Interesting Gun

 

Gear Review: Interesting Gun
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This is a very interesting gun that was in my grandfather’s estate – This gun has some history in my family – My dad used it for a while when he was a deputy. But in addition to family history, this gun has a interesting history.

It’s a Llama frame with a colt government slide.

Basically in the early 1930’s Llama made some guns based on the 1911 and 1911A1 – many were chambered in .38 super with what they called a “tolerant chamber” so that they could fire both 9mm and 38 super. In this gun, being in a “heirloom” and not being mine – I did not fire it with 9mm largo.

I did shoot it with the .38 supers – which is a rimless case based upon the old .38 acp – it looks like long 9mm case, (which is some aspects it kind of is).
What is neat with the old Llama’s because they used 1911 blueprints, many .45 caliber 1911 parts fit with no problems.

Somewhere my Grandpa acquired some government model .45 magazines, and a complete 1911 GI issue upper. The slide fits right on the Llama frame and allows a very quick conversion between the .38 and the .45.

This old gun is not to be confused with the newer model Llama’s – I know many gun guys that think the newer Llamas are the single black mark on the 1911 tradition.

Many will not own one no matter what the price – additionally the holes in the new Llama frames are oversized, and many of the parts are not interchangeable – so if you have a Llama minimax or other guns don’t try this at home.

What is the HK Slap? Failure to Fire on a CETME

 

CETME HK Slap and Failure to Fire
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First let’s describe what the “HK Slap” is.   When the cocking handle locked back and up into a slot in the receiver, it needs to be releases.  The HK slap is when the bolt handle is slapped down.  Thereby, releasing it to ride forward under spring pressure to chamber a round.

This is how many of the HK guns were designed to work. There are some internet forums that discuss the HK slap and say that it contributes to excessive wear. However, in my opinion this just doesn’t make sense. Riding the bolt home to “prevent wear”.

Basically keeping the bolt from impacting on the chamber is a symptom of the thinking that causes people to ride their pistol slides forward causing malfunctions, and/or buying buffer devices that retard the slide action and cause malfunctions.

Use the gun as the manufacturer designed it and you are almost always guaranteed less problems than when you try to engineer new techniques.

In the video I was shooting some ammunition with hard primers. When I used the sling shot method of pulling the handle to the rear and letting it go, or when I rode the handle home I had multiple failure to fire malfunctions.

When I used the HK slap I did not have any problems. I know this is anecdotal, but it works.

Finger Straight and Off Trigger or Shaped as a C?

 

Shooting: Finger in the C Position
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I am a big believer in keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire your handgun. The traditional way of doing this it to keep your finger straight.  That means lain along the frame of the gun above the trigger well.

I like this way.  However, I was recently shown another technique.  Personally I am still evaluating it.  But the idea makes sense so I wanted to share it with you.  Feel free to play with it to see if you think it is worthwhile.

Instead of having your finger straight you can make your trigger finger in the C position.  Just put the tip along the grip just behind the trigger well.

Then as you decide to shoot you can press your finger forward and come up behind the trigger and wrap around to achieve proper trigger placement.

Fundamentals Don’t Change Without Reason

Now when it comes to firearms training, I believe in practicing the fundamentals and not getting caught up with new techniques simply because they are novel.  However, if there is an articulable problem than a new technique solves, then I am willing to adapt and learn new skills. So when I was introduced to this I asked “What problem does this solve?”.   I was told that in a retention fight, your finger could be trapped along the slide if your attacker was able to grasp the slide.

I think that is a bit of a stretch, even if it is possible.

However, when it comes to safety there may be some merit. One problem I see with the straight finger technique comes from sloppy application or incomplete instruction. If the finger is held straight, but low so that it rests on the trigger guard instead of the frame, the finger can contract and slap the trigger.

May Help Prevent Negligent Discharge

When the finger is held in the “C” position, any of the big three causes of negligent discharge (stumble, startle, sympathetic grip) are much harder because the as the finger tightens there is no way it can hook on the trigger.

This makes the “C” position something to think about. I haven’t come to a full conclusion for myself yet.  So I don’t teach it other than use it as a discussion topic in instructor level courses, but it may work for you.

As always, I welcome your comments.

How to Make Arrow Fletching With Duct Tape

How to Make Arrow Fletching With Duct Tape

 

Duct Tape Arrow Fletching
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Several years ago I tried out Dave Canterbury’s sling bow. It was fun and I saw that it had potential,  Unfortunately, arrows are expensive.  The short arrows I bought just did not develop enough energy to be useful.

I decided to look into making my own arrows.  Arrow-making has obviously been around a long time.  So it is a pretty developed science.  Feathers arraigned in a 3 feather system are the most common.  However, some use 2 or 4 feathered fletching systems.  Additionally plastic vanes are available commercially.

In today’s article we are going to go “mad max” and create Duct Tape Arrow Fletching.

