Saturday, May 12, 2018

work for baubles 1 of 4


WORK FOR BAUBLES

This article is in response to a comment I’ve gotten more than once, in essence telling me I need to go get a better job so that I might have the illusive ever sought after “better gun”.  There are so many issues with this statement that I just knew it would make great blog blather.  Let’s start out with proficiency in a martial profession.  Now, normally I don’t like using the military for any kind of lesson in survivalism, since you are better off doing the exact opposite. 

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( So many paranoid types looking for black helicopter tails completely miss the fact that Uncle Sam trains soldiers to die, not how to live.  George Washington was a elitist puke who felt a soldiers duty was to line up and bravely be shot, rather than skulking in the woods like a savage, and our government has barely changed its attitude towards poor cannon fodder since.  To get the job of war done right, most planning is done for victory through death.  Patton aside, military officers think they are Mars gift to the profession and enlisted men are brutish and uneducated cretins who literally deserve to die for their inferiority ).

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But in this case I think we can learn a thing or two on their training.  They are giving the plastic pipe dream of every prepper, the M-16 or derivative thereof, and they cannot do much with it unless they get a crap ton of training with it.  The gun itself?  It don’t mean much without training.  Now, let’s move away from American Imperial Troops, with all its hubris and technological blindness and quite plainly their worthlessness without a nuclear arsenal protecting its ass, and look at all of recorded history.  What have soldiers done for the last few thousand years?  They had a job of training every day. 

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Plenty of soldiers train by a politically correct manual, learning nothing.  Plenty only train as national policemen, an instrument of political suppression, and know little about military fighting.  Plenty are just part of a mass of spear holders, available as an impressive number but with no skill.  But the normal soldier mostly trains all day.  That is their job.  Even if it is only to hone discipline or fitness, if you aren’t training almost every day, you won’t be effective on the field of battle.  You could win, but you probably won’t. 

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As a potentially more relatable example, look at someone who cooks.  More than likely, you had some exposure as a child, an apprenticeship as it were, learning while doing grunt work,  and then practiced every day at least once if not more in your own kitchen.  You eventually got around to buying the best tools for the job, but they were not what made you a good cook.  Training and practice were.  The better tools HELPED you, but they did not make you better on their own.  And even with years of practice, you still incrementally improved all the time.  You can tell the difference between a life long cook who is a wizard and a decade long cook who is great but not yet magical.

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A soldier trained for a year or two has really only trained for one thing.  He has trained enough to increase his probabilities of surviving his first combat experience.  That is it.  Then of course things go much quicker, as your little Darwinist playground doesn’t grant the luxury of time.  Where does equipment come into play?  It increases your odds.  A better rifle that can hit your opponent from further away of course increases your odds of reducing the amount of firepower coming your way.  It is rather important, but like a cooks tools it is of secondary importance.

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An experienced hunter with a average rifle will still get game.  A poor hunter with a superior rifle still won’t get dingus, except by accident ( and speaking of hunting, I’ll remind you of a loyal minions comment that hunting is probably your best training for the apocalypse, as animals are far better at detecting your ass than a human is.  Close quarters hunting is going to serve you better than paying for a tactical course, more than likely.  And it is a lot cheaper and available on your schedule ).  A trained man with superior weapons is going to be a hard opponent to best.  Joe Blow with a superior weapon will eventually get there, IF he survives enough conflicts.

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Now, having said all that, I’m going to say that your average survivalist is all weapon and no training.  There are plenty more adventurous, daring and dedicated than I.  I’m more of an academic.  Analytical rather than experienced.  Ivory tower rather than hands-on.  But I don’t even think your average prepper even does THAT ( devotes a lot of brainpower to potential problems, identifies new problems, etc. ).  I think prepping for 95% is shopping.  They argue endlessly over the best equipment.  Any training mentioned at all is important, but very incomplete ( trigger control, shooting range time ).  If it is mentioned much past the performance of the rifle.

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And you know what?  I have no problem with that.  I think this is normal.  Survivalists are not soldiers.  What I have a problem with is unrealistic expectations after little or no training.  It is okay to not be an expert.  It really is.  The fact you are pulling a paycheck and raising kids is all the proof you need that you are good at SOME things.  Don’t be a dick and pretend to have mad skills in other endeavors you realistically know nothing about.  That is exactly the reason I despised officers in the military.  They were very competent bureaucrats and very little else.  But they were also trained to pretend ( or, trained to demand we pretend ) to be able to lead.  No big deal, right?  It is only my life you are humping with!

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In your case, pretending to be a super ninja warrior, you might only put yourself in danger.  But what if you are putting MY life in danger?  Far better to self assess your true abilities and NOT pretend.  I’d rather have someone who knows what they don’t know cover my back than a cocky ignoramus.  It is okay not to know how to fight, as long as you know that.  Much too often nowadays, everyone thinks acting assertive and confident is the same as acting that way because you’ve earned the right to be that way.  I contend that most survivalists don’t know dingus about fighting, and hence should try to avoid it as often as possible.  Continued tomorrow.

