The purpose of this article is explain the meaning of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution as simply and concisely as possible. We will accomplish this by defining key words within the text.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Regulated
In 1789, the word regulated was not used as we use it today. The founders did not mean that the militia should be controlled by a large bureaucracy with a plethora of regulations. The founders were not keen on bureaucracy. Thomas Jefferson listed the following grievance against the King in The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America: "He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat our their substance." At the time of the writing of the Bill of Rights, well regulated meant well functioning or in proper working order. This is evidenced in writings and dictionaries from the period.
Militia
The militia is defined under federal law. The Dick Act or Militia Act of 1903 defines the militia. It is codified as 10 U.S. Code Ch. 13. The militia consists of all able bodied males from age 17 to 45 and members of the National Guard up to age 64. The militia includes, but is not limited to the National Guard. In the Virginia Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, George Mason said: "I ask sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few public officials." Similar sentiments have been echoed by numerous founders.
The People
The meaning of the people in the Second Amendment is the same as in the First, Fourth, Ninth and Tenth Amendments. The Second Amendment does not describe the right of the state to have a National Guard, as some have argued. If the founders had meant the state, they would have said the state.
The Second Amendment could be rewritten without changing its meaning thusly:
A properly functioning Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the individual to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
We don't have to guess or debate what the founders meant when they wrote the Second Amendment. They left detailed records of their thoughts on the subject. It is not a mystery of history. The Federalist Papers and a myriad of other letters and transcripts tell us exactly what they intended.
Of course we could go in much greater depth, but this should serve to clear up some of the main points of confusion in contemporary discourse on the subject.
Friday, January 8, 2016
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Speed Strip Carrier
In my previous post I detailed how I made a magazine carrier from Kydex. My next project was a carrier for a Bianchi Speed Strip for a revolver. The process is essentially the same as outlined in the prior posting. If you read the prior post and look at these pictures, you can figure it out. This is designed to go in the right front pocket. The preferred method for loading a revolver regardless of which hand you shoot with is to hold the gun in your left hand and load it with your right. If you pocket carry in your right front pocket, you can put this in your left front pocket, but reloading might be awkward.
Front view.
Back view with Speed Strip.
Back view with Speed Strip inside carrier. The back flap is bent inward a bit to apply a little pressure to the Speed Strip to keep it from rattling.
In the pocket.
Magazine Carrier
I made a pistol magazine holder that clips to your pocket. Almost anyone looking at it will think it is a pocketknife. There is a similar product on the market the has a patented protrusion on the side that "snags" the inside of the pocket to prevent the carrier from coming out with the magazine. I wanted to make my own and you don't need the "snag" thing, which I will explain later.
All of the materials for this project were purchased from knifekits.com.
0.80" Kydex, $3.99 for a 12"x12" sheet
#8-8 1/4" rivets, $1.60 for 10
#8 .1875 x .250, $3.95 for 10
pocket clip, $4
As for tools, at a minimum, you will need:
boxcutter
heat gun ( a hair dryer might work, but I haven't tried it)
1/4" drill bit (bradpoint is best) and drill
#8 rivet setting tool, $11.99 at knifekits.com
hacksaw if you don't have a Dremel or bandsaw
sandpaper
gloves
Some other tools that might make it easier:
Dremel tool with cutting wheel and sanding drum
bandsaw
belt sander
Before you get started, watch some Youtube videos on the basics of working with Kydex. You don't need an oven or toaster oven for this project. It is not as complicated as making a gun holster. You will need to cut a piece of Kydex about 3" longer than your magazine and about 3" wider. The part that the clip attaches to is 1" square, so cut that out centered on one end. Put a snap cap into your mag. I wouldn't recommend heat forming plastic around live ammo. I didn't have a snap cap, so I pulled a bullet from a live round and stuffed it into an expended piece of brass. Position the magazine just where you want it below the 1" square part and use a heat gun to heat up and bend the the Kydex around the lower end. Trim the lower end to the width of the mag. Then use the heat gun to form the sides. I made a cut out for my thumb to make it easier to grab the mag. A Dremel with a sanding drum works well for this. Drill a 1/4" hole in the 1" square part, centered. If you don't have a brad point bit, use a center punch to mark the hole location before you drill. Take a 1" square scrap of Kydex, bevel one edge, and drill a hole in the center. Rivet it in place so the 1" square part of the mag holder is a double thickness of Kydex. This is important, so that the Chicago screw will fit tightly. Now fasten the pocket clip to the rivet with a Chicago screw. Sand up the rough edges.
