-and-feeling state that arises from accurately appraising the world we live in. This includes the realization that the police cannot arrive fast enough. Even in the best of circumstances, there will be a delay, and we are not currently living in the best of circumstances.

People buying guns have taken a brave first step towards becoming their own immediate responder. That’s the opposite of cowardice. Although debate rages among internet lawyers and tactical experts regarding the legality and strategic wisdom of the St. Louis couple that confronted a crowd of 300, what cannot be questioned is their bravery. They neither hid nor waved a flag of surrender.

After attacking gun owners, The Lancet changes it up by attacking the guns themselves: “We can be confident that . . . guns will play a primary role in pushing higher the US’s already high preventable death rate.” Depression mixed with suicidal ideation is a dangerous condition, not gun ownership. We know this because other countries with far less gun ownership have worse rates of suicide, such as Japan and parts of the former Soviet Union. Deaths involving the use of guns have been falling while the number of gun owners and guns has skyrocketed.

Finally, the editorial makes a leap to institutionalized racism. Although it notes that “gun violence” largely impacts minorities, rather than addressing poverty and disparities in education and job opportunities related to racism, it proclaims the solution is “advocating for fewer guns.” People protesting institutionalized racism every night around the monuments of Confederate generals here in Richmond would take exception to The Lancet’s position. Why? Because they are armed. Some have open-carried AR-15s and conceal-carried pistols. Even the local news, which is typically aghast at public displays of civilian gun ownership, gave them a pass because the logic of wanting to defend oneself is unassailable, in these current circumstances.

Given the genocides that have occurred around the world for generations, why can’t The Lancet see the importance of minority gun ownership? At this year’s historic Virginia Citizen Defense League’s Lobby Day, every ethnic group was well represented. Placards that stand out in my mind read: “Armed Minorities Are Harder To Oppress” . . . “I am UNARMED today due to GOVT. OPPRESSION” . . . “The easiest way to enslave people is to DISARM them.”

Unfortunately, terminal hoplophobia is a treatment-resistant condition characterized by blind allegiance to a fairytale that reads “. . . all the guns were banned and the people lived happily ever after.” This affliction keeps otherwise intelligent people from seeing how defensive gun usage vastly outweighs criminal usage, or experiencing the challenge and fun of the shooting sports.

The Founders of our country understood human nature at a level that Lancet Psychiatry cannot grasp, because these ivory-tower academics put the blame for violence on the weapon, not the person wielding it. Isn’t it curious that such mental health experts are more concerned about the weapon than with the perpetrator? Is it so hard to fathom that once disposed towards violence, a person will weaponize whatever is at hand?

Rather than slighting the literal and cultural descendants of the Greatest Generation who freed Europe—with guns—The Lancet would do well to learn from them.

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–Dennis Petrocelli, MD is a clinical and forensic psychiatrist who has practiced for nearly 20 years in Virginia. He took up shooting in 2019 for mind-body training and self-defense, and is in the fight for Virginians’ gun rights.

All DRGO articles by Dennis Petrocelli, MD

The Original NATO AK

By

Keith Finch

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July 3, 2020

The Wz. 96 Beryl or Assault Rifle Model 96 Beryllium marked the Polish integration into NATO military alliance from their former home in the Warsaw Pact. Under the Soviet alliance the Polish had been preparing to transition to a 5.45 caliber rifle like Russia did with the AK74, the FB Tantal. Well with no more Soviet Union there was no more alliance based using 5.45 and they were joining an alliance that used 5.56.

Simple problem, simple solution.

Make a 5.56x45mm AK. And it worked.

Henry over at 9-Hole reviews (go subscribe) has a closer and more personal connection to the Beryl than many since he served very closely with the Polish both in Europe and the Middle East. I personally went to Poland on a short mission in 2018 and the Beryl’s were ever present and well cared for. I wish I could’ve gotten up close and personal on the rifles then but it wasn’t part of my job. I was busy elsewhere and despite my Infantry and Small Arms MOS’s I was doing neither of those two jobs.

AK “Purists” are a funny bunch and many deride the existence of 5.56 chambered AKs as pandering to the US market or as substandard to true AKs. Many claim such rifles are inferior to the 7.62 and 5.45 Soviet chamberings and used all manner of anecdotal ‘data’ to prove it. From the results of the AK74’s use in Afghanistan to the massive number of AK/AKM clones worldwide to the legend of its indestructible nature. Just don’t put it in mud, check InRange TV to see why.

