“M4” and AR15’s

By

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August 11, 2018

GarandThumb takes on a topic here that there is not a lot of information on. What are the major differences with AR15’s using high end top of the line components vs. the technical data packages that make up the military’s current M4 set ups.

There’s a myriad of options now to set your rifle up as you wish. You can run near military technical data packages or trick it to the 9’s, its ultimately up to you.

Pro Tip: Whatever you set up, even an M16A1/A2, if you spend the ammo learning to shoot it you’re going to be ahead of anyone who’s just dropping all their cash on accessories. An M16A4 with iron sights is still one of the most comfortable rifles in my hands because I spent years and thousands of rounds behind them.

GO SHOOT.

Things you Hear in the Gun Store: Weekend Dump Edition

By

Keith Finch

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August 11, 2018

“Can I see that Hi-Point?”

“Certainly.” The gun is cleared and placed on the counter.

“Man, I know it isn’t an expensive pistol but the military using them in Iraq says a lot about their quality.”

The man behind the counter, my friend.

“Where is your 300 Blackout ammo?”

“Over here, sir. It’s a really great round, I like it.”

“Yeah, its awesome you can shoot it in 5.56 uppers.”

That is how you frag your AR…

“I don’t understand this question.” *Referring to a 4473

“Oh, no problem. It’s asking the city and state you were born in.”

“I don’t know. I was born on an airbase.”

“Where was the airbase?”

“*City, State“

And the final one from, this from a gun store owner.

“This 75 grain T.A.P. from Hornady is good stuff, it’ll really show you what a rifle can do.”

“Perfect, I only have 1:7 (rifling twist) 5.56mm guns.”

“No, you’ll want 55 grain then. But this is still really good stuff.”

“Actual” footage of the owner *dramatized

Folks we must do better. Correct your noobs. Noobs, accept correction. If you have no idea what noob means click here.

Wilson Combat EDC X9

By

Keith Finch

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August 10, 2018

There are not many 1911’s that catch my attention. In fact for the most part I’ve dismissed the pistol to the history book side of the firearms collection.

But occasionally one creeps back out into the realm of modern practicality.

Other times you just want it.

This is both.

Designed by Bill Wilson and Wilson Combat engineers, and thoroughly tested by our team of designers, champion shooters and external industry experts, the EDC X9 offers discriminating shooters 1911 match-grade accuracy, superior ergonomics, and concealability with modern service pistol capacity and reliability. Making it the superior choice for everyday carry.

Available Calibers: 9mm

Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds

Barrel Length: 4”

Overall Length: 7.4”

Sight Radius: 5.6”

Height: 5.25”

Width: 1.4”

Weight Empty: 29.09 oz

Weight Loaded: 35.04 oz

Accuracy Guarantee: 1.5″ at 25 yrds

2ND QUARTER MATCH WINNERS ANNOUNCED

By

A Girl and a Gun

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August 10, 2018

AUSTIN, TX — A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League (AG & AG) proudly announces the winners of the 2nd Quarter 2018 League Match. This quarter’s course of fire included 18 rounds total at an AG & AG Match Target #2. This was a Limited Vickers match with no more than 6 rounds per string. Shooters began at a low ready with finger outside of the trigger guard using centerfire pistols with no scopes or laser sights. Shots were fired in this order:

String 1 (6 rounds in magazine) – Starting with the top green divided square, shoot 4 shots: 1 shot in each of the 4 small squares. A 3 second penalty will apply for each square without a shot. Shots touching the black line between squares will count for whichever doesn’t have a shot. Squares do not need to be shot in the order shown; just resulting in 4 shots for 4 squares. Then transition to the paddles and shoot 1 shot in the top blue paddle then 1 shot in the top green paddle.
String 2 (6 rounds in magazine) – Starting with the 2^nd blue divided square, shoot 4 shots: 1 shot in each of the 4 small squares. A 3 second penalty will apply for each square without a shot. Shots touching the black line between squares will count for whichever doesn’t have a shot. Squares do not need to be shot in the order shown; resulting in 4 shots for 4 squares. Then transition to the paddles and shoot 1 shot in the 2^nd green paddle then 1 shot in the 2^nd blue paddle.
String 3 (6 rounds in magazine) – Shoot 2 shots in the green frame and 1 shot in the large blue circle. Shoot 2 shots in the blue frame and 1 shot in the large green circle.

