He is really lucky to have you as a father. Quality time together and a sound training plan. Building that relationship with him now will go a long way on following your advise when he is full of testosterone and prone to do stupid crap.
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Thought for the day:
" Luck is a factor in every fight and tactical operation. Whether a hit is well aimed or lucky is irrelevant. A hit is a hit"
Yesterday was a unusual day on the range with two mechanical failures. The failures occurred in two different handguns, from companies that have been on the market for years. Fortunately, both handguns were pointed in a safe direction and no one was injured.
First, when performing a time sequence and reloading, if you drop the slide and the gun goes off, with you finger off the trigger, there is a mechanical failure. Learn to be aware, don’t repeat that reload, have the same thing happen and then scream for an instructor. Ok?
Second: I have seen this before and it happened to me once on an indoor range. If your finger is off the trigger and your drop the de-cocker and the gun goes off, you have a mechanical failure. That gun is no longer safe to use until repaired by an armorer. I have never, ever, trusted de-cockers after my experience, so, if you have one, point that thing at the floor or ground before engaging the lever.
Training: heavy bag and speed bag.
My KM school is still closed except for private lessons wearing a mask. The BJJ school is still closed. Getting old.
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The number of armed agents you work with who scream for an instructor every time they have a malfunction on the range is astounding. And troubling.
Yes, and, it is getting worse. The feds have gotten away from hiring the military and law enforcement. They concentrate now on IT skills, since cyber warfare is the next battlefield. Seriously, these people have practically no life skills and guns scare the majority of them senseless. As you said, troubling.
We had the false hope of being able to open on the 19th.
Off topic but perhaps of interest to some on this thread.
Visited this a couple of days back and if you are a WW II (Pacific theater) buff - it is quite a treat.
Comprehensive and still very engaging. Before covid, pass was good for 3 days. I don’t doubt one could spend it either. Unfortunately, re-enactment was cancelled due to covid.
Thanks for the information. I will plan a trip in the future. The Pacific War was some of the most brutal fighting in WW11 and well worth learning, (However) it will probably be erased from our history as being racist toward the Japanese.
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Thought for the day:
“That community effort should, of course, be allowing his constituents to defend themselves. Now continued protests, shrinking police presence and restrictive gun policies create a huge void for the average American. Who will protect me?”
Of course, the answer remains the same. Only you can protect you. Only you can be your own first responder.
Things are changing and you have to get training before wrath finds you.
Drill the movements as if the fight of your life were tomorrow.
Dry fire as if every trigger press rescues a loved one held hostage.
Shoulder this burden of responsibility well because regardless of the outcome, your life will be forever changed. On the day that chooses you: your actions, your life, or your death will be determined in seconds and inches. People are counting on you.
Question of the day:
It’s up to you to provide your own security for yourself and your family. Does your training measure up?
The National WW2 museum in New Orleans was very good. Would definitely recommend.
So, my platoon was brought to, and allowed to walk around Iwo Jima, where we took a hike up Mt. Suribachi (where the iconic flag-raising picture was taken). I still have a jar of the black sand from there, and have been able to give a little bit of it to various old Marine vets that I’ve come across, one of whom was a WWII vet (is now deceased) - he didn’t serve on Iwo Jima, but it definitely held special value for him. The coolest part is, we were all allowed to take off our chevrons and leave them at the top of Mt. Suribachi, so my lance coolie’s are still chilliing up there, assuming they haven’t been dislodged from where we stuck them.
I cannot fucking fathom fighting up that sand to the entrenched positions that we saw on there. Incredible.
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I’ll check it out.
Thanks for the heads up.
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Amazing honor for yourself and platoon. I have been to Normandy but not there. It was a very powerful emotional visit for me.
My sincere thanks for doing that.
I thought the same thing at Normandy, you cannot really experience the hell they went through, unless you are standing on the same ground. Also, no matter what you have done in your life, to stand on those hallowed grounds makes you feel insufficient to what those brave men accomplished.
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Thought for the day: Time to reevaluate your awareness. COVID-19 did not kill all the active shooters.
“It was real crazy, because, you know, you can’t do nothing,” Krick said”.
I realize he was upset and probably scared out of his mind, but, train yourself to overcome the “you cannot do nothing mindset”. As I stated many, many times, every time you go anywhere have some type of plan of action. Hope and Wish are not your friends.
And if, for some reason, you can’t protect yourself, you’d want trained police to come to the rescue and not social workers.
Thought for the day:
Street fights are dangerous, unpredictable, and messy. Even in trained personnel, techniques that were fluid in the gym, look like a white belt on the street. I am posting this because, from the short clip, it demonstrates several important points.
