Ammo is gettin' scarcer and scarcer

Man, this is getting rough. I'm sure its pretty much the same across the country: there's very little ammo to be had right now, and I'm betting the reason, again, stems from the Gummint. There was a rumor last week that all imported ammo had been banned by Executive Order. I searched for almost a week and can find no proof of it, but apparently consumers are not willing to take the chance and are scarfing up ammo like Pac-Man on one of the magical blue pills in the corner. What he's doing with those blue pills is a topic for another time.

The Obamanation Administration hasn't seemed to figure out that they're driving all of this every time one of their loudmouth figureheads steps up and makes a comment about guns or gun control. Every time they hint at it, it causes a whole 'nother wave of buying and supplies dry up. Again. It doesn't help that Wal Marts all over this area appear to be willing to sell all their ammo shipments to one of the local dealers or their employees. I generally don't like rationing, but if it has to be to spread product around as much as possible, that's what should happen. It doesn't do any good for shooting around here to sell a bunch of guns that can't be fed. Its not healthy for the sport, which could grow with match shooting, training, and all that goes with it.

Zerobama has been the greatest gun salesman the country's seen in quite some time; certainly much better than Clinton ever was. The "leadership" in Congress is watching what's going on, and I think they realize what's happening. The Obamanation didn't get a supermajority of voters. In fact, he didn't break even and won on Electoral College votes. This was not a Reagan-style landslide. So, while there's quite a bit of Hope for the Change of the Hope of the Change, there are plenty of pissed off gun owners, and a large number of them are new gun owners. Now that most of the campaign promises have proven to be as valuable as dust and the Marxism that we know Teleprompter Jeebus believes in is starting to show, gun control legislation is a bad, bad idea. The Speakers of the House and Senate both know that it's the third rail, and came out against it publicly. That doesn't mean they've changed their minds, it means they've realized that they could easily lose the House and Senate again, with the Presidency a short while after that. They know they're just lucky that a true Conservative didn't get nominated in the last election.

If you haven't already, make sure your representatives know where you stand on gun control, and join a group that can lobby for your rights, be it the NRA, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Gun Owners of America, Second Amendment Foundation, Citizen's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, or any others. There are more, and Google will bring 'em up. We've got to be vigilant and make our voices heard. I recently joined the NRA again, and will be looking into others. Now's the time to kick some ass!

Combat Focus Shooting: what's different here?

I've been pondering this question for a couple of days now, and I don't have a good answer. I was watching Wednesday Night at the Range on The Outdoor Network-might as well, there's rarely anything else worth watching on Wednesdays-and caught the "Best Of" episode that was the season finale of Shooting Gallery. That episode centered on Rob Pincus' Combat Focus Shooting.

I watched it in hopes of finally finding out what was different, other than a couple of shooting positions, about CFS. Looks to me like it's no different, except for a couple of TTP's, than the way everybody should be doing it anyway: thumbs forward isosceles. Don't jerk the trigger. They don't focus on the front sight, which is different from the way the best shooters in the world are taught, but the show didn't go into what to focus on instead.

Basically, I'm trying to figure out what's different and better about CFS than the way the best combat shooters in the world are trained. I'm not seeing it. Additionally, I don't see a reason to listen to what Rob Pincus has to say in contrast to what Larry Vickers, Kyle Lamb or Pat Rogers does. I know their backgrounds. Rob Pincus' background is a lot less clear.

Obama's War

I didn't intend to blog on politics today, and as both of the readers of my blog have probably noticed, I have avoided commenting on the new administration because I know I don't have anything good to say. However, watching the news this morning, the war in Afghanistan has become a hot topic, and it concerns me deeply.

The administration is planning a surge in troops there. They've been talking about that for months, at least. That's not news. What is news if you look deeper is that they're trying to do it all the wrong way. They're talking about increasing the number of troops there dramatically. Heard that before? They're talking about mechanizing it, bringing in tanks and other armor. Sound familiar? They're planning to bring in infantry is large numbers. Does that ring a bell?

What's the problem here? More troops means more fighting ability in the battle space, doesn't it? The Soviets used somewhere between 80,000 and a little over 100,000 troops there, most of which were conventional infantry (the 40th Army, IIRC). They brought tanks and armored personnel carriers, artillery and lots of trucks. They ended up leaving quite a lot of it there, too.

