West Coast Combatives

SWFA Scope Ranking

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:15:00 +0000

2008 Riflescope Rating Scale

10 - Swarovski Z6, Zeiss Victory

9 - Kahles C - CL & CSX, Schmidt & Bender

8 - Kahles KX, U.S. Optics, Swarovski PH & American, X.O.T.I.C., Zeiss Classic

7 - Bushnell Elite 6500, Leupold VX-7, Nightforce, IOR Valdada

6 - Bushnell Elite 4200, Nikon Monarch & Monarch X, Zeiss Conquest

5 - Leupold Mark 4 VX III & VX-L, Nikon Monarch Gold & Titanium, Sightron SIII

4 - Burris Black Diamond Signature Select XTR & Euro Diamond, Meopta, Pentax Lightseeker, Super Sniper, Trijicon Accupoint, Weaver Grand Slam

3 - Bushnell Elite 3200, Leatherwood, Leupold VX-II, Millet, Nikon Buckmaster, Sightron SI & SII, Vortex

2 - Burris Fullfield II & Timberline, Leupold Rifleman & VX-I, Mueller, Nikon ProStaff, Simmons, Swift

1 - Barska, BSA, Tasco

0 - ATN, Leapers, NcStar

Are you a Tuff-Writer?

noreply@blogger.com (Quikshift) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:46:00 +0000

Alright boys and girls, in this day and age people have take some responsibility for their own welfare and safety. The world is a scary place.

But not everyone wants to carry a gun or a knife (nor do they posses the training). What's a poor boy / girl to do? How can you protect yourself now that Uncle Sam is wants to take away your teeth?

My advice, get some defensive tactics training. And once you do, get yourself a good 60+ lumen tactical flashlight (http://www.surefire.com/) and a tactical pen (http://www.tuffwriter.com/).

These are two things that no matter where you go, you never have to be without. Besides... who doesn't need a tactical pen?

BulletProof Me!

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:28:00 +0000

Like new used vest from BulletproofMe.com

Here is the backside:

Front protecting the Doberman:

Not bad for $330 - IIIA Gold Twaron + a carrier.

In the spirit of a new year

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:20:00 +0000

I decided to learn some new techniques....

Fast Shotty Reload...

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:11:00 +0000

This is just neat, out of the box thinking...

an anachronism

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 09:25:00 +0000

Perhaps this is the wrong venue to do this sort of rant, however that's just tough because within the wit there are a few points of value to be noted.

Gun shows - what's the real value of gunshows in the day and age of in-tar-web shopping and instant at your finger tips access? Given how quickly bargains can be spotted from the view-point of the keyboard cowboy - why would one, or more interesting a PACK of people enter a county fair-grounds to mill about and commiserate with the vast hordes of unwashed masses?

Admittedly, if you can go to a venue to make fun of Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel - as he prances around with some sorry excuse for a bowie knife or better yet, some silly representation of a bastard sword whilst wearing a skirt - I mean "tactical kilt" and sells top-secret ninja ready blow-guns...that's kinda cool.

But by and large, I believe the time of the gun-show being a thing of value has passed. Let me take the liberty of listing some perks of gun shows in no particular order:

1) The freak value of watching the people who dredge themselves out from under some mossed-over crevasse to participate in the silliness that stems from some old, blind, coot attempting to sell some rusted over bolt from a single edition run 1702 pre-Enfield variant that was only released in Kuwait in 1968 to assassinate the archduke franz ferdinand......

2) The potential for a one of the locals to do a private sale - always nice and there's nothing mocking to say about it. Other than the only thing most people sell are sad and broken down rifles they pieced together from parts off of their workshop floor.

3) the opportunity to trade hardware with people you meet along the way.

4) the opportunity to handle hardware before you go back to gunbroker.com to negotiate a sweeter deal on that HK-91 kit that's only missing the lower receiver but at least you have a 30 day guarantee.

5) the lovely photo opp you get from both your friends and mine, the top-secret turbo-ninja BATFE, Musn't forget, they are the gvmnt, they are here to help.

6) the opportunity to experience a one of a kind heartburn from Zeke - the purveyor of encased meats:

6) If you are extra luckly, perhaps you will have the opportunity to see Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel fame wrestle someone down for that sausage!

"The Sausage is MINE DAMMIT!"

No real disrespect to Lynn, he has made his business flourish in ways that are hard to imagine - but his damn videos are too much to bear and he deserves some fun poking at.

7) Meet-up with other gun-nuts in your area - and hope they took off their War of the northern aggression regalia long enough to shower.

8) Fill out some some forms/cards and get put on every stupid firearms spam mailing list that ever was.