Our 2018 Quarterly Match series is going strong!! Competitors were offered an opportunity to choose a division for the match: Irons or Optics. All 83 competitors ladies opted to shoot centerfire pistols with iron sights. Next quarter, members can shoot the match with centerfire and rimfire pistols. Maybe some will enter more than once so they can shoot both types!!

The Irons Division winners are:

1st Place Irons – 16.40 seconds – Cynthia Blankenship – Prescott Valley, AZ Chapter
2nd Place Irons – 25.35 seconds – Cheryl Fordyce – Tallahassee, FL Chapter
3rd Place Irons – 34.43 seconds – Julie Godfrey – Centennial, CO Chapter

Facilitator Irons Division winner is:

Katrina Reed – Tallahassee, FL Chapter

Sheila Hooker of League City, TX was the “Middle of the Pack” winner and will receive a Gift Certificate as her award.

The Chapter winners include:

Member	Chapter	Prize Pot
Cynthia Blankenship	AZ – Prescott Valley	$7
Peggy Schroeder	CA – High Desert	$21
Diane Kirkland	CA – San Diego	$7
Kathy Smith	CA – Vista	$35
Julie Godfrey	CO – Centennial	$14
Kimberly Padro	FL – Space Coast	$49
Cheryl Fordyce	FL – Tallahassee	$14
Michelle Einstein	MN – Osseo	$21
Tara Fritz	MS – Midsouth	$14
Jennifer Lehman	OH – Dayton	$28
Janet Bryan	OH – Obetz	$21
Kelly Brown	OK – Oklahoma City	$21
Diane Farnella	PA – Laurel Highlands	$14
Reba Hennigan	TX – Beaumont	$7
Cheryl Boen	TX – Cypress	$28
Margaret Gable	TX – League City	$119
Kimmy Gross	TX – New Braunfels	$14
Brandy Friend	TX – San Antonio	$21
Judy Reese	TX – Snook (College Station)	$7
Barbara Hodge	VA – Richmond	$14
Sue Brozovsky	VA – Roanoke	$14
Julie Fingeroos	WI – Saukville	$49

The Quarterly Match is a nationwide competition among members of A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League. Facilitated during a regularly scheduled event, such as a Girl’s Night Out, shooters are able to experience a competitive atmosphere: understanding the course of fire, match commands, operation of the shot timer, and scoring. The match allows new shooters to overcome mental barriers to participating in competitive shooting and gives experienced shooters the ability to test their skills in a casual, familiar environment. Winners of the match receive cash prizes based on the number of participants, and of course, bragging rights among the chapters. Learn more at https://www.agirlandagun.org/quarterly-match/

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/2nd-quarter-match-winners-announced/

Back to the Range. Who’s Training this Weekend?

By

Keith Finch

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August 10, 2018

Pick a course, any course. (Ok not any course, a well vetted course)

Go forth and train. Learn a new gun. Go play in the dark at a night fire course. Go dust off the fundamentals and jump into a basics course just to send some rounds down range.

Use the google machine and find something fun. Spend some of the best money you can on anything in the gun industry and take a class.

Personally. We’re heading to Tavor II. Summer’s burning.

Not Everyone Should Have a Gun…

By

Keith Finch

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August 9, 2018

I believe in the Second Amendment…

But…

But nothing.

As a human being you are endowed with the inalienable right of self defense and as such are able to bear arms, training, and take appropriate actions for the protection of yourself, your family, and your community.

Defense of you and yours is as natural an act as eating and breathing.

But the title?

Yes, not everyone should have a gun. That has nothing to do with the right.

In short there is a segment of our population who lack the capacity to safely utilize arms.

This is a deficiency in our adult education. Similar deficiencies are lacking the ability to cook simply at the least, work appliances to clean and maintain the living space, and perform simple maintenance.

There is nothing wrong with letting an individual more skilled in a trade or craft do their work but total dependence upon others is a weakness we have allowed to seep to deeply.

When we’re looking at it from the perspective of firearms training, there are owners who should not be. These owners should recognize this and correct it.

Not give up guns, they should close the knowledge gap.

There are three tiers I want you to think of for ownership standards.

Safety

2. Proficiency

3. Competence

The first two are fairly firm standards while the third is subjective to the task.

Safety

Safety is the minimum standard one should hold themselves to prior to ownership. It should be an easy skill and a desirable one even if you hold no interest in owning a firearm or using one regularly (or ever).

