Tag Archive: weapons

June 6th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Hunting Skills: Use Pellet Practice to Perfect Your Shots

 

Want to be a deadly big-game rifle shot? Then start right now, with an air gun.

 


Photo by Remie Geoffroi

 

While hunting seasons forge great hunters via experience, off-seasons make riflemen. Here are drills that will train muscles, improve hand-eye coordination, ingrain field positions, and perfect your trigger squeeze to make you a better game shot.

The Rifle
Buy a single-stroke, spring-piston air rifle for adults, such as a Gamo Whisper Fusion, and top it with a scope similar in size, power, height-above-bore, and reticle style as the one on your hunting rifle.

 

The Setup
In your backyard or shooting area, hang soda cans from fishing line to tree limbs or clothes lines 10 to 50 yards distant at various heights, and number the cans in bold permanent marker. Be sure of your background and ensure that pellets either hit a backstop or sail into a safe zone. Have a friend randomly call out the number of a can to shoot. Find it, pull up, and hit it as fast as possible. Wagering on each shot will increase mental pressure and enhance your training session.

 

Skill: Off-Hand Shooting 
Practice keeping your eye on the can and centering it in the scope as you smoothly raise the rifle to your shoulder and cheek; focus on the number on the can and concentrate on a steady hold—by holding your breath just before the shot—and a smooth trigger squeeze. Accept that it’s impossible to hold the reticle absolutely still, so practice pulling the trigger decisively when the crosshair hovers on target, then following through by trying to keep it there throughout the shot.
Drill: Shoot all cans as quickly as possible, then take a short rest.

 

Skill: Breath Control
During a mountain hunt, it’s not uncommon to find yourself heaving for breath as the animal presents a shot.
Drill: Do anything that will increase your heart rate: performing jumping jacks, jumping rope, or taking a lap around the house. With your heart pumping wildly, find a rest and try to deliver an accurate shot. The key here is to hold your breath, squeeze the trigger between surges, and shoot quickly enough that you don’t have to hold your breath for long or take another breath.

 

Skill: Field Positions 
From a relaxed stance, randomly choose a field position, quickly assume it (remember, smooth is quick), then shoot a can. Use any natural rest available, such as a tree, or an artificial one, like a lawnmower or deck railing or even your kids’ swingset, to enhance accuracy. (Field positions used without rests are for competitive shooting; hunters can almost always augment field positions with a pack or a natural object.) If using a railing or tree trunk to support the rifle, for example, put your weight on your forward knee so you can use your rear knee to brace the elbow of your trigger arm. Keep track of the number of hits.
Drill: Find and assume a solid position and deliver an accurate shot at a can in 10 seconds or less. Next, execute the drill with shooting sticks or a bipod from standing, kneeling, and prone positions.

 

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: outdoorlife



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May 8th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Make Your Own Shoot-and-See Targets

Why spend a lot on things you’re just going to perforate?


 

Targets should be cheap, right? I mean, you’re just going to shoot them full of holes, after all. And sometimes, paper targets can be affordable, but targets that let you see your shots, like Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C and Caldwell Orange Peel, can cost more than $2 each.

Someone came up with a way to make targets that do the same thing for cheap. The nice thing is, you can even do it to a large surface affordably if you’re just starting to zero a gun and don’t know where it’s hitting. It would cost a small fortune to cover a two-foot-square piece of cardboard with commercially-made targets, but you could apply this method to the same size surface for considerably less than a buck.

The video below will show you how, but here’s the gist: Take some brightly-colored paper like construction paper. Cover one side of it with slick plastic packing tape. Spray paint it with “el cheapo grande” flat black spray paint. Then paint (or stick on) some dots for aiming points.

Voila! Now you can see your shots, and you saved some money that you can use for ammo, gasoline, or a nice cold beverage to enjoy when the shooting’s over.

Nice.


Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: alloutdoor


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May 6th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Argentina’s “Strongest Man” stabbed to death by scavenger



Alan Garay (43 years old) was a 260 pound “strongman” that won competitions both in Argentina and Spain. He could lift 880 pounds, pull 15 ton trucks and lift cars with little problem, but that didn’t save him from getting killed two days ago in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.


After an argument with Fernando Pezetti, a 50 year old cartonero (paper and trash scavenger) over trash left on the sidewalk next to his house, Mr. Garay got into a fight with the man, easily overpowering him and punching him in the face. As Garay left, the scavenger produced a knife and stabbed him twice in the torso. The neighbors called for help but Garay was dead by the time help arrived.


Garay had lived in Madrid for ten years and had recently moved back to Argentina. He worked security at night clubs and at times was part of security details of international celebrities.


Lessons Learned:


1) Don’t get into a fight if you can avoid it.
2) Don’t EVER underestimate your opponent, even if you’re literally the strongest man in the country going against some random 50 year old hobo.
3) Always assume your opponent may be armed, NEVER turn your back on him.
4) Knives are ALWAYS lethal weapons. They don’t jam, they don’t run out of ammo and it’s practically impossible to pry one away from an attacker without losing a few fingers.
5) Again, just don’t get into fights, ESPECIALLY against someone that has nothing to lose.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via:  ferfal


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May 4th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

White House dismisses rumors of Texas takeover; Texas Governor orders Guard to ‘monitor’ Federal Troop Drills

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas State Guard to monitor Federal Troop movements as the White House prepares for a two-month training exercise that involves labeling Texas and Utah as “Hostile” States.

Operation Jade Helm will bring Federal troops, including Navy Seals, Green Berets and the 82nd airborne division to Texas and a number of other southwestern states for simulated special operations in a hostile territory. While the military routinely trains for urban combat, many became concerned after leaked military documents categorized Texas and Utah as “Hostile” States.

 


 

White House tried to tap down fears by saying the training operation is no cause for alarm.

“In no way will the constitutional rights or civil liberties of any American citizen be infringed upon while this exercise is being conducted,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

But apparently Texas Governor Greg Abbott isn’t so sure.

In a letter to Major General Gerald Betty of the Texas State Guard, Gov. Abbott asked the Guard “to address concerns of Texas citizens.”

“During the training operation, it is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property right and civil liberties will not be infringed,” the governor wrote. “I am directing the Texas State Guard to monitor Operation Jade Helm 15.”

An Increasing number of Military Drills are using American Citizens as Theoretical Threats.

Over the last couple of years these types of drills seem to be increasing in regularity. Just last month, National Guard troops in California used crisis actors to play the role of angry U.S. citizens shouting “right-wing” rhetoric at the soldiers. These drills seem to align with a 2012 report, prepared for the Department of Homeland Security, which talked about how the military could be used as a police force within the United States.

That report, titled Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future, outlined theoretical situations where the U.S. Army could be sent into U.S. cities that have been taken over by Tea Party “insurrectionists.”

In 2013, the Ohio Army National Guard 52nd Civil Support Unit conducted a training drill where Second Amendment supporters with “anti-government” opinions were portrayed as domestic terrorists.