END ( today's related link https://amzn.to/2I9zUWn )
 
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40 comments:

  1. Yes, know your limitations, also know limited resources-back up (l.e.o.'s are not on your side), and not having full knowledge of intel of situation or incident at hand. If a second or two allows for thinking it over then a pull back or alternative course may be better. Unless life and death right then and there it behooves the "survivalist" to be the stealth ghost and fade into the background. Better to live through it all being old guy on the porch, than to be a grave marker.

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    1. But, of course, that pre-grave marker looked so cool pimpin up for battle, yo!

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    2. Right. I'm practicing to be Mr Invisible. Currently I'm that dood on the porch but when the time comes no one will know where I'm at....until it's too late to do anything about it.

      The hunting/training comparison only works if you are hunting animals that can kill you. If a deer sees you before you see it, or your shot misses, no big deal, just try again. Do that with a brown or grizzly and you may not get a 2nd chance. Skin in the game as it were.

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    3. I'd much rather practice on a deer first, becoming undetectable, THEN graduate up to wild boar that could ruin my day :)

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    4. “THEN graduate up to wild pig that could ruin my day :)”



      I’d appreciate it if you would keep my ex-wife out of this, thanks :D

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  2. Great article, I can only confirm the bit about hunting being the best training for the post-collapse environment, a good fellow in Oz demonstrated close-quarters hunting with a hunting bow and he could show results. However, this was his main focus, and there were hundred little habits he had accumulated over the course of time.

    I remember that in army training books there is mention of camouflage, motion etc. for about threee paragraphs and with two pictures. But that guy focused on that for years, experiencing frustation as hours long apporaches where ruined by one thing or another.

    Army training books are usefull in that they introduce you to the concept, but past that you have to figure it out by yourself, and this only comes through training.

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    1. And the army trains about as good as its books.

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  3. Another thing I wanted to say is that we have very limited free time to train anything. It might seem evident, but we train when we actually do stuff. Everyday use is good training !

    As for myself, I'd rather manufacture some stuff on my own than train for fighting. Before I got sick I used to sew stuff for friends (such as costumes, or ammo pouches), custom-made stuff is always much more appreciated than generic stuff you buy (or, more to the point, can't afford to buy). Now that sewing skill is something that get me involved in a lot of different microtransactions in a post-collapse environment (honestly I don't see the opportunities for gold coins, as Jim the Gloriously Haired said gold coins will only lead you to torture and death).

    Yeah if a guy wants trouble I have a gun, and I regularly go to the range with it, but yeah it's as basic as I think it'll get. I thus have no need for a *special* gun of any kind, because I'm in no way special.

    This is why I insist onthe "No-Skill Approach", your firearm must be super easy to use for anybody in your group. Any semi-auto firearm are not fit for that (I guess we all saw horrors in safety and handling at any gun range).

    The break-open shotgun is IMHO the simplest to use, followed by the revolver and the bolt-action.

    The .22LR bolt-action rifle is IMHO too demanding in terms of accurate shooting, and thus doesn't fit in the "No-Skill Approach".

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    1. I'm with you on the simplistic guns, but I will argue that in my experience using all types of different firearms, I've gained the most proficiency in the least time with a rimfire. A lot of that has to do with ammo cost and no recoil, granted. As for training, exactly. If it isn't your full time job, 99% of us won't do it.

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    2. I recall an old John Wayne western (The name escapes me?) in which the Duke and his group were heading off into a battle of sorts. One of the group was a shitty shot, and couldn’t hit anything. They got him a shotgun and sawed it off, much like what Max had in the road warrior. That seems like a more realistic and practical approach to the situation. Of course range is limited, but this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem, as most gunfights are fought at relatively close range. A riot type shotgun with a pistol grip is a compact weapon. Do yourself a favor and put a sling on it, and ideally, have the barrel ported as well.

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    3. I don't know. Obviously, if you are looking for trouble, sure. But if you want more range as a safety factor? Then you are stuck with only one choice of short range. It would work if you only had a defensive role. Or really lush vegetation.

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    4. The name of that John Wayne movie was:

      El Dorado.

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    5. If it's a pump when you cut the barrel you cut the magazine as well. What good is a 3 shot shotgun? Like that ridiculous thing Tubbs toted in Miami Vice. It'll get your ass kilt quicktime.

      Yes, I've heard that old say about gunfights being 25' and such. In the hood...between bangers...that hold their heater sideways....with shitty ammo.

      I don't go where bad guys hang and if they come around and I have to shoot em I don't want their dead carcasses on my land, and no I ain't draggin nobody anywhere. So, yeah, they'll be a lot farther than 25' when they take that dirt bath.