I believe she was going for a single leg take down, which @zecarlo and @twojarslave will especially appreciate. I liked the focused determination of her counter attack and especially those knee strikes. She showed excellent awareness by leaving the scene as soon as the attacker was no longer a threat. Never know if the attacker had friends or maybe she was already wanted by the police))). Anyway, she showed the single minded determination to win, and, that’s a lesson for all of us.
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It looks like a school to me. It bothers me that there are quite a few people around, but nobody intervenes when it looks like the girl is getting roughed up. But, at the end when she’s kicking his ass, it looks like somebody on the left wants to intervene, and someone even chases after her when she runs off.
I’ve often wondered if I’m just wired a bit different or if my 1980’s rural Indiana upbringing is why I’m always ready to jump into something like that. Regardless, almost every bar fight I was involved in plays out the same way. People will film, cheer scream and do anything that doesn’t involve any risk of harm.
My favorite is when I’ve got the guy subdued, I’m clearly not beating him up and then the “bro rush” begins, with half a dozen drunk morons who know the moron I just wrestled, acting like they are in charge of the situation.
All kinds of schoolyard psychology comes into play during a scrap. At this point I’m convinced that the majority of men’s primary motivation in situations like this is to not look stupid. I think this weighs more heavily than any fear of injury. Guys want to look and feel as though they are in control, even if it is pure illusion. Better to preserve the fantasy that protects the ego than to subject it to reality.
Thought for the day:
"No one loves the warrior until the enemy is at the gate” – unknown
I first started noticing this phenomena in shooters several years ago when electronic sights had become standard issue for troops and LEO’s. I have stated before that the use of electronic optics has been a tremendous benefit to accurate shooting. However, I am now encountering individuals who have never used anything but electronics and their ability to scan their environment has actually decreased. This is especially apparent in room clearing drills, where tango targets are commonly missed clearing a room. As the instructor below states, it’s hard to view the world through a toilet paper roll.
During daylight on the square range, this concept is not as noticeable, but when twilight falls you see hits drop. Change locations to a room clearing structure and it gets even worse. You must train yourself to see as much as possible. You can be the most accurate and well trained shooter in your field, but, it does you no good if you miss a tango and get shot in the back of the head.
For those of you who use optics on your home defense weapon, take the time to clear your house. Learn to see what is really there, not, just look. I cannot offer you advice and where you should carry your carbine on your shoulder, every human body is different. You will need to find your sweet spot of correct height, without constantly looking through your optic.
Electronic sights and quality scopes are very expensive, often costing more than the weapon they are mounted on. Below is a list of quality scopes that will not require a second mortgage. The list was made primarily for police departments, but, if you are thinking of buying a quality scope, it is a good place to start your research.
Another opinion:
One of the biggest problems that I encounter with both experienced and non-experienced students in CQB is that they move into rooms with their eyes buried into optics or slightly above. To my observations this is one of the most consistent errors I see even in the professional circles, and I believe that its source is due to inexperienced instructors receiving implicit knowledge from movies or from a dude who heard from a dude – reticle + target = success. Not always.
´ll state the obvious: The average distance for CQB engagement is below 10 meters and commonly ends up at the 3 meters away from a threat. With that being said, things happen quick & up close which commonly results in two major factors that have a huge effect on the human performance in CQB and that should be considered: Lack of time and visual field of view, since we need that critical data and target discrimination.
Viewing the world through a toilet paper roll will result not only in missing vital visual information’s such as that extra door behind a closet, or an innocent looking Tango holding a folding knife – but it normally results in accidents such as the wingman shooting the shoulder or elbows of the pointman since he could not get that visual data under acute stress response . in pistols its even more fragile and reckless. From experience with Police officers, commonly the wingman or the guy in the back will experience a target fixation and will flag the shit out of his partner head or body from the depth (aka from behind) to sight fixation effect. In addition to that, tripping over obstacles, derbies, kids, or other obstacles that are quite low and won’t be visible if you will be a reality when you reduce your field of view into a toilet paper tube
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I know it is simmunition and not live ammo, but when I have done cqb training with sims for work I have noticed I don’t use my sights too much at all. I have the rifle shouldered in proper position and all that, but I tend to look over the top of whatever optic I am running rather than through it. Still get the hits, but like your post above says, cqb engagements tend to be within 10 meters - at that range anyone who has had decent training and thrown a decent amount of lead downrange can practically point and shoot (my humble opinion, not claiming to have ‘The Secret’ or anything). Pretty sure I do the same with pistol, but can’t say definitively.
Yes, I agree , same with me. I have went through many room drills and after it was over, never remembered using my sights. No Jedi powers involved, just instinctively knowing where the bullet will go. Most untrained people will call bullshit on that statement. I am sure you remember the early model MP5’s with the fixed stocks and long suppressors, 3 round burst selector, those large front sights with the big ring. Damn, you could see good with that weapon. Would not feel naked in a house with one today.