 

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via:  offgridsurvival


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May 2nd, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Baltimore riots highlight ‘progressive’ paradox on guns and police

Korean merchants, Los Angeles Riots, 1992. “I don’t know if I am wrong or not. People say I am wrong. What am I going to do? Just sit down and die? I am going to protect my store and my family and myself.”

As Baltimore erupts in violence, and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake promises a safe haven for destroyers (thwarted only by the occasional armed citizen protecting life and property where the police fear to tread), an inescapable observation strikes. High-profile shootings of black males continue to occur in cities where “progressive” Democrats run things. Yet in spite of that, they embrace “gun control,” that is, a system where police are the “only ones” trusted to keep and bear arms. . .

None of us can foresee the future and predictions are always dicey things to make, but if I had to venture one, I’d say U.S. cities are in for an interesting summer. If that’s the case, we shouldn’t be surprised to see members of the productive sector, who in turn will soon come to understand the “authorities” are useless at providing protection, reapplying old lessons learned from when Korean merchants refused to stand by while their livelihoods went up in flames.

For background on the Korean grocers for those too young at the time to remember see: Pocket of Tension; A Target of Rioters, Koreatown Is Bitter, Armed and Determined

“I want to make it clear that we didn’t open fire first,” said David Joo, manager of the gun shop. “At that time, four police cars were there. Somebody started to shoot at us. The L.A.P.D. ran away in half a second. I never saw such a fast escape. I was pretty disappointed.”

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via:  sipseystreetirregulars


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April 23rd, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Bugout Bullet Bottles

Guest post by Doc Montana, a contributing author of SHTFBlog.com

—

Having a stockpile of ammo might provide comfort when bugging in, but what about when you have to bugout?  As you plan your survival options, make sure to include portable but long-term ammo storage solutions. There are about as many ways to store and carry ammo as there are survival calibers, but in the end three truths emerge: the ammo must be kept dry, clean, and quickly identified. Other than that, the way you do it is up to you.


Military surplus ammo cans are a popular storage choice, but the weight of a full metal ammo can is a significant drawback when going mobile.  And worse, the handles on the lightweight plastic ammo cans are notorious for breaking off just when you need them the most.  Another popular solution is to pour the ammo into clear, seal-able plastic bags.  That solution scores the highest on light weight and identification, but turns in the lowest possible scores for durability.

Off The Shelf


Some ammo manufacturers are selling ammo sealed up like a can of beans.  For example Fiocchi makes a sealed “Canned Heat”of 100 rounds of 9mm, and Federal makes a“Fresh Fire Pack” sealed can of 325 x .22 long rifle bullets.  The cans are purged of atmospheric air and filled with nitrogen preventing oxygen corrosion on bullets and primers, and both cans have key-open lids that rip off like a sardine can.

The factory sealed ammo cans are an excellent solution for a very narrow problem.  But since the can is not hermetically resealable, the S really has to Hit the Fan before you want to break the seal.  A better solution and one without the single-use disadvantage is as close as a water bottle away.  A wide-mouth Nalgene lexan water bottle to be exact.

The Bottle Basics


I was searching for a survival ammo storage solution that was durable, inexpensive, modular, lightweight, had visible contents, and provided unlimited shelf life. My choice wasNalgene lexan water bottles with large mouths. The two main sizes are 16 ounces and 32 ounces. After working with the bottles for a while, the advantages racked up beyond many other traditional ammo storage options.

Using plastic bottles to store ammo is nothing new, but in most other cases the bottle was the convenient novelty and not actually a well thought out component in the system.  As evidence of the lack of foresight with other bottles, I offer the five-second rule.  In five seconds or less, Can you empty the bottle of all .22 or pistol ammo.  Soda bottle solutions are about as functional as a piggy bank.  The fastest way to empty them is to slice them open with a knife. Not quite ideal in my book.

The Nalgene lexan bottles are extremely durable, transparent, impervious to temperature change, puncture resistant, reasonably heat resistant, watertight, and cheap.  Further, they hold enough ammo to make a difference, but not so much as to be too heavy, bulky or fragile.  And in my mildly scientific tests, I can empty a 16-ounce wide mouth bottle filled with .22 shells in four seconds.

A brand name bottle is important.  No-name plastic bottles can contain VOCs or volatile organic compounds that are common in Chinese made plastics of undisclosed material. The off-gassing inside a sealed plastic container can react with the contents so care is needed when selecting long term storage containers. Lab-grade Lexan is fairly inert, but ironically the reason I have these bottles available for ammo storage is because they were rotated out of our drinking water bottle collection due to the possibility of BPA (Bisphenol-A) chemicals leaching into the water from the particular polycarbonate plastic used at that time.  As people convert their water bottles and other food storage containers to glass, stainless steel, polypropylene, and BPA-free polycarbonate, the older Lexan bottles are often donated to places like Goodwill so there should be a cheap source of such ammo storage at your local thrift shop.  Since the airtight seal of the lid is critical, shop carefully, and don’t forget that new bottles are still inexpensive.

 Dry = Bang


To keep the ammo dry, a highly efficient desiccant such as silica gel is the best option.  Although the small “Do not eat” packets that are so common in about everything purchased these days are a better-than-nothing choice, the even better choice is to use quality bulk silica gel, especially with color indicators of viability.  I buy silica gel by the pound fromCarolina.com, a scientific supply company, but there are other quality sources including craft shops, auto parts stores, and of courseAmazon.com with products such as the one quart bottle of ATD Tools replacement desiccant.

The reason I suggest avoiding the free packets is there is no standard for purity or even evidence that they are real.  If you are going to count on your ammo in the future, don’t save a buck or two on the most important element in survival ammo preservation.  A popular emergency desiccant can be found in dry “Minute Rice,” but save that option emergencies. You need something you can count on for many years, not just a quick solution designed to prevent further damage to your iPhone after it took a swim in the toilet.


Rather than just dumping a tablespoon of silica gel into the bottle,  the bulk silica gel should be kept contained in something so you can preserve it.  A simple solution is to put the gel into a small zip-closure bag and then poke a few dozen holes into the bag with a pin or small nail.  Another idea is to re-purpose those small drawstring bags that seem to come with a lot of other gear.  For the larger bottles, I like to use the small cloth drawstring bags that companies like Benchmade include with their folding knives. I also recommend putting the silica gel at the top (lid side) of the bottle because that allows easy checking of the color indicators and oven-refreshing of the gel every so often without dumping the bottle.

I don’t have a firm rule for the amount of silica gel to include, but more is always better than less. You cannot make it too dry in the bottle, but you can err on the other side. For larger projects, you can use a silica gel calculator such as this one: (click here)

But my suggestion is about a heaping teaspoon of quality fresh silica gel for each 16 ounces of volume under normal conditions. If you are going to bury your bottle or live in a humid climate, double the recommendation at the minimum. Also, plan on refreshing the gel after the first week just because there was likely more humidity included in the bottle when first sealed. Quickly swap out the week-old gel for new gel and you should be good to go for long term storage.