9) Purchase some corrosive ammunition from Cleteus the reloader who PROMISED that the ammo with the weird writing was his own brand of reload.
10) occasionally actually meeting some interesting people. This RARELY happens so it barely gets a mention, but in all honesty, this seems to be the best reason to go to one of these maggot festering events.

In the day and age of ammoman (Go Eric!) gunbroker, ebay (bleah) I'm afraid the reasons to shop at a open air gun-show fleemarket are seriously dwindling. the vendors can barely match the pricing available by the discount houses online delivered direct to the address of your choice (AND you don't have to carry it)
The remainder gear is chosen to be sold to the lowest bidder which translates to many piece of gear along the high-quality lines of Uncle Mikes garbage. Lots of crapulent low quality tacti-cool nylon, broken down war memorabilia, the obligatory table of reproduction Nazi garbage.

Scheise Scheise Scheise! At least in the free states, there are machine-guns for sale. Alas, due to the fun that goes with tax-stamp form four tomfoolery, well, that and the typically double-digit costs associated with a fully-auto tools, that's a pipe dream too. So, with a few particular exceptions, I'm not really certain what the value of the Gun Show is anymore, other than the fact I'm heartened that they are still around despite the best efforts of Hillary Clinton style politics.

Despite the fact I feel they are lame, cess-filled wastelands of mediocrity, they represent a rapidly dwindling American right. They symbolize the right for Americans to gather, discuss/repair/sell/trade their firearms in a safe (but stinky) public setting.

There will come a time when such gatherings will be banned - just look how the gun shows have been eviscerated in CA/IL/MA - if they even have them, the shows take lame to new heights. While increasingly lacking in value for the savvy shopper, They are fundamentally American and the gun shows are still something I will participate in as long they continue to exist.

Mexico: Dynamics of the Gun Trade

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:34:00 +0000

(reprint from StratFor)
By Fred Burton and Scott Stewart

The number of drug-related killings in Mexico in 2007 already has surpassed 2,000, an increase of 300 over the same period last year, according to statistics reported by Mexican media outlets. Moreover, sources familiar with the issue say police officials in some jurisdictions have been purposely underreporting drug-related homicides, suggesting that the real body count is even higher.

In addition to the Mexican drug cartels that engage in torture and killings (at times involving beheadings), armed criminal gangs are notorious kidnappers -- prompting some to call Mexico the "kidnapping capital of the world." This has resulted in a boom for armored car manufacturers and security companies, given that most wealthy people living in the country own armored vehicles, and many employ executive protection teams to provide security for themselves, their families and their homes. Additionally, heavily armed criminal gangs regularly commit armed robberies, muggings and express kidnappings .

The one constant in these violent crimes is guns. Mexico's robust gun culture stretches back to revolutions, counterrevolutions and revolutionary bandits such as Pancho Villa. Because of this culture, guns are common in Mexico -- despite strict gun-control laws and licensing procedures. This demand for guns has created an illicit market that not only is intimately related to the U.S. market for illegal narcotics but also, in many ways, mirrors the dynamics of that market. Drugs flow north and guns flow south -- resulting in handsome profits for those willing to run the risks.

Mexican Laws

Similar to the U.S. Constitution, the 1917 Mexican Constitution guarantees Mexico's inhabitants the right to have "arms of any kind in their possession for their protection and legitimate defense." However, the constitution includes many caveats on private citizens' ownership of guns, prohibiting those "expressly forbidden by law" and those "the nation may reserve for the exclusive use of the army, navy or national guard." Furthermore, Mexican law calls for long prison terms for violators.

Mexico, then, has some of the world's strictest gun-control laws -- making guns difficult to obtain legally. Average citizens who want to purchase guns for self-defense or recreational purposes must first get approval from the government. Then, because there are no private-sector gun stores in the country, they must buy weapons through the Defense Department's Arms and Ammunition Marketing Division (UCAM). In accordance with Mexican law, the UCAM carefully limits the calibers of guns it sells. For example, it does not sell handguns larger than a .380 or .38 Special. Also, under Mexican law, popular handguns such as .357 magnum revolvers and 9 mm pistols are exclusively reserved for the armed forces.

Regardless of these efforts, the illicit arms market has been thriving for decades -- not only because firearm laws are not evenly enforced but also because criminals have found a way to circumvent efforts to stem the flow of guns. Moreover, not all illegal guns are in the hands of cartel members and street criminals. A healthy percentage of them are purchased by affluent Mexicans who are not satisfied with the selection of calibers available through the UCAM. Sources say it is not at all unusual to find Mexicans who own prohibited .357 magnum revolvers or .45 caliber pistols for self-defense against kidnappers and armed robbers. In addition to ballistic considerations, Latin machismo is also a factor -- some Mexican men want to own and carry powerful, large-caliber pistols.