If you happen to come into contact with a firearm knowing the 4 rules and how to clear and safe a firearm make the situation immeasurably less tenuous when it comes to your safety. The gun isn’t a foreign nebulous object anymore. Its a tool like your drill, a coffee pot, the oven, or cleaning chemicals.

The four rules:

Treat the firearm as if it is loaded. Pulling the trigger will fire it.
Never point the firearm at anything you are not will to destroy.
Keep your finger off of the trigger unless you intend to and are ready to fire.
Know what your target’s foreground and background. What can be hit between you and the target and beyond the target when the shot is fired.

If you own a firearm and these rules are new to you then welcome to catch up.

If you know these rules and don’t apply them… you done goofed… and you shouldn’t own a gun until you can apply them.

I won’t go into clearing and safe for firearms because each firearm model is a bit different, but they generally fall into categories. Reference the firearm’s manual for the proper methods.

Proficency

Proficiency is the standard by which you can operate the firearm. Not only are you safe with the gun but you understand how to mechanically operate it.

You can load the firearm. You can unload the firearm. You understand the firearm’s controls and what each does. You can maintain the firearm.

Proficiency doesn’t demand you know each and every part of a firearm. It does not mean you know the average part life (round count) or how to disassemble the weapon completely.

Proficiency doesn’t even demand you be a particularly good shot, just a safe one.

In addition to the safety standard a proficient user should be able to

Load the firearm safely
Fire the firearm safely with a reasonable degree of accuracy to ensure safety
Unload the firearm safely
Perform the full owner/operator maintenance procedure on the firearm. Clean, lubricate, function check.

To be succinct, being a person safe with a firearm and being a person proficient with a firearm, in this 3 tier analysis, have nothing to do with knowing how to shoot well.

Competence

The final stage of ownership is competence. This is where safety and proficiency are tied to a specific task. That task could be concealed carry, home defense, turkey hunting, or going down range in Afghanistan.

Proficiency with the device and competence with the task. Have you trained the skills necessary to succeed at the given task. Have you sought the necessary background information and honed the skillset to perform the task on demand.

On a turkey hunt this is when the bird appears and you judge the range, wind, target background, etc. all to be acceptable to take a shot at the bird successfully and bag your game.

For concealed carry this would mean your manner of dress, manner of carry, awareness, attitude, and smooth use of your equipment all lend themselves to being safe day to day and successful if the need arise to engage your concealed sidearm.

Self reflection time. Are you safe? Are you proficient? Are you competent?

If you answer yes to all three. Excellent, keep training.

If you answer no to the last one. Fine, seek training to correct that and accomplish your task. You are still more than reasonably able to own a firearm.

If you answer no to the last two. Fine, seek training to correct proficiency and then move onto competence. There is nothing wrong with only knowing how to be safe with a firearm. You’re still capable of being a safe owner, know your limits however.

Until you reach one of the subsequent levels I would not use your gun, especially for defense, except in the most dire of circumstances.

If you answered no to all three you should not own a firearm.

If you lied to yourself about any of the three levels you should not own a firearm.

But your right to own a firearm remains unchanged.

Romeo Romeo… Why Fail So Hard Romeo 1?

By

Keith Finch

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August 7, 2018

Sig Sauer has contracted and developed a substantial line of optical sights to parallel their suppressor and firearms development.

Some, their Tango 6 series for example, are getting high marks and snagging contracts.

Others… Take it away, Sage Dynamics.

For myself. I’ve had a ROMEO 5 that has yet to quit on me with over a year and probably nearing 10,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 under it. Others reported far less stellar results on the more budget priced RDS. But durability is real. The CompM5 from Aimpoint is a vastly superior sight for a higher price, but superior it is.

We Like Shooting 256 – Uzicorn

By

We Like Shooting

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August 6, 2018

Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 256 – tonight we’ll talk about build your own Glock, 3D printed gun, Tuff Products Revelation bag, Bowers Group Silencers and more! Our cast for episode 256 is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Savage1r, Jeremy Pozderac!

https://welikeshooting.com/show/256/

Rethinking the Shotgun Reload with Tuff Strips

By

Travis Pike

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August 6, 2018

One of the biggest weaknesses about the shotgun is its limited ammo capacity. This is why shotgun reloading is so critical in tactical shotgun classes.

The fastest way to reload most shotguns is from the side saddle. The side saddle is easy to reach, intuitive to load into the magazine tube or directly into the chamber, and conveniently placed on the weapon.