When you go to pull out the magazine from your pocket, your thumb goes onto the cutout in the carrier. Your index finger goes into the groove on the lower end of the clip. So your index finger keeps the carrier from sliding out of your pocket while your thumb pulls out the mag.
The materials and rivet setter will cost you $25. You could buy a SnagMag for $35. For $10 extra you could save yourself the hassle of making it. If you enjoy making things, then make your own, save $10, and learn some new skills. If you want to make a bunch of these as gifts, it would work out to about $6 each. Chances are, you will find other applications for the leftover scraps of Kydex. The band keeper on my Timex Ironman watch broke, so I made a replacement out of Kydex. My belt sander requires an Allen wrench for adjustments. I made a little holder for the wrench out of Kydex and pop riveted it to the side of the belt sander. The applications are endless. Working with Kydex can be addictive.
All of the materials for this project were purchased from knifekits.com.
0.80" Kydex, $3.99 for a 12"x12" sheet
#8-8 1/4" rivets, $1.60 for 10
#8 .1875 x .250, $3.95 for 10
pocket clip, $4
As for tools, at a minimum, you will need:
boxcutter
heat gun ( a hair dryer might work, but I haven't tried it)
1/4" drill bit (bradpoint is best) and drill
#8 rivet setting tool, $11.99 at knifekits.com
hacksaw if you don't have a Dremel or bandsaw
sandpaper
gloves
Some other tools that might make it easier:
Dremel tool with cutting wheel and sanding drum
bandsaw
belt sander
Before you get started, watch some Youtube videos on the basics of working with Kydex. You don't need an oven or toaster oven for this project. It is not as complicated as making a gun holster. You will need to cut a piece of Kydex about 3" longer than your magazine and about 3" wider. The part that the clip attaches to is 1" square, so cut that out centered on one end. Put a snap cap into your mag. I wouldn't recommend heat forming plastic around live ammo. I didn't have a snap cap, so I pulled a bullet from a live round and stuffed it into an expended piece of brass. Position the magazine just where you want it below the 1" square part and use a heat gun to heat up and bend the the Kydex around the lower end. Trim the lower end to the width of the mag. Then use the heat gun to form the sides. I made a cut out for my thumb to make it easier to grab the mag. A Dremel with a sanding drum works well for this. Drill a 1/4" hole in the 1" square part, centered. If you don't have a brad point bit, use a center punch to mark the hole location before you drill. Take a 1" square scrap of Kydex, bevel one edge, and drill a hole in the center. Rivet it in place so the 1" square part of the mag holder is a double thickness of Kydex. This is important, so that the Chicago screw will fit tightly. Now fasten the pocket clip to the rivet with a Chicago screw. Sand up the rough edges.
When you go to pull out the magazine from your pocket, your thumb goes onto the cutout in the carrier. Your index finger goes into the groove on the lower end of the clip. So your index finger keeps the carrier from sliding out of your pocket while your thumb pulls out the mag.
The materials and rivet setter will cost you $25. You could buy a SnagMag for $35. For $10 extra you could save yourself the hassle of making it. If you enjoy making things, then make your own, save $10, and learn some new skills. If you want to make a bunch of these as gifts, it would work out to about $6 each. Chances are, you will find other applications for the leftover scraps of Kydex. The band keeper on my Timex Ironman watch broke, so I made a replacement out of Kydex. My belt sander requires an Allen wrench for adjustments. I made a little holder for the wrench out of Kydex and pop riveted it to the side of the belt sander. The applications are endless. Working with Kydex can be addictive.
Wach band keeper.
Allen wrench holder on belt sander.
Front view of magazine carrier.
Back view with Kahr CM9 7 round magazine. Note thumb cutout.
Side view. It is hard to see here, but the there is a double thickness of Kydex where the screw goes through. The lower edge of the inside piece is beveled to help the mag slide out.