The Mechanics of the Gun Trade

This mixture of the historical Mexican gun culture, machismo, strong desire for guns, lax enforcement of gun laws, official corruption and a raging cartel war has created a high demand for illegal guns. Guns sold on the black market in Mexico can fetch as much as 300 percent of their normal market value -- a profit margin similar to that of the cocaine trafficked by the cartels. The laws of economics dictate that where there is a strong demand -- and a considerable profit margin -- entrepreneurs will devise ways to meet that demand. Of course, the illicit markets are no different from the legitimate economy in this respect, and a number of players have emerged to help supply Mexico's appetite for illicit weaponry.

Millions of Mexicans reside (legally and otherwise) in the United States, and the two countries conduct a staggering amount of commerce (legal and otherwise) across the border. In this context, then, when one considers that there are more gun stores in a typical small town in Texas than there are in all of Mexico City, it should come as no surprise that a large number of the weapons found on the illicit arms market in Mexico originated in the United States. In fact, Mexican officials say that as much as 90 percent of the illegal weapons they seize are of U.S. origin.

The most obvious players in the gun trade are the cartels themselves, which not only have the financial resources to buy guns in the United States but also are in a position to receive guns in trade for narcotics from their distribution contacts north of the border. The traditional pattern for cartel operations over the past few decades has been to smuggle drugs north over the border and return with money and guns -- many times over the same routes and by the same conveyances. In addition to the problem of the notoriously corrupt Mexican customs officials, efforts to stem the flow of guns into Mexico also have been hampered by technological limitations. For example, until recently, Mexican authorities lacked X-ray equipment to inspect vehicles entering the country, and this inspection capacity still remains limited.

The cartels also obtain weapons from contacts along their supply networks in South and Central America, where substantial quantities of military ordnance have been shipped over decades to supply insurgencies and counterinsurgencies. Explosives from domestic Mexican sources also are widely available and are generally less expensive than guns.

Aside from the cartels, other criminal syndicates are dedicated to the arms trade. These groups can range from small mom-and-pop operations involving a few individuals who obtain weapons from family members residing in the United States or Central America to large organizations with complex networks that buy dozens or hundreds of weapons at a time.

As in other criminal enterprises in Mexico, such as drug smuggling or kidnapping, it is not unusual to find police officers and military personnel involved in the illegal arms trade. On Sept. 12, three high-ranking police commanders from Baja California and Baja California Sur states were arrested by U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents in Phoenix for illegally purchasing weapons at a gun show. (U.S. law prohibits foreigners from buying weapons.) Over the past few years, several Mexican government officials have been arrested on both sides of the border for participating in the arms trade.

Although it is illegal for Mexican nationals to buy guns in the United States and for Americans to haul guns to Mexico, entrepreneurs have found a variety of ways to skirt such laws. Perhaps one of the least recognized ploys is plain old document fraud. Fake documents -- which are easily obtained along the border -- range in quality (and price) from poorly rendered counterfeits to genuine documents obtained with the assistance of corrupt government officials. Using such documents, a Mexican citizen can pose as a U.S. citizen and pass the required background checks to buy guns -- unless, that is, the prospective gun buyer was foolish enough to assume the identity of an American with a criminal record.

Perhaps the most common way to purchase guns is by using a "straw-man" buyer (sometimes in combination with document fraud). That is, paying a person with a clean record who has legal standing to buy the gun. This also is a tried-and-true tactic used by criminals in the United States who are ineligible to purchase guns due to prior convictions. The "straw man" in these cases often is a girlfriend or other associate who is paid to buy a gun for them. Also, with so many family relations spanning the border, it is easy for a Mexican citizen to ask an American relative to purchase a gun or guns on their behalf.

While document fraud and straw-man purchases can be used to bypass the law and fool respectable gun dealers, not all gun dealers are respectable. Some will falsify their sales records in order to sell guns to people they know are not legally permitted to have them -- especially if the guns are being sold at a premium price. ATF does conduct audits of gun dealers, but even after a steep decline in the number of federal firearms dealers over the past decade, there still are not enough inspectors to regularly audit the records of the more than 50,000 federal firearms license holders. This lack of oversight and the temptation of easy money cause some dealers to break the law knowingly.

Guns also can be obtained for the Mexican black market through theft. The cartels traditionally have tasked groups of young street thugs in the United States with stealing items (such as pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles) for the cartels to use or resell in Mexico. Now, intelligence reports suggest that these thugs have begun to rob gun stores in towns along the border. One such group is the Gulf cartel-related "Zetitas" (little Zetas ), which is active in the Texas cities of Houston, Laredo and San Antonio, as well as other places.