Once one digs beyond the surface of those claims they.. well they fall apart. It turns out that a poorly built AK is still a poorly built rifle and a well built AK is a well built rifle.

My RD NATO featuring a Binx Shadow Photobomb

The caliber is secondary to the build quality and the build quality of rifles like the SLR106F (Which are the base rifles of RD NATO’s) and the Beryl’s are top notch.

If you look at the modern Beryl and how a great many ‘Western’ AK’s (of all calibers) are run you can see that the Polish military were both pragmatic and forward thinking in their design choices and have not sat on their hands in keeping the Beryl up to standards. The Beryl reminds me of the Canadian C7 and C8 rifles, the Canadian Armed Forces did a great job of integrating small improvements into their rifles while sidestepping a lot of the extravagant things that US rifles went through.

Now the Beryl is set into its retirement arc similar to the M16. As the M4A1 and M27, to be follow by the NGSW (according to plan), have taken over in US Service the FB MSBS Grot is taking over in Poland.

The new rifle is highly reminiscent of the ACR and began being fielded in 2018. Unlike the interim Beryl which only had ammo commonality the Grot has STANAG magazine commonality and the improved 21st Century “AR” derived control suite that we are seeing on the majority of modern rifles. The Bren 2, SCAR, MCX, APC, XCR, MARS, HK416, HK433, Carmel, and the MSBS all seem to feature very common threads of control development. The NGSW doesn’t stray from these commonalities either as the most significant change is the caliber, not the ergonomics. Short stroke gas piston, free-float, ambidextrous controlled, negative space rail system… I just described every modern service rifle/service rifle candidate of today.

The Polish clearly liked some of the bullpup advantages too as their is an MSBS ‘B’ Bullpup variant that resembles an X95

Additionally they have a 7.62 NATO model that has a degree of parts commonality and could easily be a candidate for following the US ammunition selection of the NGSW should Poland so choose.

The Early Days of Modern Optics

By

Keith Finch

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July 2, 2020

Karl from InRange TV dives into the Hensoldt G36 dual optic system in the this featured video. It’s more interesting insight into the futuristic ambitions of the turn of the century weapon programs that were unmatched by technological development. Big ideas, but not possessing the tech to bring them to life.

The Hensoldt is an ambitiously forward thinking but ultimately bad optic. It’s counterpart on the XM8 was too. The 1.5x ‘Donut of Death’ Steyr AUG optic, made by Swarovski, was also limited even though it was well made. The SUSAT has suffered the same fate. Even just a couple year I had hands on a very nicely made gunsight from Meopta that was ultimately a bad design, it was one without a place.

In fact all of these optics were well made. They were not well designed. They were not suitable, especially by today’s standards, to accomplish their goals based upon real world experience. It is a symptom that can come of good engineers building something they do not understand because it is from the eyes and hands of the soldier that they need to draw design criteria.

These are interesting historic notes in optic development but as we can see from the modern optics of today we needed optics that allowed for very “heads up” capability.

Turn of the century optical engineers tried their best but the developments needed more time. Which is why, ultimately, only one optic emerged from that time period as a clear international winner.

The Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight model TA01 was introduced in 1987, that model did not feature the common fiber optic illumination on later models but its profile, field of view, and magnification were that of the widely procured TA31 model. The ACOG has since been adapted and adopted on nearly every rifle platform that originally had a native optical sight. Elcan’s also made a strong international showing but did not gain the universal acceptance of the ACOG.

Even the modern ACOG Generations, like the TA44 and TA50, don’t vary widely from the goal of these early optics but they execute that goal in a smaller, better lit, wider FOV, and more durable and modular manner than the older optics.

Today we live in a time where 1-8x and 1-10x gunsights are more durable, brighter, clearer, and capable than anything imagined at the turn of the century and they can be used to take full advantage of the innate capabilities of their platforms like never before. The quality of these tools in every aspect has never before posed these opportunities to grow and develop.

So thank you Hensoldt, SUSAT, Donut of Death, and every other oddball aiming solution of the past few decades. Thank you for paving the way to the glory days, even if objectively you were terrible optics. It was theorized, tried, and ultimately has been passed on to better systems. Day time optics will be LPVOs and likely backed up by dots and irons. Reliable and redundant systems to the point that it is more likely the whole weapon is out of commision due to damage than just a primary optic going down.