There are many recommendations for refreshing silica gel but most suggest oven-heating the gel to at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit minimum and 250 degrees Fahrenheit max for between two and eight hours.  I’ve found that my color coded silica gel is ready to go again using the minimum time and temp, but I live in a low humidity area.

Keeping ammo free from exposure to moisture is especially critical with rimfire shells because the case crimping around the bullet is rarely very tight. In fact many .22 bullets spin freely around in their case. This is in stark contrast to excessively crimped and more moisture resistant military cartridges.

Bangs per Ounce


A 16-ounce lexan Nalgene bottle will easily hold 425 rounds of .22 long rifle with just enough room for the silica gel and a note with the date, specific ammo brand and type, and manufacturer’s lot number. I usually just include the portion of the original box with the lot number and add the date and other necessary additional information. When filled with .22 shells, the bottle weighs about three-and-a-quarter pounds or 1.5kg, which is a highly portable and useful size for many survival and bugout situations.

If you mix brands or types of ammo in the bottle, but want to keep the lot numbers, just make sure you combine different brands where you can easily pair any particular cartridge with the obvious lot number.  However in a true SHTF situation, the lot number will be little more than a bit of nostalgia from a better time.

On the 9mm side, the 16oz bottle will hold about 150 rounds with barely enough room for some silica gel. A packed pint bottle of 9mm weighs just under four pounds or 1.8kg. Obviously you could easily double these numbers by using 32 oz or one-liter bottles.  Although the weight of quart of ammo is significant, the larger mouthed one liter bottle do allow an extra mag to occupy some of the space if needed. I cannot speak for all guns, but both a Ruger 10/22 rotary mag and a Glock 9mm mag easily fit through the mouth of a 32-ounce Nalgene. In fact, the bottle will even hold one 25-round Ruger 10/22 mag if you want to really lower the density and thus weight of your quart of .22 shells.  However, the 33 round Glock mag is too long to fit in the same bottle.


While we tend to err on the side of larger, don’t forget the small.  A one ounce (30ml) bottle will hold a dozen .380 cartridges with enough room left over for a piece of gauze full of silica gel balls.  A standard magazine for popular .380 including the Ruger LCP and the Glock 42 holds six rounds.  The tiny one ounce bottle, therefore, holds two full mags of bangs.  And remember, you can always carry more than one small Bugout Bullet Bottle, but if you only have large bottles, you might elect to walk away from your bottle out of convenience. Small bottles can be carried as second nature.

Survival Deviations

Other non-ammo additions to the bottle include cleaning supplies, a few survival tools (knife, fire starter, paracord, etc.), fishing gear, or just about anything else that fits both your survival paradigm and through the mouth of the bottle.  You can get about 75 rounds of .223 into the 16 oz bottle, but it took me 15 seconds to empty it.  Due to the shape of the .223 shells, the packing density remains low so the bottle only weighed 2.16 pounds, or about one kilogram when filled to the brim with .223 cartridges.


In addition to .223 ammo, you could toss in a bore snake and perhaps an AR-15 small parts kit. But if you get carried away, then the bottle loses its function as a long-term ammo mule.

The bugout ammo bottle is insurance that is too cheap to pass up.  An added advantage is that there are many pouches, cases, and accessories designed to fit, hold, carry, insulate, and supplement standard sized water bottles, of which all of them will increase the functionality of the bugout ammo bottle. And even if you do shoot up all your ammo, you still have a water bottle.

All Photos by Doc Montana

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog


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April 20th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Critical Steps To Survive A Firefight

Firefights are scary and a live-and-death battle – but they are survivable. And as a lawful citizen you are already at a distinct disadvantage.

You do not get to choose the time and place that a firefight happens. It will always be a surprise or an ambush on you and your fellow citizens. This means we must always be prepared. These are my top five ways to survive a firefight.

No. 1 — Have the Right Gun

The best way to survive a firefight is to be able to fight. Unarmed versus a gun rarely turns out well for the guy with empty hands. But when the rounds start going down range, you shouldn’t just have a gun; you should have “enough” gun. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Pocket pistols stink.

Tiny little guns like the Taurus TCP, Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 380 and Beretta Pico are all well-built, functional weapons. They are all guaranteed to go bang when the trigger is pulled and that’s great, but they are poor fighting weapons. Limited capacity, under-powered round, small grip, short sight radius, etc. Maybe you’ll get lucky, but I don’t count on luck to survive.

I’m not advocating carrying a full-sized 1911 or Glock 17. I’m all about compact weapons. Weapons like the Glock 26 are an excellent balance of firepower and size, and the same goes for the Walther CCP. They’re easy to carry but big enough to fight.

No. 2 — Have Proper Ammunition

I’m not starting a caliber debate between proponents of the 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP or the 38 Special. What I am saying is to carry a duty caliber. By this, I mean any of the aforementioned, as well as the 357 Magnum, 357 Sig, 45 Colt, etc. I stay away from the mouse gun calibers like 380, 32 (except 327 Federal), 22 long rifle and Magnum (rimfires are nowhere near as reliable as centerfire) and 25 ACP.

Another factor is being equipped with proper ammunition. Winchester white box is good for a lot of things, but not so much for carrying. Modern defensive ammunition has bridged the gap quite a bit between the big three: 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP. It’s gotten to the point where the bigger calibers offer very little advantage but are still very viable rounds. Whenever someone asks me my opinion on carry ammo I always say Speer Gold Dot or Hornady Critical Defense (for compacts), or Hornady Critical Duty (for full size). These rounds are proven over and over again by law enforcement around the world, as well as enough ballistic gel tests to prove their worth.

Avoid the gimmicky rounds like the G2 RIP ammo and research online. YouTuber ShootingtheBull410 has good videos. Ask your local police what they carry, and follow up with: Why do you carry it?

No. 3 — Have Enough Ammunition

It’s very easy to get in the mindset of “I’ll probably never get in a gun fight anyway, so I’ll just take the gun and be good.” First off, that’s a bit lazy and somewhat of an oxymoron. If you don’t believe you would ever need your weapon, then why do you carry it in the first place?

Also, it’s complacent. Complacency kills, and it kills hard and fast. I suggest carrying at least one reload with you, one extra magazine, one extra speed loader, or speed strip. In all honesty, I carry two extra magazines. I’ve been in a few firefights and I could not imagine the fear and desperation that would come with running out of ammo in the middle of a fight.

No. 4 — Know the Difference Between Cover and Concealment

Have you ever seen the movie Lord of War? Nicholas Cage plays an arms dealer who travels across the world and makes millions illicitly selling guns to anyone and everyone. In one of the early scenes it shows some local mobster attempting to kill another mobster. They come with their AK 47s and start spraying, and their intended victim flips the table over and it absorbs dozens of rounds. (It was quite amusing, as little wooden tables are not prone to stopping bullets.)

Some items are great for hiding behind, and some are great for soaking up bullets. Seventy-five percent of a car won’t stop a bullet, but most engines can soak up rounds decently. Cinderblocks rarely take a direct hit but may deflect a round or two, but I wouldn’t count on them to save my life. Bullets are powerful things; it takes dense material to absorb a bullet and protect you.