      You guys should think more about the "mission" than anything else when evaluating which firearm is necessary.

      I can't think of much use at all, outside recreational, for a single shot shot gun.
      It might save your life for 2 seconds, but why?
      You're still going to be killed or slaved.

      Think big -like you deserve it, think real - like you live it.

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    6. Apparently my comment came out the wrong way. You were talking about the need to constantly train in order to be an effective soldier, and which I took to mean that you meant was quite unrealistic. I proposed a solution that would require less training, but will add at least some effectiveness to a defensive situation. Buckshot will reach out to around 80 yards, enough to take down a deer.

      As far as firefights go, I’m the minion that always posts that the only folks that will survive a collapse are those that are as far out as one can go, avoids the maximum amount of people as possible, and never engages in a gunfight, unless they made a really bad choice somewhere along the line.

      Elko minion

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    7. You took it the right way. I was under the impression buckshot was more like half that range effectively, which explains my confusion. Great minds think alike, but we still confuse each other :)

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    8. GS-a single shotgun is good for ambush. Used to good effect against revenuers. Not so hot in open combat.

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    9. Single-shot shotgun is a "no worry" weapon when you have to drop it behind a rock and pick up a shovel to transform into a farmer.

      12 ga slug against body armor at close range will break ribs and bruise heart, maybe kill without penetration. Gabe Suarez had video of clay dummy with deep dent in chest after being shot through armor.

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  4. Y'all know that is why I high recommend bow hunting for learning those skills. It is a very cheap way to train in the art of stealth. Just find a red neck bow Hunter in your area and beg to be a minion brush beater for him.
    Much safer than during gun season too !

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    1. You were the one that originally brought it up, yes? And you've been in combat. I'd trust your judgment in these matters-experience AND wisdom from age.

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  5. Have more money dosen't always equal better stuff. In fact, I've seen really bad decisions made with people way better off then me.

    Remember back when gas first really spiked around 2006? Going to almost $5 a gallon?

    My neighbor sold off their pickups & SUV and bought 2 small lunchbox cars.

    When gas prices felled back to around $2 a gallon, they gave the cars to their kids and bought all new SUVs.

    More money never get's better stuff, just more expensive stuff.

    A S&W AR MP15 Sport isn't good enough for $500! No, I need a LaRue ($5K) or at least a Daniels Defense($3K) and areal red dot like an ACOG for $2K, not a primary Arms for $150!

    Who needs a used truck when I can get a $50K SUV! A $5000 shed on 5 acres of land? Forgetaboutit! I need a 5,000sqft hunting lodge on at least 200 acres!

    I've never seen anyone that dosen't make big money that dosen't buy better, but always the best they can afford!

    (All on credit, of course.)

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    1. Why buy a nice used $15k travel trailer to live in when a new pretty one cost $55k? Few have even half a brain in their head.

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  6. Let them buy those land yacht trailers. Collapse time they will be relieved of them and told to start walking, or else. Park it in your dirt lot in the next county over, re-paint/disguise/pull off plates/cover over for permanent placement, and done. Shelter was bought for you. The americaners have bought/imported so much stuff that there will be a glut as the population dies off and custody-possession is 9/10ths of the law of the wastelands.

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    1. I can see parking it in an abandoned industrial truck size garage. Luxury inside weather proofing.

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    2. My favorite used RV's have lived inside of barns and have no water or sun damage. Even a pop-up shelter makes an rv more comfortable by shading and blocking rain.
      pdxr13

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    3. And perhaps insulation from dead air. I know there is another name for it. Even a tent inside a tent, sealed in the winter, outer rolled up in summer, will make a world of difference.

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  7. As this is 1 of 4 I have three more episodes where everyone's favourite prepper item the FLIR may get a mention ;-)

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    1. Hey, I try for at least one mention a week :) We are a big believer of beating dead horses here.

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  8. Buckshot patterns...
    I recommend Federal Flite Control copper plated 00 Buck. In a cylinder bore, it gets a 19" group at 40 yards for me. Because the copper plating is hard, it gets great penetration, as in 18" in ballistic gelatin at 50 yards. At 75 yards you can usually get one pellet to reliably land on a torso target.

    Through a full choke, the Federal Flite Control has a reverse pattern, opening up really wide and erratic. I've tested standard Winchester 00 Buck (red hull) and Winchester military 00 Buck (olive drab hull) through a full choke. At 50 yards through the full choke you should get at least 3 hits on a torso with the Winchester red hull buck, the military contract stuff is designed to open quicker and you can't count on a hit at 50 yards.