Brandon Herrera: “Help Me Save This AK”

By

Keith Finch

-

July 1, 2020

I don’t have a lot to say on this one guys. If you saw Forgotten Weapons post about the poor truly atrocious Krink build that they did in “.223mm” (Yes, that is the actual engraved marking for caliber) then the video here is Brandon breaking down what is wrong with this abomination in detail.

Somebody royally and utterly wrecked this thing. I’ve seen Pakistan hand builds that looked better (and safer) than this NFA registered select-fire (yep it is a rare transferable it sounds like… God help this poor owner…)

Just watch. And please, if you happen to know the owner, pass on Brandon’s offer to fix it. It needs help. It needs all the help. It could be a great select-fire… but for now it is a dumpster fire.

An Overnight Meme Sensation

By

Keith Finch

-

July 1, 2020

The McCloskey couple have overrun Social Media, especially in 2A circle, in a confused blitz of combined praise and mockery. The now famous lawyers are the subject of a myriad opinions ranging from “Hell yeah, that’s what the Second Amendment is for!” to “Ok, BoomerKaren.”

And the memes are truly legendary. Just truly spectacular.

This incredibly artful piece via, ‘The Gram’

For those unaware, the McCloskey’s are lawyers who lived in a legitimately gated community in a $1.1 million dollar home that is just as fancy as you could imagine. They had the misfortune, however, of living in the same community as St. Louis Mayor, Lyda Krewson, who had drawn the ire of the latest BLM protest march. The march started in the public domain and on public streets but then they broke down the gate into the private, marked ‘No Tresspassing’, neighborhood to reach Krewson’s home.

This put the crowd going right past the McCloskey’s home. The McCloskey’s responded to the group, who had just broken down the gate and entered the outdoor properties of the neighborhood, by grabbing an AR-15 and a pistol that looks like a Walther PPK and pointing them at the trespassing protest. They did this while barefoot and looking very very suburban. Their weapons handling was… sub-par. The specific legality of the situation is probably in the McCloskey’s favor, however opinions are all over the board and the optics are.. entertaining.

From the perspective of the (trespassing) crowd, who did break down the gate and certain reports have alleged were armed in some manner, this was two rich white people waving guns at them even though their overall aim was to yell at the Mayor down the street.

From the McCloskey’s perspective, a large group that is associated with instances of aggravated assault, arson, and looting, just forcibly entered their private neighborhood with unknown hostile/semi-hostile intent. The group had proven, that at the very least, destruction of property is on their list acceptable actions.

This is the very definition of they said/they said and they thought/they thought. It’s an optics and perspective game and who you believe or was in the right or in the wrong and to what degree is based entirely on perspective. Some will justify the McCloskey’s actions and their firearms brandishing and others will excuse the vandalism that allowed the crowd access to the private neighborhood. You all fall somewhere on that scale and have an opinion.

Couple in their 60’s, menaced by BLM mob who broke through their community gate, protect themselves by brandishing firearms.

BLM protest against Mayor in private neighborhood menaced by white rich couple brandishing “assault rifle” and handgun from the couple’s property.

Both are reasonably accurate headlines from the two points of view. I prefer a third perspective, however.

‘Burb Lawyers Brace for Barefooted Boogaloo against Gatecrashing BLM and set new 2A Fashion Trend. Memelords Rejoiced.

From where I sit, I think the McCloskey’s did what they felt they had to do. They just did so in a hilariously cringey manner.

And we get to benefit from it.

I love the internet.

Demand for M16A2 style rifles is about to go way up too. I suspect to see this arise again at the end of October in 2A Halloween circles.

Provided by Hakan Spuhr

By

Anna Martinez

-

June 30, 2020

With any piece of equipment I always like to know information about the creator of said equipment and the reasons for the products design. See my previous article about my installation of his tactical mount system.

A Laser Range Finder mounted at the 12 oclock. One type of product that can be mounted in numerous positions.

Obviously some things are proprietary information, but not often is it hard to find a bit of information that you wouldn’t know unless searching deeper. Hakan Spuhr, yes his name is that cool, was able to give some info on his background and other well known items that you may not know he engineered.

Background

When you know you know, and Hakan knew that he wanted to become a gunsmith at 10 years old. Before deep diving into guns he went to tradeschool and worked as a tool and die maker for about 8 years.