In the pocket. Looks like a knife. Maybe I will round the corners a bit more on the belt sander later.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Your First AR-15
Those buying their first AR-15 will come across a very confusing array of choices and options. This article is intended to simplify that process with some basic recommendations. Keep in mind that I'm not a firearms expert and not a gunsmith, but I've built a few AR-15's, competed in a few NRA High Power service rifle matches, and spent a few years in the infantry. Take my opinions and compare them to information from other sources and make up your own mind. The following applies to an all around general purpose AR-15 for self-defense / target shooting. This does not apply to special purpose rifles for match shooting, long range, etc.
You can buy a complete rifle or you build it yourself. I recommend building the lower yourself and buying a complete upper. If you want to save some money and build the lower yourself, see my earlier posts: "Building a High Quality Low Cost AR-15" and "Tools for Building an AR-15 Lower."
The lower receiver is the heart of the rifle. If you are building your own, get this first. This is the only part that you cannot mail order for delivery to your home. I would get if from your local gun shop (LGS). You could buy it online and then pay a fee to your LGS to transfer it to you, but you probably won't save much. I recommend the standard AR-15 lower without any special bells or whistles. Almost all lowers are made by one of four manufacturers and then rebranded. It doesn't matter which one you go with, but stay away from Hesse, Vulcan or Blackthorne.
As for the rest of the lower parts. Plain GI mil-spec is the way to go initially. If you plan on putting in a better trigger (more on that later), you can get a lower parts kit minus the fire control group to save a few bucks. Receiver extensions (buffer tubes) come in mil-spec or commercial varieties. The mil-spec variety uses a more expensive manufacturing process that makes it strong. The commercial is made less expensively, but with thicker metal to compensate. It doesn't really matter which you go with, except that your buttstock will have to be either mil-spec or commercial spec to match it. I recommend the standard M4 6-position collapsible buttstock. These come in both commercial or mil-spec. Magpul stocks also come in commercial or mil-spec. I don't know about other brands. I went with mil-spec just because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. As for the buffer, I went with the H buffer that comes with the lower parts kits that I bought. Carbine buffers have 3 weights inside. A standard buffer has 3 steel weights. An H (heavy) buffer has 1 tungsten and 2 steel. H2 has 2 tungsten and 1 steel. H3 has 3 tungsten. The buffer can effect cycling and reliability. I have had no issues with my H buffer. If you do have reliability issues, you can experiment with different buffer weights.
For the upper receiver, go with a flat top. This allows you more options later. For the rest of the upper receiver parts, go with GI mil-spec. I like plain GI style hand guards with heat shields. They are inexpensive, and they work. They don't offer a lot of options for mounting gizmos, but I don't need a lot of gizmos. You can always get a quad rail later to mount a bunch of crap.
As for barrels, I like a 16" barrel with a mid length gas system. A 20" barrel is bit more accurate at longer ranges with a trade off in handiness and maneuverability. Some people like the M4 style barrels, but they are still 16" (unless you want to go with an SBR and deal with the ATF). They have a short carbine length gas system that is not as reliable, and a bayonet won't work unless you put a a special adapter. You could get a 14.5" barrel with a pinned/welded flash hider that is ATF legal, but now you can't remove your flash hider or gas block later if you want to swap out components. I recommend a government profile chrome lined barrel. The government profile is a nice compromise between the accuracy and strength of a heavy barrel and the light but weak pencil barrel. You can get chrome moly vanadium (CMV) barrels or cold hammer forged (CHF). CHF is better, in that they last longer, but are more expensive. A standard CMV barrel will do just fine. You want a barrel extension that has M4 feed ramps for reliable feeding. You want an "F" height front site base, to match your flat top upper. Twist rate can get confusing. Most barrels these days are either 1/7, 1/8 or 1/9. 1/7 means the the rifling makes one rotation in 7 inches. Different twist rates are useful for stabilizing different bullet weights. It all depends on what ammo you are going to use. 1/9 is better for the cheap 55 grain bullets, but not so great for heavier bullets. 1/7 is better for 62 (green tip) to 77 grain (match grade) bullets. 1/8 is a compromise between the two, and the best bet for a general purpose rifle. 1/7 is not a bad choice, but you may have accuracy issues with 55 grain rounds. You want a rifle chambered in 5.56 not .223.
The bolt carrier should be a full auto profile (the ATF won't hassle you for this) and chrome lined. The full auto profile carrier is heavier and cycles better. The gas key should be chrome lined, hardened, have grade 8 fasteners, and be properly staked. The bolt should be Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, high pressure tested (HPT) and magnetic particle inspected (MPI). The bolt and carrier take a beating. These features help ensure that it doesn't break when you need it.