A cartel connection is suspected when the weapons and ammunition stolen are popular with the cartels, such as assault rifles and FN Five-Seven pistols. The FN Five-Seven and the FN P-90 personal defense weapon shoot a 5.7 x 28 mm round that has been shown to penetrate body armor, as well as vehicle doors and windows. Because of this, they recently have become very popular with cartel enforcers, who have begun to call the weapons matapolicias -- police killers. Several police officials have been killed with these guns this year -- though officers also have been killed with .357 magnum revolvers, .45-caliber pistols and AK-47- or M-16-style assault rifles. Still, due to the rising popularity of the 5.7 x 28 mm weapons among cartel gunmen, many of these somewhat esoteric (and excellently manufactured) weapons are acquired in the United States and end up south of the border. Any time one of these weapons is connected to a crime on either side of the border, a cartel link should be considered.

The gun problem in Mexico is similar to the drug problem in the United States in that it is extremely difficult to reduce the supply of the illicit items without first reducing the demand. Any small reduction in the supply leads to an increase in price, which further stimulates efforts to provide a supply. Therefore, as long as the demand for such weapons persists, people will continue to find creative ways to meet that demand and make a profit. With that demand being fed, at least in part, by drug cartels that are warring for control of drug trafficking routes into the United States, the two problems of drugs and guns will continue to be deeply intertwined.

Speaking about training... Meditations on a 7 second KO.

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:07:00 +0000

This was an old post from my old blog, but I think it has it's place here:

Two very good boxers in the 178 lbs class square off. The blue corner gets busy right away and starts jabbing the red corner. Red corner ducks and starts bobbing. Blue misses a head shot and red comes up with a left hook that KO's blue! Blue was maybe 10 punches in! It was the only punch that red threw!

While stories like this are nothing new (Liston/Ali fight), it reiterates a very important point:

Superior position, attack placement and timing are generally easier to achieve and a better bet than raw strength, raw speed, or endurance alone.

Positioning meaning body positioning in relation to adversary. (Not arm position, weaver, etc.)

Attack placement meaning where you hit -"speed is fine, accuracy is final" - the hook from the first match described illustrates this.

Timing meaning when you can get inside of the OODA loop of the adversary and take mental advantage.

To further illustrate, my friend Miguel lost his fight in the 2nd. The ref gave him a standing 8 count and then called it after Miguel seemed dazed. Miguels errors were twofold:

1.) Lack of movement - Miguel is a "stand and deliver" kinda stoic Mexican guy. He hardly moves his head and moves his feet very little. Instead of controlling distance and, thereby controlling position, he "parks" his ass near the opponent and tries to pound 'em.

2.) Lack of forcing his "game" or "style" onto the opponent - Again, the opponent had much weaker punches, but controlled the distance and kept breaking Miguel's OODA loop.

So, how does this all tie into training? Simple. Realize that there will always be something that you are doing that will be wanting. Go with the strengths and figure out how to cope with your potential shortcomings - a good coach helps here a lot unless you can be very self-critical without stiffling your progress. Work on fundamentals, like positioning, placement, and timing.

This isn't to say that keeping in shape is a wasted pursuit, but rather that if you can only work on a few things per day, work on the things that pay divideds rather than physique alone.

How Much Is Enough?

noreply@blogger.com (Quikshift) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:27:00 +0000

"When I am asked what a human-being should devote the majority of his time to, I respond with the word 'training.' You should train more than you sleep."
- Masutatsu Oyama

Caveman Eotech.

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:46:00 +0000

Sorry, I posted to discontented cookie before realizing that I shudda posted it here...

Routine Is The Enemy...

noreply@blogger.com (Quikshift) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:25:00 +0000

I've been giving quite a bit of thought to training recently. Not martial arts and combatives but general fitness training necessary in order to be able to perform the afore mentioned at a reasonable level. The preponderance of new training methodologies is staggering. From weight training, cardio-kickboxing, plyometrics, body weight movements and rapid paced resistance training to various boot camp style workouts. The thing is, they all work. Some better than others but they all deliver results... to a point.

Now, there's a reason for this, they all stress your body and put demands on it that force it to adapt. If you're constantly forcing your body to adapt by placing these demands upon it, it will certainly do so. If that adaptation means building more aerobic capacity, more lean muscle mass or more explosive strength your body will oblige, but it will do so grudgingly. This means than every workout will grow less effective over time as your body adapts to it. Changes in pace, resistance and form will mitigate this and force your body to continue adapting, but ultimately as your body becomes more and more acquainted with the workouts it will adapt less and less since by then it will already be quite well suited to the demands of the training regimen.

This is actually in many ways a very good thing. If you’re training is sport specific, this progressive reduction in adaptation will mean that your body is now better suited for the desired task whether that task is running, jumping, throwing, rowing or any combination of such. The bad news is, that you will now be seeing less and less results from your efforts. The solution is to change not only the individual workouts but also the basic styles of training.