Think about that. Deciding a dream at 10 years old, studying and working, then still at a young age having background knowledge and going into the gun industry. Many folks don’t even begin a career until the age of 30 and can be considered “an expert” within 10 years. Spuhr has been an expert on gunsmithing for triple that.

Engineering

The definition of engineering is “the design and manufacture of complex products” Spuhr does just that. He has been contacted by numerous LARGE companies both CONUS and OCUNUS to engineer multiple pieces of equipment to be developed and tested for large military entities. Most items that he did engineer are due to being contacted by the specific entity and engineering them for a purpose. Someone in that entity took the time to see a need, and Hakan took the time to engineer something to satisfy that need.

That then bleeds down to the public, and we are then fortunate to be able to purchase these public facing engineering marvels.

Dutch soldier employing the FN mag58 machinegun and the (Ballistic Adjustment Mount (BAM) sight for Aimpoint sights.

Customer Specified Products

Purpose

Being in this kind of industry you need to wear a lot of hats. Being a small arms repairman I have had to learn both the operation of a weapon system and also how to employ it to help the operator use the gun as efficiently as possible. Spuhr has put on those other hats. A gunsmith in the industry is not “just a gunsmith” anymore. They work closely with those who employ their equipment to learn how to build it better. He created the largest tactical mount system with 95 different configurations all designed in ways that the operator needs to employ his accessories. He introduced me to the concept of 12 o clock mounted dots on top of precision rifle scopes. These are all things that a gunsmith who stays in the shop, who doesn’t ask these questions, who doesn’t work in that manner for his customers, won’t do.

Shooters Needs and Recoil Management in Product Design

The Ideal Scope Mounting System (ISMS) knows the shooters needs. Spuhr designed his ISMS rings to have 45 degree cuts enabling the shooter to see his adjustment knobs without moving from his natural shooting position. This saves time on follow up shots and staying on the target.

The same mount also includes a bubble level that is visible from the left eye for a right eyed shooter. Many users like this due to not having the level covered by their hand if they grip their gun or optic a certain way in certain shooting positions. Useability under ‘off-hand’ conditions is reality.

Engineering products for guns is a different ball game due to recoil. Across the board, Spuhr mounts have shown that they have the most engagement surface on the rail. If mounts become loose due to recoil the mount will end up hitting the rail repeatedly causing damage. So not only do you now not have a zeroed and tight optic, you also have to replace an upper receiver due to damage. The ISMS shows engagement surface throughout the entire mount.

Thanks to Hakan Spuhr for the time taken to inform users of his products the why and the how of those products

You can see and purchase his items at https://www.spuhr.biz/

And if you don’t get giddy over mounts..

Spuhr designed rail and stock upgrades for some HK Guns

HK G3 UPGRADES

Hit the Gas Piston

By

Travis Pike

-

June 30, 2020

The big piston AR debate might be long dead, but different piston systems are still very popular. This is especially true when it comes to modern firearm design. Guns like the MCX and MPX use gas piston systems. These systems are in no way new and have been around for a very long time. Guns like the M1 Garand and AK 47 use gas-piston designs. Today we are going to explore the systems, and their advantages.

Gas and Semi Autos

When we say gas piston we are of course referring to the gas created by burning gunpowder as the round travels down the barrel. With any gas-operated gun, including short and long-stroke piston, direct impingement, etc a bit of gas is bled off to operate the weapon. This gas travels through a gas block attached to the barrel. What happens next determines the ‘type’ of system.

What’s a Short Stroke Gas Piston System?

The short-stroke gas piston design is one of the more popular modern systems. Rifles like the SCAR, the aforementioned MCX, the CZ Bren, and many more use a short-stroke design. This design is not new and was also used in the AR-18, and the VZ 58.

When the gas meets a short-stroke gas piston assembly it is driven rearwards and the assembly strikes the bolt carrier. This sends the bolt carrier rearwards and allows the weapon to cycle. A spring around the assembly often drives the piston back into place in the gas block.

As the name implies, short-stroke systems move only a short bit when struck with gas. This type of piston does not travel the full length of the operating group when the weapon fires. The piston is separate from the bolt carrier often a multipart piece that’s a bit more complicated than a long-stroke system. It ‘shoves’ the bolt carrier and then resets.

The benefits of this system include an overall lighter weapon, as well as reduced recoil. Less mass moves rearward and therefore you feel less recoil. Downsides are few, with early systems carrier tilt was a concern, and some guns tended to be ammo picky based on pressure. These days the kinks are largely gone and short gas piston systems are in wide use.