Now for accessories. A rear sight should not be considered an accessory, but a lot of so-called "complete" rifles don't have one. No big deal, this allows you more flexibility to choose your own. I like the standard mil-spec carry handle with A2 style sights. Learn the basics of marksmanship with iron sights before you go and buy the latest gee-whiz optic. A Meprolite tritium front site post will allow you to aim in the dark. A GI loop sling is a great starter sling for learning marksmanship fundamentals. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look for the one my by CJ Weapons that Midway sells. This is the same sling that Appleseed recommends. Another upgrade to consider is a better trigger. I recommend the ALG Defense advanced combat trigger. It is a standard single stage GI type trigger, but better quality. Crisp break and no gritty feel. I have heard that Velocity Triggers are good, but they are also more expensive. I have not used their product, so I cannot vouch for it personally. If you want to mount a flashlight, Hot Shot makes a magnetic mount that lets you mount a standard tactical light, like a SureFire. It doesn't require any kind of mounting bracket. Bravo Company makes an extractor spring upgrade kit. People say it increases reliability. I drank the Kool-Aid and bought it. My rifle fired just fine before and after. Does it help? Maybe, but I'm only out $5.
I almost forgot magazines. You can't go wrong with the Magpul M2 MOE 30 round magazine. I've never had a problem with these mags and they can be found for $10-12 each. The M3 is supposed to be better, but a little more expensive. Since I've never had an issue with the M2, and they still make it, I'm sticking with it. I've never had use for the mags with windows. If you have GI aluminum mags, upgrade them with Magpul followers. This improves reliability by not allowing the follower to tilt.
He is a summary of recommended specs:
Lower - anything but Hesse, Vulcan, Blackthorne
Lower parts - mil-spec (minus fire control group if getting ALG trigger)
Receiver extension (buffer tube) - mil-spec (or commercial)
Buttstock - M4 6-position (mil-spec or commercial to match the receiver extension)
Buffer - H
Upper - flat top
Barrel - 16", mid length gas system, 1/8 twist (2nd choice 1/7), CMV (or CHF), chrome lined, GI profile, 5.56 chamber, M4 feed ramps, F height front sight base
Hand guards - standard GI
Bolt carrier - full auto profile, chrome lined, hardened chrome lined gas key, grade 8 fasteners, properly staked
Bolt - Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, HPT/MPI
Rear sight - standard GI carry handle with A2 sight
Accessories / Upgrades
Magazines - Magpul M2 MOE (
CJ Weapons GI web sling
Meprolite tritium front sight post
ALG Defense advanced combat trigger
Hot Shot magnetic flashlight mount
Bravo Company extractor spring upgrade kit
Optics - Learn the basics of rifle marksmanship with iron sights first, then do your own research.
Recommended sources:
Palmetto State Armory
Midway
Brownells
You can buy a complete rifle or you build it yourself. I recommend building the lower yourself and buying a complete upper. If you want to save some money and build the lower yourself, see my earlier posts: "Building a High Quality Low Cost AR-15" and "Tools for Building an AR-15 Lower."
The lower receiver is the heart of the rifle. If you are building your own, get this first. This is the only part that you cannot mail order for delivery to your home. I would get if from your local gun shop (LGS). You could buy it online and then pay a fee to your LGS to transfer it to you, but you probably won't save much. I recommend the standard AR-15 lower without any special bells or whistles. Almost all lowers are made by one of four manufacturers and then rebranded. It doesn't matter which one you go with, but stay away from Hesse, Vulcan or Blackthorne.
As for the rest of the lower parts. Plain GI mil-spec is the way to go initially. If you plan on putting in a better trigger (more on that later), you can get a lower parts kit minus the fire control group to save a few bucks. Receiver extensions (buffer tubes) come in mil-spec or commercial varieties. The mil-spec variety uses a more expensive manufacturing process that makes it strong. The commercial is made less expensively, but with thicker metal to compensate. It doesn't really matter which you go with, except that your buttstock will have to be either mil-spec or commercial spec to match it. I recommend the standard M4 6-position collapsible buttstock. These come in both commercial or mil-spec. Magpul stocks also come in commercial or mil-spec. I don't know about other brands. I went with mil-spec just because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. As for the buffer, I went with the H buffer that comes with the lower parts kits that I bought. Carbine buffers have 3 weights inside. A standard buffer has 3 steel weights. An H (heavy) buffer has 1 tungsten and 2 steel. H2 has 2 tungsten and 1 steel. H3 has 3 tungsten. The buffer can effect cycling and reliability. I have had no issues with my H buffer. If you do have reliability issues, you can experiment with different buffer weights.