Side saddles hold anywhere from 4 to 6 rounds, so they can be emptied pretty quickly. I’ve begun to think about not only keeping the shotgun loaded but how do I keep the side saddle loaded. This leads me to Tuff Strips.

Tuff Strips and the Shotgun Reload

Tuff Strips from Tuff Products are speed strips. Speed strips for you non-revolver guys are rubberized strips that hold rounds in a straight line and can be used to rapidly reload a revolver. Tuff Strips makes them for almost every typical revolver caliber, but they also produce them for shotguns. That is where we land, with the Tuff Strips 12 gauge speed strips.

Tuff Products designed these strips to easily and intuitively load double and single barrel shotguns. They are great for trap and skeet shooting, but I saw a little more potential than that.

The Math

The math is simple even for a crayon-eating grunt like me and it goes like this:

The shotgun has a low capacity, so reloading is a key skill to have.

Reloading is fastest from the side saddle.

What happens if the side saddle runs empty?

We reload the saddle. Loading from something like the Ammo Pal is one way, but so is a bandoleer, but they’re slow. Shotgun ammo is bulky and holding more than a round or two is difficult. This is where I saw the potential for the Tuff strips.

They could hold the rounds in an organized fashion and hold enough rounds they could easily reload a side saddle. The Tuff Strips are each capable of holding 6 rounds, which would fill most side saddles. I do recommend downloading them, and we’ll touch on why shortly.

These Tuff Strips will still allow shotgun ammo to fit in a bandoleer or traditional ammo pouch.

The idea is easy. Once you grab them you have up to 6 rounds in one hand, without it being extremely bulky. You then align and push them into the side saddle. then pull to the side or forward to peel the Tuff Strip from the ammo.

In Practice

I took out my Tac 14 equipped with DSF weapon light and Gear Head Works brace. It’s also rocking a 6 round side saddle. I loaded the Tuff Strips with buckshot and hit the ground running. At the first try, I realized 6 rounds was a bit much.

With that many rounds, it became cumbersome to make sure they were all aligned and it was difficult to load the 6 rounds into the side saddle.

Downloading to 5 rounds gave me a better grip and was easier overall to reload the side saddle.

Downloading down to even 4 rounds was even faster. With practice, I did close the gap between 4 and 5 rounds.

In a short period of time, I became pretty damn fast at reloading the side saddle.

The Tuff Strips made is easy and rapid to do so. Let’s say I haven’t run the side saddle dry but want to top off.

That’s easy to. Just line the shells up one at a time and load them as necessary.

It’s important to note this isn’t something you’d do in the middle of a gunfight.

The side saddle is the middleman and you aren’t going through the middleman in a gunfight. This is what you do during lulls, from behind cover, or when someone is suppressing for you. It’s the ‘Tactical Reload’ rather than the ‘Emergency Reload’.

If you’re a shotgunner I recommend checking out Tuff Strips. They run about 7 bucks apiece on amazing and are an excellent addition to a shotgun loadout. Keeping the shotgun loaded and running is always a challenge, but Tuff Strips do offer substantial assistance in the art of shotgunning.

Do You Like Dinosaurs!? I Do! Want to see YouTuber’s Fight Dinosaurs? Here you go!

By

Keith Finch

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August 4, 2018

What does it look like when a bunch of YouTube folks goof off and make a FanFic Flick for Jurrasic World?

This

Enjoy

Magpul Now Shipping the Pro 700

By

Keith Finch

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August 3, 2018

Magpul® Pro 700

The Magpul Pro 700 rifle chassis is an uncompromising, full featured precision rifle chassis for short action Remington® 700 actions and other Remington® 700 footprint actions. The Pro 700 combines innovative engineering, precision machining, Mil-Spec quality finishes, and an extensive list of purposeful design features with complete adjustability to provide demanding end users with the most comprehensive available precision rifle platform solution for true out of the box performance. Based on a full billet aluminum skeleton and clad in Magpul polymer for environmental comfort, noise mitigation, and ergonomics, the Pro 700 is also fully ambidextrous. Capable of fitting both right and left-handed actions with the simple swap of a bolt-cutout plate, and with a reversible cheek riser and reversible hinge on the folding version, “lefties” haven’t been “left out.”