No. 5 — Get Trained … and Practice

Carrying a gun does not make you a gunfighter; it doesn’t make you anything more than a guy carrying a gun. Training is what separates winners and losers. In other words, just because you have a pair of boxing gloves doesn’t mean you are ready to step into the ring with Manny Pacquiao.

Find a competent source of training that can instruct you not just how to shoot your gun, but how to fight with it.

I’m not saying you need to be a Delta Force member, but some basic instruction can do wonders. More important than training, though, is practice. This is where you will sharpen and refine your skills. Practice shooting with your weak hand, with one hand, from behind cover, from the ground, from a knee … and the list goes on and on. Even practice reloading and clearing malfunctions.

Believe it or not, training can be a lot of fun. In fact, it is easy to get somewhat addicted to it. Once you take your first class, you’ll be hooked, and you’ll want to learn more and more — especially when you see your proficiency increase.

Of course, in a firefight could do everything right and still get hurt or die. You can minimize the risk by being cautious, being well-armed, and being ready for that day if and when it comes.

 

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: offthegridnews


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April 17th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

Put a BUG in your Bug Out

Guest post by Doc Montana, a contributing author of Survival Cache and SHTFBlog

——————————

A BUG or Back Up Gun is a secondary (or tertiary) weapon included in your plan for when things go sideways big time.


The BUG is more than a sidearm to a primary rifle. A true BUG in your plan is a 100% functional replacement of your preferred carry weapon. A BUG is not an afterthought, or grandpa’s old revolver, or some one-off abomination of a handgun designed with form over function, or style over substance.

BUGs come in many flavors, some quite small like the .380 Ruger LCP, and others just a step down from their big brothers such as the Glock 26 and 27. But no matter the choice, the point of a BUG is the same: it is to backup the primary weapon whether called upon by malfunction, injury, no reload possible, temporarily disarmed, or even tossed to a friendly to double the fight. But we will address a particular tangent of the BUG, namely the Bug Out BUG.

BUGGING your BOB


The Bug Out BUG does not need to be strapped to an ankle, stuffed in your pants, or bolted onto a chest rig as operating LEOs often do. Instead it can ride along in or on your Bug Out Bag, or other piece of “Luggage” you will carry or at least have handy.  Unless you are chasing bag guys, serving warrants, or running to the fight, the Bug Out BUG is just another tool in your mobile SHTF shed.  The Bug out BUG philosophy is pretty much the same across the survival board, but the choice of Bug out BUG is dependent upon three main factors. First, where will you be bugging out to?  If your answer involves wilderness, having two short-barrel auto pistols might not be the best option. In that case a BUG of a more useful caliber like a .22 Ruger Mark III might be a more useful tool. Hunting squirrels with a Glock 26 is entertaining, but not when you’re hungry.

The next question is who will you be bugging out with? Packing a pair of .44 mags might be great for a big guy in a bad neighborhood, but for the rest of us dirty but not Harrys a wrist-breaking pocket cannon is better served for killing engine blocks then for daily bug out duty.  Plus, unless both practiced with and prepared for the recoil of such a beast, the hand howitzers will be one-shot-only due to either flying out of the shooter’s hand, cracking the shooter in the face, or most likely the latter then the former in the same shot.

The final question is based upon that minor detail that connects Point A with Point B.  In order to reach any useful bug out location, you will need to move through space and time. So what does that space look like?  And what time of day do you plan on traversing it? Urban dwellers will have to escape their concrete jungle first before entering the natural world.  Since any situation that requires a real bug out from a city will be dangerous, the urban BUG (or hopefully BUGs) should error on the side of magazine capacity over slim profile.

Are You Experienced?


The BUGs I have carried in my Bug Out Bags, Bug Out Vehicles, and stored with other preps include Glocks, several small caliber wheel guns, and the Ruger LCP, among others. For the Glock 26 and 19, I use Renegade Ridge Tactical Double-Down pistol cases. A Spec.-Ops Mini Pocket Organizer keeps my LCP, mags, and a small Bug Out Bullet Bottle organized.  As BUGs, I like the idea of having self-contained packages with a gun, mags, ammo all secure in a small padded case. That way I can toss the appropriate BUG into a kit, BOB, or BOV.

Don’t SWAT the BUG

Unlike law enforcement attire, your bug out BUG is for bugging out, not daily wear. So imagine shifting your bug out into high gear and stomping on the gas. I assume a holstered sidearm is at the top of your list of bodywear. Some of you will want to slap some additional cordite jewelry to your lower leg or drop a mouse in your back pocket. But the BUG for bugging out is a self-contained shooting kit unto its own that rides shotgun in your BOB kit.

Some Glock Love


I’m one of the lucky many who finds the Glock frame both comfortable and at the perfect angle for natural shooting. The Glockpoints where my mind aims. A 1911 frame in my hand naturally points towards the tree tops. And on the old-school western revolver side, my hand is more likely to fire off a crotch shot rather than at the center of mass. So for me Glocks are the obvious choice.  Adding more points to the Glock scorecard is the fact that any same-caliber Glock can eat magazines of grip size or longer. That means, for instance, a 9mm G17 can run mags of 17, 19, and 33 rounds along with drum magazines.  A G19 can run all of the above plus a shorter 15 round mag. And a G26 can run all of the above plus its own ten rounder. That means any double stack 9mm Glock mag will run in a G26 so if my BUG is a G26, it will eat all my other mags regardless if I am running my G17 or G19 as primary. In my BOB, I have several 33 round Glock mags ready to go which will work in any of my 9mm Glocks so no matter what I grab, I’m good to go. I cannot say the same about my friends who run 1911s, revolvers, Kimber jewelry, and who diversified their handgun calibers.


As if the mag interchangeability is not enough, the trio of Glock 9mms can, in most cases, share holsters. The Blackhawk Serpaholster is a fine choice and the only difference between one made for a G17 and a G26 is the length of the barrel shroud. A 26 in a 17 holster has an extra inch of coverage, while a 17 in a 26 holster extends through the shroud and out the other end. Since all Serpa holsters are open ended, a good barrel inspection should follow any mud wrestling event no matter which gun is in which holster.

All Things Equal


Finally, the issue of quality between primary and BUG is critical. I know many folks who toss some old kit gun into their BOB, you know, just in case. Yet their so-called BUG is little more than a feel-good accessory chosen out of convenience. True Bug Out BUGs do not compromise quality or function because the only use for the Backup Gun is to become the Primary Gun under even worse conditions than a moment ago. Did that make sense? To state it again, your BUG must completely replace your preferred primary weapon when you have lost control of the situation. So pulling a pearl-handled double-barreled derringer out of your belt buckle might have sounded like a cool idea in the store, but never in a million years would you have chosen that gun for this particular moment. So don’t do it now.