Elite athletes already know this. They add plyometric exercises to their strength training. They perform both general movements and isolation exercises. They train with weights and with bodyweight movements. They vary the rate, order, intensity and duration of exercise. In other words, they continually keep their bodies guessing. Athletes make constantly changing demands on their bodies, forcing them to continue adapting.

The how is fairly easy in theory, more difficult in execution. If you’ve been doing weights, try plyometrics. Then after bit add bodyweight movements. If you even think that your training might be getting stale move to resistance bands. As soon as you’re comfortable with your routine, don’t even wait for a plateau, make a change. Mix and match, but keep your body guessing. In the end, it will thank you.

What Are You Training For?

noreply@blogger.com (Quikshift) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:12:00 +0000

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to training lately. Over the years as I’ve learned more about physical conditioning, I’ve seen a significant swing in training philosophies. A decade ago plyometrics were the hot new thing in developing explosive power. Five years ago, core muscle development became a hot item for building a strong foundation for any and every sport under the sun (those core muscles will give you a serious edge in your next ping-pong tournament). In the past year, I’ve begun seeing a swelling in BodyPump / X90 programs which integrate strength training into an aerobic paced workout. At the same time CrossFit is pushing for more generalized training away from the weight room, avoiding specialization altogether.

Last week I talked to an instructor after one of my training sessions and discussing the problem with integrating both martial arts training and weight room strength training during the week. His recommendation was to cut back on the weight training and focus on explosive power training via the CrossFit and plyometrics philosophy, if my training goal was to become a better fighter. Not necessarily bad advice.

Most people who have never fought rounds don’t realize just how physically draining every second in a fight actually is. That said, I’m really not much of a “fighter” anymore. Sure, I still spar occasionally and train weekly but I haven’t gone 4 full rounds for points in years. In fact, the odds of me getting into a 4 round fight in the near future are looking fairly slim. On the other hand, if I had to model what my next fight might look like, it would probably last less than 30 seconds total and maybe even less than 10 seconds. What does this mean for the kind of training I’m looking at?

It means that your training should adequately reflect your threat model. Any training is better than no training and more training is better than less training. Most of the training fads are based on sound principles and have their place in a well balanced program. That said, strength focused weight training alone isn’t going to help you go the distance while focusing on aerobic endurance isn’t going to be much good in a 10 second balls-to-the-wall elbow and fist session in a dark alley. Combat will most likely require a mix of both. Something else to keep in mind is that all other things being perfectly equal (which obviously never happens in the real world), the stronger fighter usually prevails. My advice is to periodically ask yourself, what exactly am I training for? Then adjust your program accordingly.

Have I left anything out? Absolutely, mental training hasn’t been mentioned. Unless you know that you’re in a fight, no amount of physical conditioning or martial ability will do you much good. That training unfortunately... takes a bit more initiative than just going to the gym.

DSA Protest/Counter Protest

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:02:00 +0000

I ended up getting there at about 2:30ish and the protest was long over...
It was a HOT day in the midwest today; 93F and REALLY humid. I guess the fun began early around 11 and only lasted about an hour... No media, no nothing.

Seriously, shooting a subsonic, supressed .22 would probably make more noise than what Jesse and Co. were expecting to make in the media...

No pictures. Sorry...

DSArms Protest on the 28th.

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:35:00 +0000

Snuffy Pfleger and Jesse Jackson are protesting the "merchants of death" over at
DSArms on the 28th. I'll be there with the NSPPL doing a silent "counter protest".
Hope to post pictures of the action as it happens...

Ok, Last one... Just too good to pass up!

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 19:47:00 +0000

English Self Defense (More Humor)

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 19:36:00 +0000

Wrist Control, then pull your gun...

noreply@blogger.com (Less) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:52:00 +0000

More on stepping off the X

noreply@blogger.com (Quikshift) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:19:00 +0000

I will advance the devil's advocate point of view and say that moving off the X itself can actually put you into a worse situation if the movement isn't well executed and appropriately implemented.

Let’s think in terms of boxing. A right handed boxer fighting another right handed boxer with continually move to the left. The reason is that this forces a counter movement by the attacker before he can place the defender at the full extension of the straight right (preferred weapon #1). In addition it puts the defender outside range of the left hook or uppercut (the money shot).

Moving to the right on the other hand puts the defender still well within reach of the straight right. In fact, it may even give the attacker a better angle and slightly more extension. While it may or may not jam the left hook, it does nothing to mitigate the potential uppercut. Since the right handed attacker will drop-step off their left foot (to the defender’s right side), any movement the defender makes to defender’s the right is easier and quicker for the right handed attacker to adjust to.

This is why boxers hate to fight a southpaw. They now have to counter years of training and move in the other direction, to their right (southpaw attacker’s left).