What’s a Long Stroke Gas Piston System?

Long Stroke Gas Piston systems (sometimes referrenced as Full Stroke) are the older of the two systems and have been quite popular in both rifles and machine guns. Long-stroke systems are in use in weapons like the AK series, the M240, and the PWS AR-15s. Classic guns like the M1 Garand used a long-stroke gas piston system.

A long-stroke gas piston system is one in which the piston assembly travels the full distance the bolt carrier does. The bolt carrier and the piston are one conjoined series of parts. This simplifies the design and removes a few parts.

The simplified design does tend to make weapons easier to maintain. The downside is often increased recoil due to more mass moving rearwards.

Is One Better Than the Other?

This is a question that’s tough to answer. We don’t necessarily have the ability to compare like with like and make that determination. Both systems are well-proven designs with legendary weapons to their name. Modern rifles tend to be choosing short-stroke systems, but lots of long-stroke systems are kicking around and continue to be produced.

Sig Sauer Nightmare Fastback Review

By

Caleb Giddings

-

June 29, 2020

This is one of the weirdest 1911s I’ve ever shot, so it’s time to share my Sig Sauer Nightmare Fastback Review. This is a five inch 1911 chambered in .357 Sig with a bobtail grip. Nothing about this gun makes sense, but I love it. The video goes in to some detail about the gun’s final score, but we’ll break it down right here:

Failures to complete the cycle of operations: 3

Issues that can be corrected by the user: 2 (-10)

Parts breakages: 0

10-8 Performance Test: Passed

Finale Score: 87/100

During the Sig Sauer Nightmare Fastback Review, the gun was docked 3 points for three failures, 5 points for the rear sight falling off, and another 5 points for the repeated double feeds with WWB. I ended up docking it some points for the WWB issue simply because I feel like a gun in this price point should be able to run common range/training ammo out of the box with no issues. However, since I didn’t encounter this issue with any other brand of ammo, I only docked it 5, instead of for every double feed I experienced.

Here’s the thing about this gun: I really liked it, because it’s kind of ridiculous. A 1911 in .357 Sig hardly makes sense, since .357 Sig doesn’t do anything that can’t be done with a 9mm, but that doesn’t mean that this gun isn’t great. Every time you pull the trigger you get a glorious fireball in front of your face, and if that’s not fun, I need a new job. Is scoring the Sig Sauer Nightmare Fastback Review an 87 out of 100 fair? Sure. But it doesn’t tell the story of how fun this gun is. I bet that if I’d tested a Sig in .45 ACP, it would have scored a perfect 100. I really like this gun, and possibly because it’s kind of a silly gun it’s become one of my favorites that I’ve reviewed.

“I Grew Up Around Guns.”

By

Keith Finch

-

June 29, 2020

The title image meme struck home to me. The young lady dramatically exaggerating (but not by all that much) the very poor shooting posture that seems to plague firearm neophytes. But such poor form also runs rampant through the Dunning-Kruger afflicted ranks of the “I know how to shoot.. I grew up around guns my whole life.” crowds.

It struck me that this an effect similar to what we saw out of the military’s ‘Expert‘ ranks for rifle and pistol qualifications. The ‘Expertise Fallacy’ that we in the ranks of the US Military engendered (and in many cases still do) by granting the ‘Rifle Expert’ title to individuals who have shown an overall very basic degree of fundamental marksmanship in a highly structured setting that is geared towards high success rates… because success rates in a record book look good.

Henry of 9-Hole Reviews did a phenomenal job in the video at highlighting the topic, including visuals for scale.

What I realized, upon seeing the title meme, was that civilians have this fallacy too, but in a so much worse format because there is not an environmental control (IE: Basic Training) that really defines what ‘growing up around guns’ and ‘liking shooting’ are. There are no standards for ‘growing up around’ and ‘liking’.

I know men and women whose personal definition of ‘liking shooting’ is just being included on range trips and firing whatever it is everyone else brought. I know others who just like plinking with .22’s. I know still more who just like shooting their duty weapons at the annual qualification and occasionally with friends. More still just fire a few rounds for hunting preparation as they roll into the relevant season.

None of these folks are in the wrong for enjoying shooting how they choose to do so. This is not to shame anyone for how they choose their method of involvement or enjoyment of 2A benefits.

It is to highlight a parallel false expertise.

