Category : Opion

Stay True

DC Reed/Director

The Traditions/institutions from generations past anchor us to our joint history and secure our destiny.

We can move, pivot, and swing along the lines of whatever current waves comes our way, anchored securely, while still remaining steadfast to what built us as a nation.

But cutting this chain sets us adrift. Going too rapidly for the sake of ‘change’ without due consideration of consequence sounds bold, but is in fact immature and reckless.

We are in danger of being adrift without a compass. Wayard with no way to navigate back to safety. When we dispose of all that is traditional we begin to devalue the ties that bind us one to the other. we become a gaggle of self-involved individuals and not a team, or a nation.

Future generations watching us closely learn that there is nothing permanent and no rock on which to build. Everything is permeable and words are but written on beach sand.

Then people wonder loudly why our traditions and institutions fail us.

I say stick with the tried and true. As corny as our joint institutions sometimes are – reinforce them and pass on to your children what made you feel safe and secure.

Give them a rock. Make words into steel and stone.

When times are very, very dark for them the glow of these memories will give them hope and strength and bring them close to you in their hearts.

Remember.

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Outdoor People

DC Reed/Director

It has been my privilege to live most of my life out of doors. From a 1960’s Boy Scout forward through hunting, fishing, camping, and yes, government service.

I have spent some fine times sleeping on the ground in some incredibly awful places tempered by the equally incredible people I was with.

It seems I have always found myself standing or sitting around a drowning campfire, freezing in a …stand, or being boiled alive in a punishing sun. Commiserating with men of such gravitas, as the day got worse, as the collective mood began to sour, their humor got better. Or bawdier!

Bad jokes, tobacco, good food, bone handled pocket knives, very bad food, and of course often very strong coffee. I was humbled just to be with them.

It is with these years spent in such company while on a range, or in harms way, or in the pursuit of game that you form a bond, that those unfamiliar with such a lifestyle will not understand and will very often devalue.

It is in my mind the most acute way of leading a participatory life; a life spent in motion not merely in the passing of days, but in seeing the worth in every wild and hairy minute!

It is through such associations and adventures I formed the metric by which I have, often unknowingly and maybe unfairly, measured the people around me to this day.

Sadly, many of those I learned from are now gone. Happily, many are people I still walk around the woods and rifle ranges with today.

So- Here’s to the out door people of substance and worth! People unconfused by the moral and ethical static around us all today. Men and women you want your kids to hang around.

And hope there’s some rubbing off happening.

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CCW Tips And Tactics, Part II

DC Reed/Director

Part II

Choosing a CCW Weapon

The choice of a good CCW firearm is ultimately a personal concern and based on your abilities. Some people prefer the simplicity of a good revolver, but the thickness of even a .38 caliber can make it harder to conceal. Semi-automatics are slimmer to a degree and often easier to hide on your body, but require a bit more training and familiarity depending on the exact make and model.

Most firearms that are easy to conceal will be smaller with shorter barrels and lighter weights. While easy to conceal they will not be as accurate, probably have very minimal sights, and if too light may be hard to control more than for the first shot. This can create a good deal of concern unless your target is very close or you train a great deal.

Firearms that are a bit larger with longer barrels will be more versatile, easier to shoot effectively, and more accurate. They will have better sights, generally better trigger pulls, and with the right gear still be concealable. Weight and size of the weapon become the factor here, so your decisions as to belt, holster, and concealing garments are more critical. The key factor to concealing a larger firearm is not barrel length, but the length and thickness of the grip or butt. Long, squared off firearm grips print easily when you are moving or bent over.

So, when considering a specific weapon, some things to consider:

• a) Can you grip the weapon properly with one hand? Can you effectively grip the weapon as high as possible on its backstrap? The higher in your hand you can hold the weapon, the more efficient, the more controlled, and more accurate the firing sequence will be. Does the weapon feel too heavy or off balance? (if so- you may not carry it as often. Understand, however, the more heft to a well balanced weapon generally the less the perceived recoil.) A too light weapon may be hard to control and thus lose efficiency while firing. A too heavy or imbalanced weapon may be too hard to hold effectively on target.
• b) Can you obtain a good purchase on the trigger with the first pad of your index finger and hold the weapon securely with one hand? Can you smoothly press the trigger fully through to its break efficiently and without jerking? A ‘good’ trigger is a bit hard to define and somewhat individual in nature. Also Single Action triggers (Colt 1911/ Browning P35), Striker Fired triggers (Glock, S&W M&P) and Double Action triggers (Beretta, Sig Sauer, most revolvers) all have very different mechanisms and the merits/faults of their respective triggers should be compared.) Generally though, a good trigger is first – no ‘longer’ than necessary, no more ‘heavy’ (hard to pull) than necessary, and have no more ‘over-travel’ (movement after the shot breaks) than necessary. Then, during follow through, have as short a ‘reset’ as possible.
• c) Does the weapon have functional easy to see (for your eyes) sights? Just bright paint or colored sights do not equate with being easy to pick up under stress. Pay particular attention to the front sight. During a proper draw stroke and presentation, does the front sight stand out against various backgrounds? In all lighting conditions?
• d) Are there readily available parts and accessories, particularly magazines and quality holsters? Buying the latest thing may mean no specific holster being offered for months.
• e) With a proper two handed grip and good quality ammunition, is the weapon and caliber controllable during realistic firing conditions? There is a tradeoff between ‘comfortable’ and ‘comforting’, meaning it may be easy to fire but of an inferior caliber/bullet configuration that won’t adequately protect you. Go for the most powerful weapon you can fire accurately – and to a somewhat lesser degree, rapidly. (A person might fire one shot from a .44 magnum accurately enough, but their follow-up shots are very slow.)
• f) Does the weapon have a reputation for reliability? Some guns seem to require constant attention from an armorer. Others have established records for firing hundreds or thousands of rounds without a hiccup. Do your research, and pay particular attention to tests with military style weapons and police contracted weapons.
• g) Last but ABSOLUTELY NOT least- accuracy. If you cannot hit with it- get rid of it! Assuming you’ve had training and know the fundamentals of an accurate shot, and given you’ve tested a variety of ammo (and absent a hard dedication to master that one gun) you must understand that some weapon/ammo combos are just not for you.

I have had students who desperately wanted to be a 1911 45 ACP shooter but were never quite able to match the accuracy and speed they achieved readily with a Glock 9mm.

My advice, learn to love the gun you can reliably hit with. A well placed set of shots -on target and on time – beats poor and late performance, but with a cool gun, every time!

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