Driving home this point further, some of my 1911 friends have their tricked out race gun or super-tuned primary, and then consider an off-the-shelf budget 1911 as a viable BUG due to the similarities in their manual of arms. The chink in this particular armor is that the reliability and performance of a tuned gun does not transfer to a nearby pistol of similar persuasion through osmosis alone. Perfection must be gun smithed into the soul of the pistol. Yet dropping a few more Benjamins of polish and parts on a crippled mechanism that was already limping when it left the factory is a hard bullet to bite. So now the backup gun is already suspect and the fight hasn’t even started yet. On Glock front, quality is a complete and total non-issue across the entire 9mm product line.

The Other Side of the Coin


On the other hand, why would you want to store, cache, bury, or otherwise hide away and almost forget a perfectly good gun? The flip side of the coin allows for a low to medium quality firearm of usable caliber to be squirreled away, especially if you want to back up your bug in or bugout location. In this case, I have an old eight-shot .22 revolver and a few hundred rounds packed away with the extra knives and can openers in one of my food storage areas. The old double action gun is good enough to count on short term and in a pinch, but certainly not anything I would want for EDC during your bugout. I’ve greased up the little wheel gun and sealed it in a watertight box along with several hundred rounds of .22 in various flavors including subsonic. While not my only BUG, nor even my primary-secondary, if the social scene really does fade to black, then a small infestation of BUGs in your plan begins to make sense.

One Size Fits Some

Of course any BUG is a compromise in some respects unless you just want to keep one manual of arms by replicating your primary and your primary is perfect. While that is certainly a great way to go, and a highly defensible decision, for those who carry a full-sized handgun, or even a large compact (sorry for the oxymoron), BOB space is limited and weight is to be minimized so most BUGs will be smaller in stature but hopefully will order off the basic ammo menu. Additionally, there is the consideration of whose hand will wrap around the grip, and how much recoil that hand can tolerate. When you consider a BUG option, don’t confuse it with your standard set of weapons platforms. The default gunset for bugging out usually consists of an AR or AK military pattern rifle, a 12 gauge pump shotgun, a thirtyish caliber bolt action scoped rifle, an autopistol of 9mm or larger, and a .22 rifle. That’s a lot of blued iron to pack around so adding a BUG to the mix must be more than just one more bangstick. The primary BUG will need a special home similar to a tourniquet. It must be out of the way, but ever-present. It must be handy but not cumbersome. It must be accessible with either hand. And most of all, it must perform perfectly even though you never want to use it.

My comments:

If I’m buggin out…then I’m probably never coming back, so they’re all coming with me.

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via:  shtfblog


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April 16th, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

SHTF Firearm Choices

Guest post by Dave H, a reader of SurvivalCache.com

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I read a lot of articles about the best choice of firearms. They generally focus on the AR-15 and the AK47.  I believe the discussions generally miss the point by failing to ask the question of what are you trying to do with the weapon.

For example, if your goal was to stop a vehicle from 800 yards neither the AR-15 nor the AK47 would be an effective choice.  In this case the .50 BMG would be the ammunition of choice and there are numerous weapons to discharge this projectile. My original choice would have been the McMillan TAC-50A.

However, the recent sale of this portion of the McMillan Group places this on hold.  I hope they don’t disappear like CheyTac.  The Barrett M107A1 certainly plays well in this arena as do many of the other Barrett rifles. Other folks make .50BMG rifles like Armalite. They don’t all cost $12,000, like the McMillan, and can be quite effective in stopping a vehicle at long distance.

Long Distance Shots

Let’s say your next objective was to take out individuals from a mile away.


In my humble opinion I believe that taking a mile shot is a waste of ammunition.  There are too many variables that limit the viability of the shot.  The first variable is the shooter.  The average person does not have the resources to train and practice at these distances.  The second variable is the rifle.  Even a sub-MOA rifle could be off feet at this distance.  Ammunition also creates variability.  What do variations of a 10th of a grain of powder do at these distances?  Variations in crimping and any defect on the bullet surface will alter the trajectory of the projectile.  Try and adjust your shot placement for uphill or downhill and then throw in the environmental variables such as temperature, humidity and wind and you will find the shot to be a guess at best.  If you are not convinced then consider the .50BMG discussed above or a round like the .338 Lapua Magnum.  Players in this market space include the above mentioned McMillan with the TAC 338, the Barrett Model 98B, the Accuracy International AXMC and the Savage 110 BA.

What about a threat from 200 – 500 yards?  During SHTF, your goal at this level should be to identify and eliminate the command and communication staff.  It should also be to eliminate as much of the threat before you are in their range.  I believe this is an area where most shooters can be effective with a modern large bore hunting rifle.  The market place is filled with tremendous rifles and ammunition.  Browning, Remington, Ruger, Savage, Sako, Weatherby and Winchester are all large players in this market.  The rifles are affordable to the working person and they are extremely accurate.

There are excellent optics available for reasonable costs. Bushnell, Burris, Leupold,Nikon, Vortex, Zeiss and many others service this market.  The scope options are exceptional and include built in laser range finders, bullet drop compensators, illuminated reticles, windage markers and parallax adjustments that can be used as a poor man’s range finder.  Inexpensive laser range finders are also available.  Many of the range finders have a bullet drop compensator that adjust for your bullet group and compensate for changes in angle.  Ammunition has also improved with the introduction of polymer tipped bullets.  The consistency, accuracy and energy are all improved over the past decade. Ballistic charts and calculators are readily available.  Winchester has an interactive ballistic calculator on their website where you can simulate different conditions.  Winchester also has an app for an iPhone. Let’s go back to the threat.  Imagine a group of individuals with reasonable shooting skills confronted with individuals carrying contemporary battle rifles.  They may not be able to stop a battalion, but they can certainly make it hot for smaller groups.

The Battle Rifle


Let’s move the threat from 100 – 300 yards.  In this zone during SHTF, a rapid rate of fire with knock down power would be desired.  This is an area where the AR-10/HK91 battle rifle platform shines.  It has large bullets with excellent knock down power, reasonable accuracy, managed recoil, high capacity magazines and high rates of fire.  PWS, Accuracy International, Armalite, LWRC, POF, Bushmaster, Colt, DPMS, Heckler and Koch, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith and Wesson are all makers of weapons in this class.  Imagine the damage a group of reasonably trained individuals could inflict in this zone with these weapons.

Move the threat closer into the zone from 25 – 150 yards and the amount of lead going down range becomes critical.  Your threat is near and reloading becomes an issue.  Accuracy, while always important, becomes the second most important issue of the day.  A rifle that can shoot a 3″ group at 100 yards is just as effective as one that shoots sub-MOA.  This is the zone for the AR-15, Mini-14 and AK47.  Short carbine rifles with high rates of fire, minimal recoil are required to repel the threat. There are an incredible number of manufacturers in this market place and even a larger number of accessories.  Quality, accuracy and price vary dramatically.  Choose wisely.

Close Combat

When we look at close quarters combat one would lean towards the AR-15 platform. However the standard AR-15 may not be the optimal choice. Before you make that final decision consider coming around a corner and you have to swing a 16″ or 18″ barrel. Compare that to a 7″ or 10″ barrel.  That fraction of a second may be the difference of life and death.  So if your threat is in this zone consider an AR-15 with a short barrel.  Technically these weapons are considered pistols rather than rifles.  You may want to add a Sig Sauer Stabilizing Brace to your pistol.