    The earlier comment on the pistol grip shotgun...
    If you do this, get a birds head grip, not a vertical pistol grip. The birds head transfers the recoil through the entire arm, which acts as a shock absorber. The vertical pistol grip is ergonomically hard on your wrist. If you don't feel the pain now, you will as you get older. An 18" shotgun barrel is very loud, decibel wise. With the birds head grip, you won't have difficulty with the recoil anyway. Porting it will only increase the perceived decibels on your end. Not worth it, unless you only intend to fire it with hearing protection on.
    Peace out

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    1. My knowledge on the shotgun is akin to most on Peak Oil or logistics. Close enough to zero...

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    2. I taught tactical shotgun, including as part of my State's basic SWAT team instruction, for several years. It was awhile ago; the ammunition of choice back then was Federal H132 00. The standard of excellence was to put all 8 pellets into a ten inch, circular pattern, evenly distributed. I've seen hundreds of shotguns tested for this standard: the variation was impressive. A shotgun that would put all pellets into this 10" group at ten yards was a "Ten Yard Shotgun." Some were only five yard shotguns, some even less, some twenty-five yard shotguns, very few more. The officer was trained to know his shotgun's range and switch to slug beyond that.

      Listen carefully: if you don't know where each pellet is going you are careless, perhaps even criminal, certainly wasteful.

      Shotgun has three different effective zones: for a short distance it is essentially a rifle, making one big hole in the threat; for another distance the load starts to spread, due to imperfections in the individual pellet, until the ten-inch standard is reached; and finally, when you switch to slug it functions, once more, as a rifle would, except you are launching a one-ounce (437 grain) projectile. Woof!

      If you don't know the performance zones of your shotgun, with your particular ammunition, you are just hoping and guessing. Not the best way to operate.

      Firing at a threat 75 yards downrange and hoping one pellet might hit or guessing what damage it might do, not knowing where the other seven, or more, are going is not the way to operate, for several reasons. Should be obvious.

      Once you understand that every shotgun has a maximum pellet range, defined by that ten-inch standard, you can start searching for the best performing ammunition. As I said, we had good experiences with Fed H132 00 several years ago. There are probably better on the market these days. Again, the standard remains ten inches; you know, KZ on a human chest.

      What makes one shotgun shoot better (as defined) than another is complex and beyond this response. What makes one brand/type of ammunition shoot better is better understood. The hardness of the pellet is important, but not because of its penetration. The best ammunition resists deformation of the pellet as it travels down the barrel. The less round the pellet, the more dispersion. You want maximum dispersion, try square pellets. But you don't; you want maximum force on target. You want as tight a group as possible. Hard shot resists deformation, as does buffering, spiral packing, and slow acceleration/low power. It also helps to have the barrel bored so that the pellets do not undergo rapid changes in bore diameter.

      The object is to have your pellets exit the barrel as perfectly round as possible. This is an expensive process. Last I looked, premium shot shells ran over three dollars a piece.

      Hope this helps those who might want to know.

      BTY, it takes training to switch to slug and the target audience for Jim seems to be people who don't have the time or inclination to train.

      This is a legitimate point. The choice is yours. Time and will is always limited. Spend it rationally.

      I can also make a killer sandal from an old tire, or from yucca fibers. So there is that.

      Cheers.



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    3. The shotgun is a complex weapon. Most people haven't the slightest idea of what it does.

      Put sights on your shotgun. Aim. Hit.

      You don't 'pray 'n spray' with your rifle; why do the same with your shotgun?

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    4. Who says they don't pray and spray? :)

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    5. 8:17-it isn't a reluctance to train. The perceived need is there. It isn't just a question of will. If you are squeezing the budget tight for storage food, and changing your life to eventually move to off grid, you have will. Again, it is NOT getting paid to train that limits most, OR, it is the one hobby skill taking the last of your limited time.

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    6. Point made; point taken.

      aka 8:17

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    7. Not that I didn't appreciate the data dump-all stuff I didn't know, so thanks. I might not retain 99%, but just having run across it helps me in the long run. Peace.

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  9. Yes, army training sucks but having been in combat you gain valuable lessons that the average person will have to learn. Like the first time you take a life. Some men don't handle it well. Ive had grown men puke and cry after. Men who have will have a true advantage. Most preppers should hide for along as they can because shooting at paper ain't training. Cover and hardened shelters, food, water,bandaids, and one good rifle with ammo, is all you need. The rest is just gravy. Having 1 or 2 equally trained buddies and the zombie mutant bikers better have a tank.

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    1. ZMB's-haven't heard that one for awhile. Probably too humorous for the average uptight prepper.

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    2. everyone misses something ......and it is basically willpower .... can you actually do it ? I can . it is almost irrelevant what the weapon is .Gun ? knife? pen? pencil? Part of anything that can be useful? Give me a break lol weapons are just about everywhere . Expand your knowledge a hair
      Just a cook

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    3. True, most things are weapons. However, most things require wading in close.

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