Next time you watch boxing, notice that well trained boxers (like Bernard Hopkins) will slip the straight right to the their left, leaving the attacker crossed up and putting themselves outside of the range of follow up shots while opening up the attackers ribcage for some juicy body shots. This way, they don’t just “step off the X” but at the same time let the attacker step onto the X.

South Narc on P'Kal Folder Carry and Deployment

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 01:50:00 +0000

Tactical State Management

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:30:00 +0000

"An increasing emphasis is being placed on awareness and management of the potential negative effects of the “adrenaline dump” on police performance. For example, it has been said that the “holy grail” for firearms instructors is to teach management of the effects of adrenaline on shooting performance ⁽¹⁾. That’s a good thing."

Full article here.

Dr. Asken has been working on creating techniques that assist operators who function in high-stress environments deal with the mental aspects of adrenal dumps and high-speed high-stress operations. The concept of Tactical Arousal Control Techniques (TACT) is discussed, and that notion is take a step further into state management; a topic we harp on @ the WCC. Whether the individual needs to be ready for action or ready to relax, Dr Asken is proposing a method for the operator to take control of their internal stimulation dial for maximum effectiveness in any given situation.

authors website:
MindSighting

When you can't move off the X.....

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 03:14:00 +0000

What next?

One of the primary precepts of many martial art and tactical systems is that when one is facing a threat, particularly an armed opponent (and they are all armed, aren't they?) the defender should immediately execute a quick movement off of the spot that they are standing while simultaneously drawing a weapon, perhaps issuing a challenge, and in general preparing for an altercation.

In the tactical world, this is referred to as "Getting off of the X"; where X marks the spot that you, the target are standing. The assumption is that your opponent has zeroed in with tunnel vision on the place that you are standing with an obsessive fervor - and that manual h2h and projectile attacks will be directed specifically that space that you occupy within the space time continuum. The corollary thought that goes with this is the thought that once you have moved "off of the X" you are now out of the blinding tunnel vision of your opponent. Poof - like magic, you may have just escaped getting run over by that freight train - and in all likelyhood you have become a cause set in motion and created a state change in your opponents mind. With no target to direct the threat to, he is effectively blind to your incident-response movements (running away, drawing down, rushing in and so on).

Make sense? If not, please drop a comment and I'll discuss this some more either via the blog or in direct email.

So, here is caveat that struck me during a recent training session: what happens when you simply can't move "Off of the X" to escape the focus of your opponents ire?

Say you are in a crowded subway pinned against a wall between an angry pregnant mother and a yuppie with a Starbucks latte...no where to go.
Strip the yuppie of his coffee and splash it into the opponents face while using the pregnant
mother for cover and stripping her purse for good measure you say?

While that will likely work, AND appeals to my sense of humor, that type of response does not function for the majority of non-felonious individuals interested in this scenario.

The dash off the X typically refers to, and is practiced as a lateral movement off of the X. This
might not be possible in all scenarios! Imagine the above situation in a crowded subway, or perhaps inside of an elevator, or even a densely packed night-club or sporting event.
Something that is often forgotten in martial arts and tactical training is that we occupy 3-dimensional space - which means we can not only move side to side like a foozeball player,
but also move in different directions.

1) up: jump, grab onto something and swing
2) down: crouch, dive roll
3) dive
a) forward into the opponent (which has it's place)
b) behind cover (people ARE cover)
4) backwards: falling, dropping back, or simply shifting weight distribution
5) Create cover by moving others in between yourself and the threat.
6) Crash their OODA loop by applying a flashlight (with with lumens to their eyes or the bezel to their temple), your briefcase, or perhaps turning that latte into a projectile.

Why don't we practice this kind of stuff more?

Answer 1: Control and safety on a range or in a MA school rarely allow for free flowing experimentation. More to the point.....

Answer 2: All schools have a certain set of morays, scenarios rules, and value systems that they function within - and at the WCC, we refer to this as their "Schemic Vision" aka theiur perception of reality. Training is training, and there is great value in drills and methodologies. However, combat is a different thing altogether and great warriors fight in asymmetrical manners.

Answer 3: Given Answer 2, the next sad reality is that once students start playing with alternative responses to threat scenarios, they may realize the thousands they have spent on a black belt of some specialized ninja-tactics course could have been better utilized purchasing training tools and actually thinking about the problems they were attempting to solve.

The antidote to such tomfoolery is doing legitmate force on force training with non-lethal technologies like SIMS, Airsoft, and shock-knifes. Play with different scenarios, and see if your method works. Nothing like learning how to reindex your pistol while sprinting behind the cover of a Juniper shrub AND getting your hits.

So, rather than spending 170 bucks on a remake of an Emerson ECQ ninjitsu training blade, put 20 bucks onto a Starbucks card and carry around a lethal beverage instead.