Let’s look at other situations. Assume for a moment that you are guarding a checkpoint into your neighborhood.  You may be in a situation where you need to stop a vehicle at close range.  Consider a shotgun with steel slugs like the DDupleks. They come in 1oz and 1 1/8oz sizes.  They are encased in polymer and are safe to shoot in any choke. Imagine a flat faced steel slug traveling at 1400fps.  Put this in a Saiga shotgun with a 20 round magazine and you are a very formidable opponent to anyone at close range.

What about handguns?  They certainly have their place.  My personal favorite is the 1911 .45acp. But that is just me. When I am asked what handgun someone should buy I generally answer with the one you shoot well.  I know this may sound like a cop-out but it’s true.  For me a 1911 fits my hand perfectly.  I also have a CZ75 that I shoot very well. Then I have an S&W .9mm.  It is a nice little handgun.  It just does not fit me and I struggle with accuracy.  Then there is recoil.  It is better to have a handgun where you can manage the recoil.  Trying to teach someone to shoot a handgun with a .454 Casull would fail because they would develop bad habits from the excessive recoil.  So pick a handgun that you can manage.  Back to the value of handguns, they are easily carried; the variety allows for individual selection, are generally reasonably priced.  They are also excellent in close quarters situations.

How about carbines chambered for handgun calibers?  This class of firearm is pretty interesting.  One manufacturer Hi Point makes a .45ACP, .40S&W and a .9mm.  These firearms are inexpensive and I wouldn’t classify them as a good gun. I would classify them as a good enough gun.  These guns are inexpensive to buy, inexpensive to shoot and pretty effective at close range.  Think of the damage a 230 grain .45ACP bullet will do a 75 yards.  This is a good choice for those on a limited budget where they want to minimize the calibers of ammunition.

What about a .22 or an air rifle?  I realize that many people have been killed with a .22. Unfortunately, they lack the immediate knock down power of other calibers.  The .22 and the air rifle may not be the best for defense. That doesn’t mean they don’t have value. They are inexpensive to shoot and therefore are excellent for training.  They are also excellent for survival. An air rifle can kill small game without compromising your position.

Conclusion

To summarize, what weapon should someone buy? Ideally, everyone would have the resources to own and train on several in each category.  However, that is about as realistic as winning the lottery.  I think of defense in zones.  Think about the zones you need to defend.  If you live in an urban area you may never need a .50BMG or .338 Lapua Magnum.  In this case, an AR-15 may be perfect.  If you are on a limited budget then a carbine shooting a handgun round and a handgun or a .22lr may be the right choice.  If you live in a rural area where longer range shooting is possible a large bore hunting rifle or an AR10 type platform may be an excellent choice.  However, don’t forget about close quarters.  Eventually all fights get up close and personal.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via: survivalcache


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April 2nd, 2015
post by policysup | | 0

The Katrina Rifle

Guest post by Doc Montana

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Almost overnight Katrina turned from a woman’s elegant name, to a tragic hurricane, to an adjective for a tangible survival situation.  So when the word Katrina is used to qualify a rifle, it should be clear that the intended use of the rifle will not be for anything fun.  This particular Katrina Rifle (KR) project takes into to consideration the likely environment in which it may come into play for me; namely the western US.  Defining that playground, some of the conditions that the rifle must operate within include a wide temperature range from freezing blizzard to forest fire.  Targets could be anywhere from point blank to 300 yards away.  The gun must run in full daylight, in darkness, and any lighting in between.

The rifle will be carried for 99.99 percent of its life so lightweight and comfort must be considered.  It must be intensely reliable, of common caliber, and have replaceable parts. Finally, it must be as simple as possible but not any more so.  Therefore every part and aftermarket add-on must be worth its weight in survival. So far, this might sound like every other rifle build. The list of jobs this rifle will fulfil include general security, close quarter combat, night patrols, long and short range hunting, 24/7 carry, long range shots, rapid fire, sniping, operating when dry, wet, and abused.

The Platform

Of the three popular actions, pump, bolt and semi-auto, the latter is the one of choice. Being able to repeatedly fire with only one hand is more important than anything the other two actions have to offer.  While the semi-auto may have feeding or ejection issues where the pump and bolt won’t, I am going to take the risk on the semi-auto action.  So as a semi-auto rifle, the next question is what major platform, AK or AR? If AK, then the the two choices are 5.45×39 or 7.62×39. If AR, then it is 5.56/.223 or .308. Frankly, any of the four would be great options so this could be considered a judgement call by the operator. In this case, even though I think the AK platform is the most durable and reliable and I even have time behind the sights of a full auto AK, I am going the AR route due to the proliferation of quality and proven aftermarket add-ons that will suit my Katrina Rifle build needs. Plus I already have a job so I don’t need another job trying to get an AK up to the starting specs of a upper-end AR. This isn’t Mad Max’s world…yet. I have time to do what I want and do it right according to my plan and my preferences. On the caliber front, I have to consider more than just the firepower. I need to think about who will be operating it, how much ammo to carry, and what are the likely targets. In this case, I am going to choose the 5.56 for the same initial reasons the US Military did; more ammo, plenty of power, lighter recoil, and flexibility. So having narrowed the starting point down to the highly predictable AR-15 platform in 5.56/.223, I could now get busy with the rest of Katrina.

The base rifle I chose was a Franklin Armory M4 SBR-L. Why? Because from the moment I held it, I knew it was the gun for me.  The balance was impeccable, the billet receiver was a sensuous beauty, and the handguard was built for human hands. My hands.  I’ve never tried to hid my fondness for the Franklin AR.  It’s a wonderful piece of machinery.  Considering that the rifle may live for hours at a time in my tight grip, I wanted a handguard that my hands approved of and the free float is just icing on the KR cake, as is the fireproof 7075-T6 aluminum. I also ran Katrina tests with my super-basic DPMS Panther, and my Smith & Wesson M&P15 that I tricked out as my horder rifle by loading every cool and shiny (but still functional) accessory into it just to see how it ran.  I tried to keep the DPMS as light, simple, and fluid as possible, and ran the Smith heavy and heavily accessorized knowing full well that the best and least would migrate to my Franklin.

Ten Important Things For A Katrina Rifle:

  1. Sling and Mounts

Imagine wearing the rifle on your back or across your chest for hours on end while you do other tasks and walk great distances. The rifle is slung across your shoulder while you cook, while you carry supplies, and even while you sleep. The sling must be easily adjustable and wide enough to be comfortable. The popular attachment options are clips, quick-detach, and threaded with tri-buckle. Clip connections are the most versatile and just as fast as QDs. While dedicated QD attachment point slings are gaining popularity, they are limited by the number and location of QD ports on the rifle. But there is a solution that gives both clips and QDs equal footing and harnesses the advantages of both. QD attachment swivels with metal ovals or triangles for sling clips are strong and flexible solutions.  I can also attach shoulder pads to the sling including very nice ones procured from high-end computer bags.  Recommendation: Magpul MS3 withGG&G triangular QD rings.

