Tactical Talk

Of the three pistol ranges I have available to me, one is my favorite and I prefer to do all my shooting there. The area is well bermed, open and airy with early morning and late afternoon shade. What’s especially attractive about the range is the backstop is mostly mudstone and at least 40 feet tall. The green stuff on the backstop isn't the top; it's what's growing out the side of it. Mudstone is relatively soft. Soft compared to granite that is, but not as soft as mounded dirt. Bullets, from .22LR to .30 caliber rifle hit the stone, damage it and are in turn deformed, robbing the bounce back of substantial amounts of energy. This makes for relatively safe shooting, but even considering this we require eye (and ear) protection. Pistol bullet marks in soft mudstone. The marks are shallow but wide craters. Mushroomed .45 ACP. Most of the mass is still present. However, we recently brought out some st...

Fun at the Range

Training can be dull and boring, even if you are motivated. Remember the film 'Pumping Iron' with Arnold Schwartzenegger and Lou Ferrigno? Two highly motivated individuals, but even they found lifting boring. There is a scene in which Lou is wearing a black garbage bag as a cape and cowl. With every lift he says, "I am Batman." Why? It breaks up the boredom. The same is true with shooting. We get more training when it's hidden in a game. One of the members at Greenport runs a fun activity he calls "Greenport Tac-Toe." It's a 21 by 21-inch square of cardboard separated into 9 equal squares. Each square is marked with an X or O in an alternating pattern. The center square is a G for, you guessed it, Greenport. Bill M came up with the idea. Eventually we had so many repairs we had to re-draw the letters An X and O are marked on four cards each, with the ninth having a G. The CoF is easy. Fill t...

Fall Cleaning

Autumn is gun cleaning season for me. Throughout the spring, summer, and early fall, I've been shooting, and now I have to pay the gun cleaning piper. Why clean guns? With modern powders, we don't have to worry about corrosion, right? It turns out it's not powder, but primer, that’s the problem. Corrosive ammunition uses a potassium chlorate-based primer. The chlorate forms a hygroscopic residue in the bore. This material attracts water and causes rust. You should remove these salts with hot, soapy water and then oil the bore. That’s not much of a problem anymore with non-corrosive ammunition. But even modern ammo leaves some residue in the bore, and sometimes that can attract moisture. Both lead and copper bullets leave films of metal that slowly alter the lands and grooves. Cleaning your gun is a great way to check for the wear that comes from using firearms. I once found a crack at the junction of the chamber and barrel in my Ber...

How Fast?

Concealed carry is always an issue. The prudent person ensures he or she doesn't print, that is, show an impression of the gun under clothing. Getting it off the strong side hip can almost magically make the gun disappear. There are options. Appendix carry is popular now. I met several NYC cops twenty years ago who carried a Glock 26 completely submerged behind their duty belt. Appendix carry isn't new. There is pocket carry in which a J-frame or other small gun in a holster is carried in a pants pocket. This works best in your weak side pocket, especially if you are used to carrying things in your strong side pocket. But you need to practice that a lot. I like ankle holsters. But they have problems and disadvantages. You can read more https://tactical-talk.blogspot.com/2014/08/long-pants.html . Training takes on a new dimension, when the targets shoot back Then there is the classic secret agent or the Mike Hammer d...

The Cardboard Whisperer

Stay....Stay.....Easy boy!...

Pages

Home
The Editorial Knife
The Tactical Philosopher
List of Rules to Live By
Tactics
Veterans Day
Columbus Day
Thanksgiving Day
Independence Day
Memorial Day
About Me
9/11
American Flag

Past Entries

November 20251
October 20251
September 20251
August 20251
July 20252
June 20251
May 20251
April 20251
February 20252
October 20241

September 20241
August 20241
July 20241
May 20241
April 20241
March 20241
February 20241
January 20241
December 20232
November 20231
October 20231
September 20231
August 20231
July 20231
May 20231
April 20232
February 20231
December 20222
November 20221
October 20221
September 20221
August 20223
June 20221
April 20222
March 20221
February 20221
January 20221
December 20211
November 20211
August 20212
July 20212
April 20211
February 20211
January 20212
December 20203
October 20201
September 20201
July 20202
June 20201
May 20202
April 20202
March 20202
February 20203
January 20202
December 20192
November 20192
October 20192
September 20192
August 20193
July 20192
June 20192
May 20191
March 20192
February 20192
January 20191
December 20182
November 20183
October 20181
September 20182
August 20181
July 20183
June 20182
May 20181
April 20182
March 20183
January 20181
December 20172
November 20173
October 20173
September 20173
August 20173
July 20172
June 20171
May 20173
April 20172
March 20173
February 20173
January 20171
December 20162
November 20162
October 20161
September 20161
August 20161
July 20161
June 20161
May 20162
April 20162
March 20163
February 20161
December 20153
November 20154
October 20153
September 20152
August 20153
July 20153
June 20154
May 20153
April 20152
March 20154
February 20152
January 20152
December 20142
November 20144
October 20144
September 20144
August 20143
July 20144
June 20141
May 20142
April 20144
March 20143
February 20144
January 20143
December 20134
November 20131
October 20135
September 20133
August 20131
July 20133
June 20135
May 20135
April 20132
March 20134
February 20135
January 20136
December 20126
November 20123
October 20125
September 20123
August 20123
July 20125
June 20122
May 20124
April 20123
March 20123
February 20122
January 20122
December 20113
November 20115
October 20113
September 20111
August 20111
July 20115
June 20115
May 20111