This isn't a conventional war. The conflict in Afghanistan is Unconventional Warfare. As such, and as was already proven by the take down of the country in a matter of weeks, it is a mission that is the very definition of a Special Forces mission. Not the CIF, not any other direct action unit, but a straight up, textbook Special Forces mission.

If you're not familiar with what SF does, their job is Unconventional Warfare, including FID (Foreign Internal Defense) and creating insurgencies. Their tasking is to either stabilize or destabilize a country and either foment or put down rebellion, depending on the situation. These are the guys that, along with the Northern Alliance, took down the Taliban in a matter of weeks. According to most accounts from people who were there, the reason that OBL and the Taliban weren't crushed completely is that conventional forces got involved and didn't let SF do what they do. See the books Ghost Wars, Masters of Chaos, and The Mission, The Men and Me.

Nations continue to get in the way of what they do well. This is no exception. We have the perfect force to fight this war, and aren't allowing them to run with it. Now, to be fair (I know, its hard to believe I'm saying that), this situation didn't unfold entirely on the watch of the Obamanation. They are, however, going to be the ones that perpetuate it. Why is that? Well, because he has no experience and has surrounded himself with cronies and Clinton administration retreads.

Increasing the number of troops isn't the answer. Decreasing them might be, if the Powers What Be would allow the organization most able to do this job to do it completely. Unfortunately, there are bureaucrats that won't allow that to happen, because it doesn't make them look good. And then it's political business as usual, rather than selling out to win the fight. In the end, I'll blame the Obamanation. Again.

Foot in Mouth disease: the Obamanation is at it again

I can't say that I'm at all surprised that BHO has made more stupid statements in a few months than most Presidents have made in a year, but I find it interesting that even the developmentally disabled are calling him out on it. Now, make no mistake: he's still getting the world's supply of Kid Gloves Treatment (KGT), but there's the beginning hints of a backlash comin'. I always figured that the Press, who think they're the smartest dumb people in the world, would not tolerate having an even dumber smart person as the Stumbler in Chief. BHO, by the time he's done, will prove to be the President that takes the cake for being arrogant and incompetent, as well as being overexposed.

C'mon, I gotta hear what his NCAA brackets are on ESPN a short time after hearing from his camp that he's "overwhelmed"? And how come he hasn't mandated a college football playoff system yet? Ya got a lot of work to do, BHO. Don't do something moronic like trying to push gun control again when your side of the problem created the mess we're in. I dare you to try to be non-partisan and find a solution that doesn't include your tax and spend current policy.

Taken: This Cool Movie is Haji Approved

Went and saw Taken this afternoon. I guess I was a little surprised that it was still in the theaters, but it point of fact, there isn't much else out there. Already saw "Watchmen". Other than being a little taken aback by the nudity in a movie about superheroes, it was very "meh" to me. Taken, however, had something that seems to be a bit of a trend these days: the somewhat older guy gettin' mad and kickin' teeth in. Taken is one of those movies, except for one thing that Hollywood got wrong. Again.

One thing that older heroes know that younger ones don't is that they understand support and networking. Check out "Burn Notice". The 40 something former spy relies on people that he sometimes doesn't like because he knows he needs help. Older dudes have spent a lot of years, even just by virtue of being on the planet for a longer amount of time, developing a network of contacts in a whole range of different areas. The father in Taken, a CIA "preventer" (probably in the paramilitary branch; the dudes that took down the Taliban with 5th SFG), had been places and done things that developed a specific set of useful and deadly skills over his career. He was a skilled man among skilled men. And therin lies Hollywood's mistake. Again.

Without giving too much away, the father in the movie goes to France to find the daughter that was kidknapped there. The thing is, he did it alone. This guy had a group of experienced bad asses that he'd worked with for years. He called one and got a modo intel dump. He made contact in Europe with a couple guys that were still in the biz but were behind desks now. And yet, he went about the investigation and splitting of wigs by himself.

This is a problem for me. I have several very good friends with kids. If somebody were stupid enough to take my friend's kids, all I'd need was a call or a text. "Meet me here, bring heat". I'd be out the door as soon as it took to grab the gear bag. I pray a day like that never comes, but what must be must be. Don't mess with my friends and their kids.

I guess the reason the movie was made the way it was that if they'd done it the way it should have gone, dude would have rolled up in Paris with a couple Para branch dudes and a couple recently retired CAG guys, and the movie would have been over in just about an hour and 15 minutes; 48 hours in real time. The flick they made was supposed to be over the course of 96 hours. The old dude was sandbaggin', I guess.