Or in this case the false competency/familiarity with firearms that most of these users do not have. Some of these people may have owned firearms for decades and are still at their novice stage in the discipline. That’s alright, some people just learn Mary had a Little Lamb and Chopsticks on the piano, not Mozzart, Bach, or Beethoven. The difference is the people who can only play Mary had a Little Lamb aren’t telling everyone how good they are at piano whenever music comes up… that isn’t as true of the firearm circles.

This is partly the origin of ‘The Fudd’, actually. Someone who on the actual table of expertise is still very low but who, in the immediate circle of onlookers and listeners, may be the most experience available. They also don’t recognize their limited knowledge and will expound beyond their experience. The same egotistical traits that lead to ‘Stolen Valor’ can manifest in a more minor form here with false expertise.

Now, this is far from universal within novice shooters, it just happens often. It is also very rare in niche experts like trap and skeet shooters. I don’t see many of them trying to rattle of CQB knowledge just because they’re fantastic at cracking clays, they’ll happily show you how to do that though. RIP to that money you were saving for some other project.. it’s now a nice O/U shotgun.

standards must be used to measure skill instead of ego — “bUt thEy’D stiLL Be IN dA CheSt BOx.” – Someone who said they can shoot at 25 yards, no problem.

Ladies and gentlemen, shooting is a discipline. It is a sport, a life saving skill, a martial art.

Simply firing a gun is easy. Many people do that, sometimes not on purpose. Firing in a safe direction and getting pleasure out of it is only marginally more difficult. But shooting, being a proficient person with a weapon, is a developed set of knowledge and skills. That development covers understanding your equipment, what it is capable and incapable of, how to maintain it, how to use it safely, and how to maintain your safety too.

Many recreational plinkers are not shooters, they don’t know how to shoot. They may (hopefully) know how to safely handle a firearm and discharge it in a safe direction. Many will barely know (or do not know) how to load or unload the gun they are shooting, they have one person who does it for the group. They are as ‘proficient’ at shooting as they are at boating and water safety by stepping onto a pontoon boat with a drink. I bet they enjoy ‘boating’ as they cruise around the lake on a calm day at 3mph sipping a delicious summer beverage, and not driving the boat.

Ultimately, this is why hearing “I grew up around guns.” inspires no actual confidence in a person’s ability to safely shoot or handle a gun.

I’ve seen it too many times go awry. Overconfidence in lack of understanding and no awareness of their lack of understanding.

In the field of psychology, the Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability. It is related to the cognitive bias of illusory superiority and comes from the inability of people to recognize their lack of ability. Without the self-awareness of metacognition, people cannot objectively evaluate their competence or incompetence.^[1]

As described by social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, the bias results from an internal illusion in people of low ability and from an external misperception in people of high ability; that is, “the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others.”

The psychological phenomenon of illusory superiority was identified as a form of cognitive bias in Kruger and Dunning’s 1999 study, “Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments”.^[1] The identification derived from the cognitive bias evident in the criminal case of McArthur Wheeler, who, on April 19, 1995, robbed two banks while his face was covered with lemon juice, which he believed would make it invisible to the surveillance cameras. This belief was based on his misunderstanding of the chemical properties of lemon juice as an invisible ink.^[2]

Other investigations of the phenomenon, such as “Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence” (2003), indicate that much incorrect self-assessment of competence derives from the person’s ignorance of a given activity’s standards of performance.^[3] Dunning and Kruger’s research also indicates that training in a task, such as solving a logic puzzle, increases people’s ability to accurately evaluate how good they are at it.^[4]

In Self-insight: Roadblocks and Detours on the Path to Knowing Thyself (2005), Dunning described the Dunning–Kruger effect as “the anosognosia of everyday life”, referring to a neurological condition in which a disabled person either denies or seems unaware of his or her disability. He stated: “If you’re incompetent, you can’t know you’re incompetent … The skills you need to produce a right answer are exactly the skills you need to recognize what a right answer is.”^[5][6]

In 2011, Dunning wrote about his observations that people with substantial, measurable deficits in their knowledge or expertise lack the ability to recognize those deficits and, therefore, despite potentially making error after error, tend to think they are performing competently when they are not: “In short, those who are incompetent, for lack of a better term, should have little insight into their incompetence—an assertion that has come to be known as the Dunning–Kruger effect”.^[7] In 2014, Dunning and Helzer described how the Dunning–Kruger effect “suggests that poor performers are not in a position to recognize the shortcomings in their performance”.^[8]

Now further research into Dunning-Kruger seems to suggest that people truly aren’t that blissfully ignorant, but the research is also fairly limited and is hard to accurately independently measure because measurements inherently defeat the effect depending on how they are taken. Note, when people are asked a basic question like, “Can you shoot?” the reactive answer of just about anyone who ‘enjoys shooting’ will be, “Yes!” but if that question is developed into detail a more accurate overall assessment will likely emerge commiserate to their skill set within the discipline. They may still be misinformed about their competence, but by being taken through a detailed process of assessing their competence people will gain a more accurate frame of reference than from the initial broad inquiry.