  1. Adjustable Stock

I’ll admit, the telescoping buttstocks are cool. But the practical benefits are great as well. Although long distance shooters turn up their collective noses at easily adjustable stocks because they are less stable than a fixed stock affecting accuracy at the human/gun interface, that is not of concern with a Katrina Rifle. Instead, the rifle must be able to fit a variety of shooter sizes, as well as make itself as small as possible on demand.  Of the popular adjustable buttstocks, Magpul rises to the top of the heap in my opinion.  The next question was which one. I narrowed it to four options in ascending order from simplest to a heavier feature filled; named the MOE, the CTR, the STR and the ACS.

Having run each and every one through some basic paces, I decided on the second from the top, namely the Magpul STR. The STR has more cheek weld than the CTR yet retains the locking or restriction (R) feature.  The STR has less storage than the ACS, but a large chunk of empty real estate in the middle like the CTR is something I like.  It makes an excellent grab point and useful hole for non-standard operations.  The amount of storage in the ACS was an interesting problem to consider.  On the surface, it would seem that more closet space in the stock is better, but what would go in there? A basic parts kit? Batteries? Cleaning supplies? Extra firing pins? More ammo? A compass? Knife? Fire starter?  There is no end to all the survival goodies that could go in there. But a quick reality check shows that the Katrina Rifle is not the place to store supplies.  There are much better storage options.  And while a tiny issue, about half an inch to be exact, the ACS is slightly longer than the STR.  For the pistol grip, I kept the Ergo grip with battery compartment that was OEM on the Franklin.  I like the Ergo over the Magpul, of which I have two for comparison. The Ergo is a wonderful grip and one worthy of consideration. But it certainly won’t make or break the build.  Recommendation: Magpul STR Buttstock

  1. Ambidextrous Charging Handle

The traditional charging handle has worked for many decades so why change it?  Especially with a quality ambidextrous replacement costs from $60 to $90.  But something to consider is that there are three main points of operational activity on the rifle; the magazine, the charging handle, and the trigger. And the other two will be addressed in a moment.  The ambidextrous charging handle does exactly what the OEM charging handle does except from either side, and either side means either hand, either palm, either hip, or either edge of any hard object.  Cycling the bolt and to move a round into battery and to clear jams are the charging handle’s main functions.  Although not as sexy and conspicuous as many other AR parts, the humble charging handle can make or break the rifle.  But here’s one more thing to consider: first, if you are running scope, you might need the extra lateral reach of a wider handle.  And second, non-standard surfaces can be used to charge your AR in emergencies so you might want a non-standard charging handle design that considers the necessary strength and girth to handle such abuse.

The Raptor is more than just an additional paddle on the right. The Raptor was designed from the ground up for superior strength, intense durability, and record-breaking pivot point pin size. If there is a failure, it will be downstream from the Raptor charging handle.  Recommendation: Rainier Arms Raptor Charging Handle

  1. Drop-in Trigger

After market triggers are a costly upgrade.  There’s no doubt about it.  So why spend the money on one for a KR?  Two reasons: pull weight and durability.  On the pull weight side, I wanted something much lower than the off-the-shelf pull. Something in the 3-4 pound range.  Some might think this a little light, but considering anyone from child to grandma must be able to pull the trigger without pulling the sight off the target, that pull weight seemed about right without going so low as to have the rifle fire the moment a finger touched the trigger. Remember, this is a Katrina Rifle so I am less concerned that the rifle will go off too quickly than not at all, or at least not where it should be pointed.  Durability is arguable here since the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) triggers have proven themselves strong.  But that’s when things are running well.  Since the trigger is a rather fragile component of the rifle, as well as one that has been known to go out of tune just when its time to solo.   A few engineering upgrades in the trigger department are welcome here as well as some extra plates of steel or aluminum enclosing the trigger mechanism.

Both Timney and CMC make great drop-in triggers in the weight range I am looking for. Timney makes 3 and 4-pound drop-ins that have a majority of their intestines surrounded by aluminum. And CMC makes a 3.5 pound pull drop-in beast almost completely enclosed in steel. Both attach to the lower with more security than traditional pins offer.  The Timney retails for about $25 more than the CMC, and both are available online and in stores.  On a side note, it seems that some of the enclosed drop in triggers might be infringing on each other’s patents given that some product lines appear then disappear.  Recommendation: CMC 3.5 lb. Drop-in Flat Trigger

  1. Electronic Optic

An electronic optic is always a debatable add-on.  The minimalist crowd will sing the song of simplicity while the tactical troop will want every battery powered advantage.  On my Katrina Rifle, I chose to mount an Aimpoint between my hard sights. The justifications are three-fold because there are undeniable advantages of a red dot over iron sights in many situations, and “Katrina” is one of those situations. 1) Target acquisition is much faster with a red dot especially in dark or obscure conditions. With both eyes open, the red dot floats in the air like a video game sight. Situational awareness increases dramatically over irons especially when eye relief can vary from an inch to a foot. 2) Less skill is needed to aim a red dot compared to lining up a front sight post on a target all through the center of a tiny hole inches from your eyeball. Imagine handing “Katrina” to a friend or family member who has little or no experience with the rifle. And 3) Red dots are so much easier to use than iron sights when injured, shooting from an awkward position, or when also struggling eye issues like smoke, dust, punches or lost glasses. EOTech makes great sights, but for this build, battery life trumps about everything.

So why not Trijicon? One simple and controversial reason: radioactivity.  This is my gun and my decision.  I choose not to wear an optic that emits beta particles, especially when it may reside in the same spot against my spine hour after hour, day after day, and potentially week after week.  I’ve read all the technical literature on the tritium gas tubes within the Trijicon and will agree that under normal use, the amount of radioactivity from the optic is a wash in the big picture. But there are always exceptions to “normal use” and I believe that my Katrina Rifle is one of those exceptions.  My call.  Your mileage may vary.  Recommendation:  Aimpoint Comp or the new T2 Micro

  1. Back Up Iron Sights

The need for BUIS or Back Up Iron Sights had been done to death, but in this case there are two considerations, neither of which is the decision to include them. That was obvious. The first was material. While not running a piston gun, the issue of melting is of concern. What if the front end of the ended up exposed to tremendous heat or fire. Of course if the gun went into a furnace the rest of the Magpul polymer would fail, but ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got bigger problems if the rifle falls out of the frying pan and into the fire.  Recommendation: Magpul MBUS Pro

  1. Weapons Light

Half the day is night, and most building interiors are dependent on artificial light. When Katrina hits the fan, the rifle must operate 24/7, not just when the lighting is good.  The desired qualities of the weapon’s light include immensely durable and watertight body; a blindingly bright beam pushing out at least 500 lumens; a simple I/O interface with pulse control and no strobe; a switch that can be operated with an object or edge as well as a finger or thumb; a small form factor that preserves the clean lines of the handguard; easily mounts and detaches on a Picatinny rail with one hand and without tools so it can double-duty as a flashlight; eats lithium 123 batteries for their long shelf life, long run time, and wide operational temperature range.  I explored a 1000 lumen flashlight installed in a Picatinny rail mount as well as a light/laser combo, and a svelte bright flashlight held in hand.  In the end I decided on a simple, powerful, and small Surefire light. The reasons include 500 lumens, a mounting system that with one hand can be quickly attached and detached from the rail, and a reputation for intense durability.