Dangit, I hate winter

Yeah, winter reared its ugly head again and rained out the IDPA match I was all psyched to shoot today. It wasn't the rain; we still woulda shot anyway. The problem is that the targets (IDPA targets are cardboard with scoring rings embossed on 'em) basically dissolve on the target stands in the rain. The fairly important head zone wilts and falls over. I kinda think that makes it more realistic, but its tougher to score, I guess. lol!

We were standing around talking while waiting for the rain to stop or slow down or pour somewhat less, and somebody said they had heard the solution for this particular problem: dry cleaning bags. They're cheap and easy to replace. Ya just lift 'em up to paste the targets and replace 'em when they get too torn up to see the A-zone. If we'd have known that ahead of time, we'd have shot the match, and I would have qualified below whatever the minimum passing score was. :)

Something to consider in a carry gun

My friend and coworker Matt made an interesting point today in regards to carry guns. I've already thought the topic through, but he put it in an interesting light that made me check my thinking.

Obviously, people are becoming unhinged in this sluggish economy. There have been several high profile multiple murders in the past couple of weeks, which will undoubtedly have the opposite effect that they should: instead of making it easier for citizens to defend themselves, we all know that if Congress introduces any legislation, it will be to restrict the lawful use of guns, rather than to simplify things. They should be thinking in terms of allowing people access to the best tools and carrying methods to defend themselves.

Be that as it may, the point is that carrying a gun can be a lifesaver; not only you and yours, but potentially several other people's as well. So, consider this: if that happens, and some nut job starts lighting up the Wal Mart parking lot while you're there, do you want the small, easily carried pocket gun like a Kel Tec, or do you want the more difficult to carry but far easier to work with real fighting gun? If you have to, at the drop of a hat, switch on and return fire, what tool do you want in your hands to get to it with?

The chances of needing to do so are admittedly slim, but it's certainly more of a possibility than it's ever been. The world hasn't been a safe place since...well, ever..., even here at home. With situations getting worse and a political hack who owes the Unions and the far left in the Oval Office, the promised Eutopia isn't going to happen, and the people who are gruntled now will get disgruntled in short order. At that point, it may very well be time for good men to raise the black flag, spit on their hands and start closing accounts. If you carry, you may very well be in that position at some point. When the balloon goes up and you have to make a 75 yard shot from under your car across the parking lot, what do you want to have in your hands: the tiny, easy to hide, small caliber pocket gun, or a real fighting gun in a serious social caliber? That's a decision you're going to have to come to grips with.

Nothin'.

I'm leading a very boring life these days. More often than not, I'm working six day work weeks, with the remaining day being spent doing things like wash and dishes. That doesn't leave a lot of interest to blog about. The only interesting thing on the horizon is an IDPA match next week.

The match director is a retired 5th Group CIF guy who shoots like a house afire, according to my friend who's shot with him. With his experience, the course of fire should be really interesting and fun. I'm really looking forward to it, even though I'll be lucky to finish in the middle of the pack. I did a bit of work today at the range to prepare, but was only there for an hour before having to leave to go to work.

I even joined the IDPA today. There are lots of things about IDPA that don't thrill me, like reloads with retension and courses of fire that don't take advantage of the AWB sunsetting, but I understand why that wasn't changed. My MnP mags are 17 rounds. If stages were set up that took that into account, you'd have to shoot a case of ammo to do a match. I haven't figured out the way around that yet that works more or less universally, but I haven't given up on thinking about it yet.

I just really hate the idea of time applying to an administrative reload. The only time to do that is when you're not actively engaged, not under fire, and not in immediate threat of contact. When that time comes, you have some time to work with. Otherwise, shoot to slide lock and speed reload. It seems to me that its a match device now to influence the complexity of the course of fire, rather than a test of the application of the skill. I watched a lot of video of IDPA matches, and there's a faster way to do that (which is how I'll do it), but it's not how it's taught by gunfightin' schools. Guess we'll see which way I do it under match pressure. I'm sure that's how I'm gonna end up in the middle...if I'm a little lucky.

WTH?

Why am I still awake at 3:13 a.m.? I have a comp day today, but I think I'm gonna waste half of it sleeping! That's it; I'm off to bed!

Deez is teh awesumz

Variations on the lolcat theme, with Barack Hussein Obama as the source of comedy. He's going to be providing a lot of this in the future, so you need to keep track of this site starting now:
IMAO