Features

• Type III hard anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum V-bedding block, body, adjustment knobs and forend with high strength injection molded polymer body covers optimally placed for comfort and aesthetics

• Ambidextrous bedding block can be changed by swapping the QD sling swivel plate and bolt retainer insert for left or right hand actions using a 1/8” hex wrench

• Folding stock with push-button activated durable cast 4140 steel hinge with Melonite® finish is reversible for left or right folding capability with the use of a 5/32” hex wrench. A fixed stock adapter is available for a non-folding stock solution

• Folding stock is also designed to avoid interference with the bolt handle when folded and is compatible with a large variety of aftermarket bolt knobs and handles• An NVD clip on mounting rail solution is available• Overall LOP adjustment range is 13.25” – 15.125”

• Butt pad height can be adjusted up 1.33” and down .90” and is adjustable left or right for a total of 5 degrees

• Comb height adjustment has a 1” range with a secondary locking knob to eliminate movement in the cheek riser

• Cheek riser features a 3-position fore/aft adjustment of +.375”, 0” and -.375” which can also be changed for left or right side usage using only a common hex wrench

• Injection molded polymer grip with 5 degree forward edge sweep and enlarged palm swell with 7 degree aft edge sweep for enhanced user comfort combined with a .75” fore/aft adjustment range using a common hex wrench

• Additional grip option included with a more aggressive sweep and enlarged palm swell for the shooter that is more inclined to a less vertical grip interface (8 degree forward / 20 degree aft edge sweep)

• Durable cast steel rotation limited QD sling swivel mounts with Melonite® finish fits up to 1.5” push button swivels

• M-LOK® slots for accessory mounting on the forend (left-6/right-6/bottom-7) and the stock (bottom-2)

• Integrated AICS pattern magazine well of reinforced polymer construction optimized for PMAG® 5 & PMAG® 10 7.62 AC™ magazines as well as most other AICS pattern short action magazines

• Large trigger guard allows for use with gloves and accepts most factory and aftermarket curved or flat triggers

• Low-profile, anti-snag ambidextrous magazine release is made of Melonite® treated steel for wear and corrosion resistance

Colors

BLK – FDE – ODG

MSRP: $999.95

MAG802 MAGPUL® PRO 700

We Like Shooting 255 – Beat your clone’s ass tomorrow

By

We Like Shooting

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August 2, 2018

Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 255 – tonight we’ll talk about Laugo Arms Alien, Pepper Balls, 3D printing gun parts, 224 Valkyrie, Pat McNamara, Ballistic Magazine and more! Our cast for episode 255 is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Savage1r, Jeremy Pozderac, Nick Lynch!

WLS 255 – Beat your clone’s ass tomorrow

Practice Ammo Basics with GarandThumb

By

Keith Finch

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August 1, 2018

Ammo can be an overwhelming topic and there is a substantial amount of bad advice out about it. Here’s a quick run down.

Now get out and shoot!

We Like Shooting’s Double Tap 069 – Copper

By

We Like Shooting

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August 1, 2018

Welcome to We Like Shooting’s Double Tap, Episode 69, Where we answer your questions, talk about new tech in the gun world, and touch base on gun industry news. Our cast for tonight is Shawn Herrin, Aaron Krieger, Jeremy Pozderac,

WLS Double Tap 069 – Copper

Tickborne Disease – Resources for the Outdoorsperson

By

Dr LateBloomer

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July 31, 2018

It’s Tick Season out there, and whether you are a a sport shooter, a hunter, or just a backyard birdwatcher, you are likely to run into these pesky disease-carrying ectoparasites. So here is some background and also some resources for how to protect yourself.

Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods of the Class Arachnida. Yes, the same Class as spiders – because adult ticks have eight legs. There are many different genus and species of ticks in North America and most of them are known to carry one disease or another, and sometimes more than one at the same time. Because of this you don’t want to be cavalier about tick bites.

TICKBORNE DISEASES

Depending upon your geographic area, a tick bite may expose you to any one of several different diseases including: Lyme Disease, Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia.

Here is a link to some maps from the CDC which show the distribution of several tickborne diseases based on 2016 data.

In addition to the bloodborne tick pathogens you want to avoid, there is another tickborne human health problem out there called Alpha-gal Syndrome, which is a tick bite-induced allergy to red meat. This is still pretty rare, and researchers are still learning about it, but a new and interesting research tidbit is that blood groups B and AB may be less susceptible to the syndrome.

In addition to the above there is a condition which is more common in children than adults, called Tick Bite Paralysis.