For the upper receiver, go with a flat top. This allows you more options later. For the rest of the upper receiver parts, go with GI mil-spec. I like plain GI style hand guards with heat shields. They are inexpensive, and they work. They don't offer a lot of options for mounting gizmos, but I don't need a lot of gizmos. You can always get a quad rail later to mount a bunch of crap.
As for barrels, I like a 16" barrel with a mid length gas system. A 20" barrel is bit more accurate at longer ranges with a trade off in handiness and maneuverability. Some people like the M4 style barrels, but they are still 16" (unless you want to go with an SBR and deal with the ATF). They have a short carbine length gas system that is not as reliable, and a bayonet won't work unless you put a a special adapter. You could get a 14.5" barrel with a pinned/welded flash hider that is ATF legal, but now you can't remove your flash hider or gas block later if you want to swap out components. I recommend a government profile chrome lined barrel. The government profile is a nice compromise between the accuracy and strength of a heavy barrel and the light but weak pencil barrel. You can get chrome moly vanadium (CMV) barrels or cold hammer forged (CHF). CHF is better, in that they last longer, but are more expensive. A standard CMV barrel will do just fine. You want a barrel extension that has M4 feed ramps for reliable feeding. You want an "F" height front site base, to match your flat top upper. Twist rate can get confusing. Most barrels these days are either 1/7, 1/8 or 1/9. 1/7 means the the rifling makes one rotation in 7 inches. Different twist rates are useful for stabilizing different bullet weights. It all depends on what ammo you are going to use. 1/9 is better for the cheap 55 grain bullets, but not so great for heavier bullets. 1/7 is better for 62 (green tip) to 77 grain (match grade) bullets. 1/8 is a compromise between the two, and the best bet for a general purpose rifle. 1/7 is not a bad choice, but you may have accuracy issues with 55 grain rounds. You want a rifle chambered in 5.56 not .223.
The bolt carrier should be a full auto profile (the ATF won't hassle you for this) and chrome lined. The full auto profile carrier is heavier and cycles better. The gas key should be chrome lined, hardened, have grade 8 fasteners, and be properly staked. The bolt should be Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, high pressure tested (HPT) and magnetic particle inspected (MPI). The bolt and carrier take a beating. These features help ensure that it doesn't break when you need it.
Now for accessories. A rear sight should not be considered an accessory, but a lot of so-called "complete" rifles don't have one. No big deal, this allows you more flexibility to choose your own. I like the standard mil-spec carry handle with A2 style sights. Learn the basics of marksmanship with iron sights before you go and buy the latest gee-whiz optic. A Meprolite tritium front site post will allow you to aim in the dark. A GI loop sling is a great starter sling for learning marksmanship fundamentals. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look for the one my by CJ Weapons that Midway sells. This is the same sling that Appleseed recommends. Another upgrade to consider is a better trigger. I recommend the ALG Defense advanced combat trigger. It is a standard single stage GI type trigger, but better quality. Crisp break and no gritty feel. I have heard that Velocity Triggers are good, but they are also more expensive. I have not used their product, so I cannot vouch for it personally. If you want to mount a flashlight, Hot Shot makes a magnetic mount that lets you mount a standard tactical light, like a SureFire. It doesn't require any kind of mounting bracket. Bravo Company makes an extractor spring upgrade kit. People say it increases reliability. I drank the Kool-Aid and bought it. My rifle fired just fine before and after. Does it help? Maybe, but I'm only out $5.
I almost forgot magazines. You can't go wrong with the Magpul M2 MOE 30 round magazine. I've never had a problem with these mags and they can be found for $10-12 each. The M3 is supposed to be better, but a little more expensive. Since I've never had an issue with the M2, and they still make it, I'm sticking with it. I've never had use for the mags with windows. If you have GI aluminum mags, upgrade them with Magpul followers. This improves reliability by not allowing the follower to tilt.