Dunning-Kruger is most likely to be seen in these quick ‘broad inquiry’ settings and the effect is most prominently seen in settings where cognitive engagement hasn’t occurred, not that it cannot occur. If given an evaluation that engages that cognitive reasoning, self assessment will be more accurate. D-K shows up strongest when no time is given toward ‘warming up’ that assessment process and a quick broad datapoint is taken.

IE: “Can you shoot?” a binary answer question that, even if taken with whatever extra data is offered from a person asked, could heavily show the D-K effect. But the more we ask assessing questions and details, the closer we will get to an accurate self assessment within reasonable margins of error.

It turns out people aren’t that stupid once you get them thinking. It’s getting them thinking in the first place. I bet if I surveyed in two different orders I would see different results because of it. If I opened with, “Can you shoot?” or, “Can you shoot well?” and then asked 10 questions in detail I would likely get a very D-K like data set off of that first question specifically, while if I end the survey with that same question I’m going to produce results more accurate to a reasonable self-assessment. Taking a snap visceral answer versus a reasoned one after thinking has been engaged.

[Sidenote: Surveys can also be used to guide a result this way, usually when a given taker wants a result instead of wanting data. Gun control surveys are an excellent example of this, properly framed even I would be shown as wanting more gun control even though I’m a ‘Machine Gun Vending Machine’ type of guy.]

“I grew up around guns.” Isn’t an assessment statement, it’s an identity one. It is also based on perspective and context.

“I go shooting all the time.” might reference an average of 4-6 times a year during the good weather months. An average of once every 30-45 days. Where as, “I go shooting fairly regularly.” might equate to my personal 2-5 times per month during fair weather and dropping to 1 per month during inclimate weather.

I regularly attend professional training. On other occasions I am the trainer. But given the two statements without perspective which of us, me or hypothetical ‘all the timer’, shoot more? All The Timer, naturally, given no extra context.

Me shooting “fairly regularly” is 10,000 rounds, + or -, a year. Them shooting “all the time” might be 500. A ‘quick range trip’ in my book is 300 rounds. There ‘day at the range’ might be 50. Perspective is huge. How deep a self-eval gives somebody time to delve will influence perspective.

Nobody in the “I grew up around guns.” crowd is going to pretend to be a SEAL Team trigger puller… ok that’s not entirely true.

ego projection and false expertise lead to stolen valor among other problems

But the vast super majority would not rate their skills at SWAT or Special Operations level. They would, given little time to objectively self reflect, rate them positively. The more training someone has the more quickly and objectively they are going to rate themselves and with greater accuracy, even a passing familiarity and an objective thinking period will improve the assessments.

Why? Because standards become introduced. If there is not a standard people will make one up and probably not judge themselves below it.

So be forewarned, “I grew up around guns.” is not a statement of skill or competency. It is one of identity first and foremost. To assess competency we must put measurements in place.

And for those of you, like I have, who in the past uttered these very words in ignorant affirmation, you now have a more objective frame of reference moving forward. Look at us! Learning and stuff.

The Roberts Court Will Not Defend the Second Amendment, Ever!

By

DRGO

-

June 29, 2020

(from federal observer.com)

[Ed: This is a slightly edited repost from our friend Roger Katz, Esq. at The Arbalest Quarrel group, attorneys who report and analyze Second Amendment issues. It was originally published there June 20 as Part 7 of a continuing series–“The Impact of the U.S. Supreme Court New York City Gun Transport Case Decision on the Second Amendment”.]

The NYC case provided our best chance for a serious Court review of 2A, ten years after the McDonald decision, clarifying and cementing the import and purport of Heller and McDonald in Supreme Court case law. The opportunity provided the Court is gone. And, that lost opportunity is rightfully placed at the feet of the Chief Justice, himself.

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