The Prepper MacGyver’s Most Common Resource is Duct Tape.

The great thing about duct tape is that is common, cheap, is not too stiff so that it can bend as it comes in contact with the bow, but when doubled up is stiff enough to direct the arrow in flight.

To make fletching simply cut three bits of tape about six inches long.

Pick up one piece and bend it lengthwise to form a “U” with the sticky side outwards. The base of this “U” is stuck lengthwise along the shaft – in other words (and the video will help) the middle of the tape is stuck to  1/3 of the diameter of the shaft with the two ends flopping free.

Now pick up the second piece and bend it like the first one. This one will be stuck in position a third of the way around the shaft from the first one, while the first bit of tape is still bent in the “U” position to keep it out of the way. You do not want the two pieces of tape to stick together until you get everything situated. (I find that clipping the loose ends of the first piece of tape together keeps them out of the way.

Once you feel that the two pieces of tape are sitting in the right position, you can allow the two adjacent wings of tape to stick to each other, forming the first complete vane.

Mold the tape against the shaft to get it to stick well. The two bits of tape will sometimes stick without being exactly in the right position thus skewing the vane or making it lumpy.

Apply the third piece of tape is applied in a similar manner.

Tips for Duct Tape Fletching

A challenge with this tape fletching is to get three flat and evenly spaced vanes.

Another problem is to end up with the vanes where you want them in relation to your nock so that you get the conventional “cock and hen feather” configuration with the cock feather at right angles to the plane of the nock.

Once you have the tape into place, you can trim the vanes with sharp scissors.

Keep the vanes tapering down to nothing at the leading end so that they ride nicely past the bow and your bow hand.

Keep the vanes as narrow as possible and make the taper as long as possible.

You can also apply a tight wrap of soft insulation tape over the very front end of these plastic vanes to stop them catching and pulling away.

Obviously this won’t give you a good a result as using proper fletching and a jig like the one below, but it is serviceable and just the thing to use if your using a homemade PVC bow (more on that later).

Cooper Conditions of Firearm Readiness

Cooper Conditions of Firearm Readiness
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In this post on the Jeff Cooper conditions of firearm readiness we discuss situational awareness and give you a mental tool to allow you to discuss and classify your mental awareness.

This color code system is not meant do you to use while actually being engaged in a fight – no one expects you to think about going to condition red BEFORE you actual respond to a physical threat, but understanding the concept and being able to articulate what is going on (especially after the event) is quite useful.

This concept was popularized by Marine Corps Colonel Jeff Cooper, who believed that the most important means of surviving a lethal attack was not a person’s skill or tools, but was their combat mindset.

Col Cooper did not claim to invent the code, but he did do more than anyone else to popularize it among martialists.

White: Unaware and unprepared.

If attacked in Condition White, the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy or ineptitude of your attacker. When confronted by something nasty, your reaction will probably be “Oh my God! This can’t be happening to me.”

Yellow: Relaxed alert.

No specific threat situation. Your mindset is that “today could be the day I may have to defend myself”. You are simply aware that the world is a potentially unfriendly place and that you are prepared to defend yourself, if necessary. You use your eyes and ears, and realize that “I may have to shoot today”. You don’t have to be armed in this state, but if you are armed you should be in Condition Yellow. You should always be in Yellow whenever you are in unfamiliar surroundings or among people you don’t know. You can remain in Yellow for long periods, as long as you are able to “Watch your six.” (In aviation 12 o’clock refers to the direction in front of the aircraft’s nose. Six o’clock is the blind spot behind the pilot.) In Yellow, you are “taking in” surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep. As Cooper put it, “I might have to shoot.”

Orange: Specific alert.

Something is not quite right and has your attention. Your radar has picked up a specific alert. You shift your primary focus to determine if there is a threat (but you do not drop your six). Your mindset shifts to “I may have to shoot that person today”, focusing on the specific target which has caused the escalation in alert status. In Condition Orange, you set a mental trigger: “If that person does “X”, I will need to stop them”. Your pistol usually remains holstered in this state. Staying in Orange can be a bit of a mental strain, but you can stay in it for as long as you need to. If the threat proves to be nothing, you shift back to Condition Yellow.

Red: Condition Red is fight.

Your mental trigger (established back in Condition Orange) has been tripped. “If ‘X’ happens I will shoot that person” – ‘X’ has happened, the fight is on.

Some, including the USMC have added condition black, which is a breakdown of mental and physical performance.
Studies have shown that when the heart beats faster than 175 heartbeats per minute causes this as increased heart rate becomes counter productive.
In condition black the shooter probably has stopped thinking correctly.

Condition black often occurs when a person is forced to go from Condition White or Yellow immediately to Condition Red.

Anyone serious about personal protection, including the defensive use of a pistol should study Col. Cooper.  His work has influenced much of what is state of the art in defensive shooting.