He is a summary of recommended specs:
Lower - anything but Hesse, Vulcan, Blackthorne
Lower parts - mil-spec (minus fire control group if getting ALG trigger)
Receiver extension (buffer tube) - mil-spec (or commercial)
Buttstock - M4 6-position (mil-spec or commercial to match the receiver extension)
Buffer - H
Upper - flat top
Barrel - 16", mid length gas system, 1/8 twist (2nd choice 1/7), CMV (or CHF), chrome lined, GI profile, 5.56 chamber, M4 feed ramps, F height front sight base
Hand guards - standard GI
Bolt carrier - full auto profile, chrome lined, hardened chrome lined gas key, grade 8 fasteners, properly staked
Bolt - Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, HPT/MPI
Rear sight - standard GI carry handle with A2 sight
Accessories / Upgrades
Magazines - Magpul M2 MOE (
CJ Weapons GI web sling
Meprolite tritium front sight post
ALG Defense advanced combat trigger
Hot Shot magnetic flashlight mount
Bravo Company extractor spring upgrade kit
Optics - Learn the basics of rifle marksmanship with iron sights first, then do your own research.
Recommended sources:
Palmetto State Armory
Midway
Brownells
Monday, September 28, 2015
Fight for Liberty!
On exiting the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked what sort of government had been created and he replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." So how do we keep it? How do we maintain the liberty we have, and restore liberty that we have lost? Below, I will outline my thoughts on this subject.
Education
You can not advocate effectively for a principle that you do not understand. It requires a solid knowledge base on the fundamentals of natural rights and the founding of our country. If you have not read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, then you have homework to do. Once you have read the founding documents, you need to understand them. I recommend Clinton Rossiter's book: The Political Thought of the American Revolution: Part III of "Seedtime of the Republic." This book is no longer it print. It can be found at Amazon.com, but you may have to watch and wait to get it at a reasonable price. It is not light reading, but if you truly want to understand the principles of liberty and the founding of our nation, you would be hard pressed to find a better resource. Another excellent book is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. This is an account of the events surrounding the outbreak of the American Revolution. It is a fascinating book. Much of it reads more like a good novel than a history book. Another excellent resource is the free online education available at Hillsdale College. I highly recommend their Constitution 101 course. After you educate yourself, share with others. Teach your children. Encourage your friends and relatives to, at a minimum, read the Constitution.
Voting
Vote in every election. Research the candidates. votesmart.org is a good resource.
Be Represented
Contact your representatives. Find out who represents you and make your options on the issues known. Tell them how you want them to vote. You can find out who your representatives are and how to contact them on votesmart.org.
Jury Duty
If called on for jury duty, educate yourself. Understand why the right to trial by jury was included in the Bill of Rights. Understand the concept of jury nullification, and how this is part of the system of checks and balances. A good resource is the Fully Informed Jury Association.
Be Part of the Militia
If you are an able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 or a veteran under the age of 65, you are the unorganized militia according to US Code Title 10, Section 311. You should be physically fit, have a rifle and ammunition, and be a good marksman. Project Appleseed can help you with the latter. This is not a call to arms. I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government. We live in what some call a "soft" tyranny. There is still time and opportunity to work within the system. A conversion to "hard" tyranny would necessitate taking up arms. An well armed citizenry proficient at arms serves as a strong deterrent to that conversion. In other words: A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.
When the founders framed the Constitution, they devised a system of checks and balances. Know that the citizenry is part of that system. Education, voting, communicating with your representatives, serving on juries, maintaining arms and skill at arms are the means to that end.
Education
You can not advocate effectively for a principle that you do not understand. It requires a solid knowledge base on the fundamentals of natural rights and the founding of our country. If you have not read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, then you have homework to do. Once you have read the founding documents, you need to understand them. I recommend Clinton Rossiter's book: The Political Thought of the American Revolution: Part III of "Seedtime of the Republic." This book is no longer it print. It can be found at Amazon.com, but you may have to watch and wait to get it at a reasonable price. It is not light reading, but if you truly want to understand the principles of liberty and the founding of our nation, you would be hard pressed to find a better resource. Another excellent book is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. This is an account of the events surrounding the outbreak of the American Revolution. It is a fascinating book. Much of it reads more like a good novel than a history book. Another excellent resource is the free online education available at Hillsdale College. I highly recommend their Constitution 101 course. After you educate yourself, share with others. Teach your children. Encourage your friends and relatives to, at a minimum, read the Constitution.