Gunny Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 03:37:00 +0000

Speed is fine, accuracy is final.

Novetech Lights Coming soon

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:23:00 +0000

They are expected by end of month - and rumor has it that it's not the
traditional Notatech/HDS Systems "Next Month means next year" production release date either!

They are available in 85 ($110) and 120 ($150) lumen flavours, and allegedly have approximately 1hr of run time while running at full steam with fresh batteries. Not too shabby.

Apart from candle-power, there are several models addressing some needs of the LEO/SAR flashlight dork community:

(from lighthound faq)

What are the differences between the EDC, the Tactical, and the Programmable models?

The EDC model and Tactical model are pre-programmed from the factory with particular output settings and come with extended buttons. These models are less complicated than the Programmable version, and are a great choice for most users. The Programmable version offers a flat button and the most flexibility for users who like to personalize the settings of their flashlight. There is no other production flashlight on the market that offers the wide range of output options of the NovaTac EDC Programmable flashlights.

So, the "Tactical" model has the designation T posted after the name, so EDC -85T. It features a strobe option for disorienting your opponently (or giving them a very clear target to shoot at) as well as an extended thumb button (ala surefire) for actuating the on/off/programming switch.

The"Programmable" model has all the potential of the other two, however it has a flat button, and the programming complexity of the old and well known HDS EDC-60 - which has been my EDC flashlight for nearly a year. This is the choice for users who require maximum flexibility.

For purely LEO applications, the Tactical model would suffice, however for a general purpose EDC oh-SHTF flashlight that can do it all, Tactics and outdoor survival, the Programmable model seems to be the appropriate choice.

More to come once the flashlights are actually delivered.

The 11 Survival Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 18:56:00 +0000

While there are a plethora of survival necessity lists, very rarely are we given the root reasons Why particular things are necessary - and here is a concise summary. Taking the items listed after the colon, the reader will have an effective toolkit and skillset list of what is necessary to survive in dire circumstances - furthermore they have bullet points from which choose a particular course of survival study - hell, maintaining a positive attitude under extreme duress can be a lifelong study!

(number 11 is something our present society does not seem to value, and I for one have difficulties managing on a daily basis. /dn)

1) A positive attitude
2) Fuel to burn: Food
3) Adequate hydration: Water
4) Ability to stay warm and dry: Clothing
5) Ability to get dry: Shelter
6) Ability to get warm: Fire
7) Know where you are going: Navigation
8) Know the environment: Weather
9) Ability to attract help: Signaling for rescue
10) Ability to provide help: First-Aid kit (and TRAINING on how to use it! )
11) Ability to obtain physiological and psychological repair: Adequate sleep

Taken from "98.6 Degrees The Art of keeping your asss alive!" by Cody Lundin

Caution: Sharp Edges...

noreply@blogger.com (/dn) — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:21:00 +0000

(reprinted from a journal article by Quikshift)

So I did another R.E.A.C.T. seminar yesterday. This time it was a knife seminar. No verbal skills, just knife defense tactics. Let me begin by saying that the first and most important lesson learned here was that knives are extremely dangerous. Stop, read that again (yes, right now... I'm not kidding) and then continue.

Ready? Ok, let's keep going and expand of the previous paragraph. The general lesson was that knives are very dangerous when in the hands of an opponent, often times even more so than guns. This may seems like a shock to many people especially those with no knife training experience but let me elucidate further. First of all, a gun is only dangerous when it’s pointed at you. A gun must be loaded, and when empty has to be reloaded. A gun, even one pointed at you requires that all safeties be turned off (unless it’s a Glock) and a round is chambered. Then, the operator has to have their finger on the trigger, and maintain the gun on the target while firing (harder to do than it looks in the movies, trust me). A knife on the other hand is always dangerous. It only has to touch you, nay simply to graze you to injure you gravely. A knife never runs out of ammo and never has to be reloaded. Now the best part, while it actually takes some skill to hit what you’re firing at it takes virtually no skill at all to stab someone many times in an extremely short period of time. If you can touch them you can cut them… badly. Am I beginning to make my point yet?

The seminar got up to speed quickly. The basic 15 minute introduction about the dangers of knives, and then the recommendation that if ever faced with an knife wielding opponent, to simply run. That’s right, the best defense here is to avoid the fight at all costs. After that to realize that you’re going to get cut. Bruce Lee kung-fu shit not withstanding you’re probably not going to realize that you’re in a knife fight until you’re already cut. Sounds terrible but it’s probably true. If you know you’re in a knife fight before the first slice, you’re already ahead. Now get the hell out of there. Sounds great, but what if that’s not an option? That’s where the rest of the seminar comes in. First of all understand that it’s better to be cut once rather than twice, twice rather than three times… you get the idea. Usually people who die from stabbings have gotten cut many times; it wasn’t the first cut that did them in. Most of the seminar was spent putting that knowledge to use.