All of these issues combine to form a pretty solid wall of evidence why you and your family should get serious about preventing tick bites.

TICK LIFE CYCLE

The life cycle of your average tick runs through several phases. The CDC has a good page of illustrations for understanding the tick life cycle.

Some tick types are particular about the species from which they take a blood meal, and some aren’t. Ticks can feed on mice, deer, frogs, birds, and a partridge in a pear tree, besides humans. And if any other those animals are carrying any of the above diseases, the tick takes the disease germs along with it when it goes, and then passes them along to the next creature it feeds on. Some ticks can take up to three years to finish their life cycle, with each stage of tick capable of acquiring and spreading disease through the blood meal.

Because of the way that ticks hitch a ride, it is possible to get a tick bite from simply walking through the grass on your shooting range, or even your backyard. So don’t think that you are free from exposure just because you don’t hunt or hang out in the woods. I once acquired a tick just by walking through the grass looking at memorials on a Civil War battlefield.

PREVENTION

So, other than locking yourself in the house all day, what can you do to prevent being bitten by ticks? It’s not like you can use your dog’s Frontline on yourself. (and we’ll get to that in a minute)

One of the first lines of defense is using a good insect repellent. And I mean “good”, not just some essential oil stuff your neighbor sells. Here is a link to the EPA website for repellants , which can help you decide what type of bug repellant to use for your needs.

Another preventive measure you can take is to wear long pants and long sleeves. Tucking the hems of your pants inside your socks also helps. (Better to be protected than to look cool, right? But you can leave the pocket protector at home.)

The usual suggestion to wear light-colored clothing is not really helpful when your outerwear is camo patterned, but if you are just in the yard or hiking a trail, that suggestion makes it easier to find and remove ticks which may be attached to your clothing.

To allow your clothes to provide a better barrier, you may consider treating your outerwear with permethrin. This is the same stuff that they soak bed nets in for the tropics to help keep malarial mosquitoes at bay. It’s also the same stuff that is in over-the-counter lice shampoo. Permethrin is a synthetic derivative of the chrysanthemum plant, which persists on the treated clothing through several washings, and kills the ticks after a few seconds of contact. This keeps the bug from ever getting to your skin in the first place.

Though permethrin is fatal for ticks and other bugs, it is safe for humans, and even toddlers. Just not cats. Cats do not process permethrin the same way dogs and people do, so keep your supply away from Fluffy. You can buy clothing which has been pre-treated, but you can also buy permethrin for treating your own clothing at home. An Amazon search for permethrin turned up several options and a good outdoor store or farm supply store should also carry it.

In addition, this hunting blog claims that permethrin is odorless and should thus not provide a scent signature that would ruin your deer hunt. For that reason, I bought concentrated permethrin at Tractor Supply and am going to try it.

Even if you do pick up a tick during your day, getting them off before they attach to you will still be protective. When you get back home, experts recommend that you check yourself for ticks and have someone else check you if possible. They also recommend stripping off clothes and scrubbing yourself well in the shower to remove ticks before they attach. When checking yourself or others for ticks, don’t forget to check the hidden crevices and crannies like armpits and what is medically known as the “gluteal cleft”. Ticks hitching a ride at your ankles will gradually climb farther up before attaching, often stopping in this region.

If you find a tick has already bitten you and attached itself, prompt removal is key. Research varies, but most indications are that disease transmission requires tick attachment for 48-72 hours, so the sooner you find the critter and remove it the better. Recommendations are to remove the tick with tweezers. Older home remedy methods including using a hot matchstick or petroleum jelly are not recommended.

Once the tick has been removed, clean the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. It is not currently recommended for your doctor to give you antibiotics for a simple tick bite, unless you have serious underlying medical conditions. Current recommendations say that you should monitor yourself, and see your doctor if you develop a rash at the bite site or other symptoms such as fever and fatigue.

FUTURE PREVENTION

You may reasonably ask why there is a Lyme vaccine for dogs, but not for people? This link provides an interesting answer. The vaccine certification process for humans is complex and lengthy, with many hitches in the road. Apparently a vaccine was tried in the 1990’s, but there were hitches.

Who knows what the future holds for tickborne disease research and prevention. Maybe in twenty years we’ll be able to swallow a seasonal bite-prevention pill like your dog does. For the foreseeable future however, we’re stuck with what we’ve got – stinky bug spray, barrier clothing, and personal inspection.

Be safe out there. Your future health may depend upon it!