Voting
Vote in every election. Research the candidates. votesmart.org is a good resource.
Be Represented
Contact your representatives. Find out who represents you and make your options on the issues known. Tell them how you want them to vote. You can find out who your representatives are and how to contact them on votesmart.org.
Jury Duty
If called on for jury duty, educate yourself. Understand why the right to trial by jury was included in the Bill of Rights. Understand the concept of jury nullification, and how this is part of the system of checks and balances. A good resource is the Fully Informed Jury Association.
Be Part of the Militia
If you are an able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 or a veteran under the age of 65, you are the unorganized militia according to US Code Title 10, Section 311. You should be physically fit, have a rifle and ammunition, and be a good marksman. Project Appleseed can help you with the latter. This is not a call to arms. I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government. We live in what some call a "soft" tyranny. There is still time and opportunity to work within the system. A conversion to "hard" tyranny would necessitate taking up arms. An well armed citizenry proficient at arms serves as a strong deterrent to that conversion. In other words: A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.
When the founders framed the Constitution, they devised a system of checks and balances. Know that the citizenry is part of that system. Education, voting, communicating with your representatives, serving on juries, maintaining arms and skill at arms are the means to that end.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Tourniquet Experiment
I have been wondering about how the effectiveness of modern tourniquets, like the CAT, compares to a traditional cravat and stick tourniquet. I have also heard that an Israeli bandage makes a decent tourniquet if you use a stick to tighten it. That made me wonder if an ACE bandage, which I have used on numerous occasions as an effective pressure dressing, would work as a tourniquet if you added a stick to use as a windlass.
The authority on tourniquets is the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR). They have published numerous studies on the subject. Their experiments sometimes use human subjects and measure arterial occlusion with a doppler device.
I couldn't find anything comparing the old fashioned cravat and stick, like I learned in basic training, to the new tourniquets. I also wanted to see what an ACE and stick could do. I didn't want to use human subjects. I'm not planning on publishing my little experiment, other than on my own blog. So I came up with the idea of using a football to simulate a thigh. I deflated it to 2 psi (103 mm Hg), pretty close to normal human blood pressure, applied each tourniquet, and measured the pressure again. Each of the 3 methods I tried, increased the pressure in the football to 3 psi (155 mm Hg). High enough to exceed the arterial pressure in most humans. There are numerous flaws in my methodology. A football is not perfectly analogous to a thigh, my pressure gauge is not very accurate, etc. However, nobody got hurt, and I think it gave a decent comparison, relative to each other, of how much pressure each tourniquet could give. We know from USAISR's research that the CAT is effective.
Here is the CAT applied to the football. Also shown is the pressure gauge.
Now a standard military issue triangular bandage NSN 6510-00-201-1755 (cravat) with a stick (3/8 x 6" oak dowel). It generated just as much pressure, but you can see where the cloth rolled up, narrowing the width of the tourniquet. This could potentially cause pain and tissue damage.
Now the ACE bandage (3") and stick. I used a zip tie to secure the stick in place. It also generated adequate pressure, but rolled up like the cravat.
Conclusions: A cravat or an ACE bandage with a stick can be used to make an effective tourniquet. They cannot be applied one-handed, limiting their application for self aid to an upper extremity injury. They both roll up and narrow, likely causing pain and tissue damage. Applying the tourniqet over clothing could limit this effect.
If you remember my prior post on making a budget IFAK, we could use some of the lessons learned in this experiment to make a pocket or EDC IFAK, like the Student of the Gun (SOTG) Pocket Lifesaver. Knowing that a tourniquet can be made out an ACE bandage, we could eliminate the triangular bandage and limit the items in the kit to the following:
nasopharyngeal airway, 28 Fr
ABD pad or maxi pad
3" ACE bandage
3/8 x 6" oak dowel (maybe even 5")
36" of duct tape on a credit card
I am going to put together such a kit, vacuum pack it with a FoodSaver, and post some pics. We'll see how convenient it is to carry around.
At $39.95, SOTG's Pocket Lifesaver is a good deal. The cost is not much more than the cost of the RATS tourniquet and nasal airway that it contains. I think their kit would be neater if the duct tape were on a credit card. The RATS tourniquet can be applied one handed. I'm not sure of its effectiveness. They say that it is TCCC approved, but that is misleading. See this article for the details on that. I guess I will have to get one and test it on the football. While I'm at it, I just might make a DIY tourniquet like the RATS from a Walmart bungee cord, and test it too.