I’m sorry if I offend anyone, but if this is my last weapons light, I am choosing the best.  And yes, I know there is a similar Surefire with laser, but I used to own one, and as much as I might be considered a Surefire fanboy, I was not excited with the x400 Ultra.  It’s a great light, but the operational interface was not as friendly as I had hoped.  But I will say that using the Streamlight TLR2-Green laser is a pleasant experience.  Frankly, I am not totally sure skipping the laser is the best choice. Besides the durability issues, and the reduced battery life, the laser is larger and has two switches instead of one.  Maybe is there is a heads-up to the Katrina event, I might switch to a laser. Either way, I prefer the under-barrel mount rather than a side or top-barrel mount. The shadow is on upper side and is of little consequence when outdoors. Further, or perhaps more importantly, any reflective light spill of the barrel is on the underside so no bright spots will interfere with targeting or eye night vision.  Recommendation: Surefire x300 Ultra

  1. Stealthy Case

Now these last three considerations are not accessories on the Katrina Rifle, but rather for supporting the Katrina Rifle.  I am done attaching things to the gun so now I will consider the shelter, health, and feeding of the rifle. Let’s start with shelter. Hurricane Katrina was not a surprise. The mistakes causing the WROL were 100% human initiated with everything from city planning, to emergency response, to good old human nature mixing into a perfect storm of Charlie Foxtrot.  Regardless of any updated laws or attitudes, a visible rifle will change the strategy of any observer regardless of what side of the law their body will fall on when things get wet.  Casing your weapon will hide or at least confuse its shape, and some of the better stealth cases add just a couple seconds to gun deployment. Literally, just 2.2 seconds according the Renegade Ridge when describing their Liberator Discrete AR-15 case. There are many discrete case options, with some that look more like something else that others. Popular mimicry includes tennis racquet cases, violin and guitar cases, and non-descript ovaloids that look like unknown something else. I like the 5.11 Tactical COVRT, but if price is no object, then the Renegade Ridge really rocks the boat. The RR is designed for deployment as much as discreteness, and the build quality is off the charts.  Recommendation: Renegade Ridge Liberator Discrete AR-15 Case

  1. A Parts Kit

The health of your gun is a debatable topic. If your survival scenario includes a short but intense duration like Katrina proper, then cleaning and maintenance is not at the top of your list.  But if running your gun over an extended period is a concern, then having a few extra important pieces might be helpful.  Now this might sound like a contradiction since bolt action rifles have performed flawlessly for a century with no more than a light cleaning.  Why would a last-ditch rifle be one that needed spare tires in the trunk?  Very good question, and one I still ask myself.  But the simple answer is that when using a semi-auto action, the number of moving parts increases and the chance of failure increases proportionately.  Sorry about that, but it’s reality.  The path of least resistance is a commercially available parts kit like the Rock River Arms, or CMG, but with Katrina knocking, it’s just the facts mam. Just the facts. The probability of failure with the amount of ammo I plan on carrying is pretty much zero. What’s going to go wrong with a few hundred rounds downrange?  Sure, Murphy is alive and well, but that is really scraping the bottom of the worry bucket.  Recommendation: Rock River Arms

  1. Ammo Solutions

Feeding.  What good is a rifle without ammo? So let’s consider some Katrina options. First, there is the 30 round mag that lives in the basement of the rifle.  Think about it.  Thirty shots is a seriously high number if you are really the good guy with a gun.  But of course nothing goes according to plan.  Especially Katrina events. So my KR is backed up with four more 30 round mags for a total of 150 bangs.  Plenty of anyone on the run.  That averages to five shots a day for a month. Still a lot. The solution is a quality dual-mag pouch. Plain and simple. The pouch can be belt-worn, carried in a pack, or affixed to the rifle sling. I can wedge four 30-round Magpul PMags with Magpul Ranger Plates into a Spec-Ops four mag pouch.  It’s a tight fit, but that’s just added security, right?  I have other mag-holding options, but if I gotta grab just one, the Spec-Ops is it. On a side note, I alleviate my fear of magazine spring compression-memory by loading my 30 rounders with only 20 rounds.  If darkness appears on the horizon, I will pack in the remaining 10 rounds compressing the spring to its maximum.  Unlike many unprepared folks, I prefer to be perpetually two thirds-ready with my Katrina Rifle magazines.

Go? No Go?


Given the amount of time I spend considering what I should have, I discovered several things I don’t need nor want for this very specific rifle. Here is the list of things I tried to implement, but gave up on or felt they weren’t the cost in weight or side effects. I consider the five things to avoid.

  1. The Vertical Grip

I run a VG on my Smith, but that’s all. I noticed that the number of advantages of the VG is smaller than the number of problems it creates if shooting from hip or blasting back and forth without prejudice, then a VC is helpful. But for a full range of shooting positions and a minimum of weight, then the vertical grip can find a home somewhere else.

  1. A Single Point Only Sling

If a paid operator or soldier of fortune is running security for some African warlord, then the single point is ‘da bomb.  But carrying a Katrina Rifle 24/7 needs a traditional sling first, and one that can go all single-point only if needed.

  1. A Sharp Pointed Flash Hider or Muzzle Brake

I’ll admit that there is something cool about a scalloped circle of pointed turrets on the business end of a rifle barrel, but in my non-scientific tests, I found that not only was the so-called .223 muzzle brake excessively loud, but that the sharpness did not add any more fear to the bad guy over the hellish black emptiness of 16 inches of s 5.56mm diameter hole in chrome-lined steel.  Making matters worse, the sharp pointed muzzle break I used snagged and caught on almost every surface the rifle slid on nose first. And trying to slide it into a soft case was at times an exercise in futility.

  1. The Bipod

I’ve never used a bipod that was both lightweight and stable.  It’s always one or the other.  Adding to that the limited number of times when you really need a bipod, my Katrina does not need this piece of jewelry to feel good about herself.

  1. A Scope

There is absolutely no doubt that the use of a multiplying optic increases long range accuracy. But it is also true that the nature of a Katrina Rifle does not lean more towards the long range shots. While sometimes necessary, the multi-hundred yard shots are not the priority.  A scope adds weight.  It limits short range target acquisition.  Unless battery operated, the scope is just as susceptible to darkness as human eyes. And what’s the advantage in that.  Now if things go all good on us, then I’ll be the first to scope up my AR and go hunting, but until then its Aimpoint or iron.

Class is Over

As this apocalyptic exercise comes to a close, I’m satisfied with my creation.  It is certainly not the only route to a Katrina Rifle, but anyone anywhere willing to plan at this level might need a little encouragement since and camaraderie.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: SHTFBlog


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