Here’s the basic premise of the Krav Maga knife defense tactics we learned. First, don’t get into a knife fight (this one bears repeating). Second, control the knife. Third, destroy the operator. Sounds simple, right? What, no fancy disarms or knife stripping drills? Absolutely not. The weapon is disarmed when the operator is no longer conscious. This is different than the “de-fanging the snake” in other martial arts but it makes sense. Disarms and strips are hard to pull off under ideal situations by trained operators. In a dark and grungy street-fight with adrenaline pounding, robbing you of your fine motor control, the odds of pulling one off are slim. If you’re not getting stabbed yet use distance, kick. Step off the line of attack and kick as hard as you can. If you can’t move off center line thrust kick and put your body back, keep your hands up. Don’t try any fancy “kicking the knife out of the hand” shit, kick to the body. Kick once, kick twice, just don’t let them get close enough to cut you, then run. This is actually amazingly effective.

Now let’s assume the fight is already a little closer. First of all, this isn’t a fist fight. Keep your hands up and away from your face, give yourself some distance to work with. If you block close, the knife might still get through. If you see the attack coming jam it immediately and push forward. If you’re on your heels then your opponent is pushing their attack and stabbing you, don’t let them. Keep on your toes and moving forward, press the attack. Second, once your get a hand on the knife arm, keep it there. Also, counter the attack immediately as you’re jamming theirs. Punch their throat, their face, keep punching (all the while do not let go of that knife hand). As soon as you can get control of the weapon, get both hands on it. Once you have control keep pressing the attack, kick, knee head-butt, whatever you have to do to destroy the operator. If you let the weapon hand go the cycle begins again and you’re going to get cut... again.

The class had multiple scenarios, from attacks beginning at a distance to the “hostage” situation where someone is holding a knife to your throat or back. The basic premise was always the same. Identify the threat, move your body away from it and get control of the weapon (realizing that you’re probably getting stabbed in the process) while attacking the operator. Once you have control continue to press the attack until the operator is no longer conscious. If by any chance the weapon falls away continue to focus on the operator and not on the weapon. They may have a second knife, they may take your pause as an opportunity to counter attack. Do not give them a chance to use it, press the attack.

After over 3 ½ hours of training it was time to fight. This time all the scenarios were one-on-one. The bullet men started you out with your eyes closed facing towards them, away from them, on the ground or somewhere in between and assaulted you with the knife. Sometimes you saw the attack right before it happened, sometimes you just felt it begin and were already getting stabbed. We went through 3 scenarios each and they were eye opening. I was so adrenalized that I can’t even tell you how my first scenario began. I can only tell you that I was stabbed at least 5 times before I finally got control of the knife. In my second scenario I got lucky. It began with a threat at arms length and I might not have gotten stabbed at all (it happened very quickly, so I might have) while gaining control of the knife and head-butting and kicking my opponent into submission. This was luck, pure and simple. In my third scenario, I got to see the attack and kicked for everything I was worth to keep distance but ultimately I got stabbed a lot before finally getting control of the weapon as my opponent came in despite my kicks. That said I found it amazing how effective the kicks actually were and wished I had used them in my first scenario. against an unarmored opponent they would have been very effective. All in all I’d have to say that in only 1 out of every 10 scenarios did the “defender” not get cut. More often then not even the best defense resulted in multiple stabbings. What is the lesson here? That’s right, do not get into a knife fight.

The training was exceptional and quite illuminating. I have seen many movie fights and learned various disarms but to see a full speed knife fight up close over and over was fantastic. It has given me a better understanding of just how dangerous a knife fight actually is. The amazing thing was just how quickly the attacks happened. Even within 15 feet there was barely time to perceive the attack and begin to react. Often in the scenarios and at closer distances the defenders suffered cuts even as they were beginning to mount a defense. The beautiful thing was, they didn’t stop. Once you realize that you’re in a fight, you do not stop until the attacker is neutralized. It doesn’t matter if you’re cut and bleeding, you just keep going.

Is there anything that could have made this seminar better? Yes. I’d love to go through a few scenarios with the attackers using Shock-Knives. I realize that for a Level 1 knife seminar that might be a bit much but I think it would really have made the fights more interesting (and painful). Otherwise it was fantastic. The instructors were terrific and enthusiastic. The bullet men were great and really got in the game. They pressed their attacks and made all of the defenders really work for it. I believe that the adrenalized fight scenarios are probably some of the best training available. As Bruce Lee said, “The best preparation for an event, is the event itself.” Considering that even today I’ve found myself walking around having flashbacks to my fights, I’d have to say that my mind is convinced that it was in a bunch of real fights.

What’s the lesson here? That’s right… it bears repeating; eat your vegetables.