The authority on tourniquets is the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR). They have published numerous studies on the subject. Their experiments sometimes use human subjects and measure arterial occlusion with a doppler device.
I couldn't find anything comparing the old fashioned cravat and stick, like I learned in basic training, to the new tourniquets. I also wanted to see what an ACE and stick could do. I didn't want to use human subjects. I'm not planning on publishing my little experiment, other than on my own blog. So I came up with the idea of using a football to simulate a thigh. I deflated it to 2 psi (103 mm Hg), pretty close to normal human blood pressure, applied each tourniquet, and measured the pressure again. Each of the 3 methods I tried, increased the pressure in the football to 3 psi (155 mm Hg). High enough to exceed the arterial pressure in most humans. There are numerous flaws in my methodology. A football is not perfectly analogous to a thigh, my pressure gauge is not very accurate, etc. However, nobody got hurt, and I think it gave a decent comparison, relative to each other, of how much pressure each tourniquet could give. We know from USAISR's research that the CAT is effective.
Here is the CAT applied to the football. Also shown is the pressure gauge.
Now a standard military issue triangular bandage NSN 6510-00-201-1755 (cravat) with a stick (3/8 x 6" oak dowel). It generated just as much pressure, but you can see where the cloth rolled up, narrowing the width of the tourniquet. This could potentially cause pain and tissue damage.
Now the ACE bandage (3") and stick. I used a zip tie to secure the stick in place. It also generated adequate pressure, but rolled up like the cravat.
Conclusions: A cravat or an ACE bandage with a stick can be used to make an effective tourniquet. They cannot be applied one-handed, limiting their application for self aid to an upper extremity injury. They both roll up and narrow, likely causing pain and tissue damage. Applying the tourniqet over clothing could limit this effect.
If you remember my prior post on making a budget IFAK, we could use some of the lessons learned in this experiment to make a pocket or EDC IFAK, like the Student of the Gun (SOTG) Pocket Lifesaver. Knowing that a tourniquet can be made out an ACE bandage, we could eliminate the triangular bandage and limit the items in the kit to the following:
nasopharyngeal airway, 28 Fr
ABD pad or maxi pad
3" ACE bandage
3/8 x 6" oak dowel (maybe even 5")
36" of duct tape on a credit card
I am going to put together such a kit, vacuum pack it with a FoodSaver, and post some pics. We'll see how convenient it is to carry around.
At $39.95, SOTG's Pocket Lifesaver is a good deal. The cost is not much more than the cost of the RATS tourniquet and nasal airway that it contains. I think their kit would be neater if the duct tape were on a credit card. The RATS tourniquet can be applied one handed. I'm not sure of its effectiveness. They say that it is TCCC approved, but that is misleading. See this article for the details on that. I guess I will have to get one and test it on the football. While I'm at it, I just might make a DIY tourniquet like the RATS from a Walmart bungee cord, and test it too.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Print Your Own Targets
Here are some links to targets that you can print at home.
Leave a comment if any of these links go dead, or if there is a target of general interest that should be posted here.
M16 25 meter zero target
Appleseed 25 m AQT targets
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12702
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12703
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12704
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12702
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12703
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12704
Appleseed 10 m target
I use this for indoor dry firing.
http://www.bob-owens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Appleseed.png
Various websites with free printable targets
http://www.mytargets.com
http://www.targetz.com
http://www.targets.ws
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/targets/
http://printtargets.net
http://www.gun-shots.net/free-printable-targets.shtml
http://www.lyndenhuggins.com/hunting/info/targets/targets.htm
http://mysticvalleygunclub.com/printable-targets/
I use this for indoor dry firing.
http://www.bob-owens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Appleseed.png
Various websites with free printable targets
http://www.mytargets.com
http://www.targetz.com
http://www.targets.ws
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/targets/
http://printtargets.net
http://www.gun-shots.net/free-printable-targets.shtml
http://www.lyndenhuggins.com/hunting/info/targets/targets.htm
http://mysticvalleygunclub.com/printable-targets/
Leave a comment if any of these links go dead, or if there is a target of general interest that should be posted here.
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