Category: Gun and Other Self Defense Stuff

This section is pretty broad and actually covers more than it says. This is a catch all for prepper related gun and weapon things as well as self defense training. If I don’t have a better place to put it and it is dangerous it will probably be found in this section.

CETME Reliability – Firing Without an Extractor

Buy at Amazon

So I traded a .45 1911 for a CETME – and while CETME’s built by century arms have a terrible track record, I did not mind because the pistol was a remnant from my divorce and USED to be part of a matched set that my ex demanded be divided.

I have more than one pistol, but not more than one .308, and I wanted to get a CETME to play with. You see from what I have heard every CETME owner eventually either gives up of becomes a CETME gunsmith, and once tuned they are really good battle rifles.

One of the reasons these rifles are so reliable (and every defensive gun is judged by a standard of 100% reliability IMHO) is because of its delayed roller blowback system. This is funny because the DRB system is the cause of most of the complaints about the rifle (other than the drunken sledge hammer toting monkeys that like to weld guns together without ensuring the sights are aligned over at CAI). The flutes machined in the chamber help blow the fired brass back out of the gun. To demonstrate this I have actually removed the extractor from my CETME and tried firing without and extractor. The rifle functions and extracts the brass. It does not throw the rounds as far or as hard as it did with the extractor installed, and it stovepipes pretty often, but it is a simple matter to sweep the stovepipe round out and recharge the gun to fire it as a single shot.

I really didn’t have a reason to do this other than I wanted to build a little confidence in my gun and explore its capabilities. It’s funny, but the big difference I saw in reliability was not from firing with or without the extractor, but from good magazines versus beat up magazines. That is something to remember when some knucklehead recommends using the magazine feed lips to pry out the pins holding the gun together. I know it might be in an old army manual somewhere, but not only do I have an old military manual that recommends standing in a field shoulder to shoulder with your buddies waiting your turn to shoot back at them, they also had the benefit of a military supply chain to replace magazines as they got damaged.

While I do not like the CETME beating up on my brass, I love the reliability, the concept of a CETME Firing Without an Extractor is pretty cool and speaks to the design.

April 19, 2012
Handgun Scenario #3 Burglar In Your Home
Buy at Amazon

This video is a handgun scenario clip from the old TN handgun permit video, it is being used under the fair use doctrine.

This video will show a brief encounter that a legally armed citizen will face.

Please watch it and then think about what you would do in this situation.

An armed citizen generally has an extremely compressed window in a use of force situation. If you have not spent some time seriously considering what would cause you to use force and the implications (Physical, Legal, Moral, Psychological, and Sociological) then you are setting yourself up for failure.

Consider your gut reaction and what you immediately think you should do. Then think about the implications of those actions and see if it changes your mind on what you should do.

Answer these two questions:
- Would I have taken same action as the armed citizen in the video?
- If I had, would it have been legal?
I think this kind of what would you do training is invaluable to preparing a person to carry a gun for self defense. If you never work on handgun scenario training you will have to work through the situation when it occurs – this will waste precious seconds and may cause you to do the wrong thing. Please look at the post on OODA loop for more information.

On the Next Page We Will Have the Discussion
April 17, 2012
Ayoob Close Range Action Plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5CrxIV7mXA

Buy at Amazon

According to Wikipedia Massad Ayoob is an internationally known firearms and self-defense instructor. He has taught police techniques and civilian self-defense to both law enforcement officers and private citizens since 1974.

He was the director of the Lethal Force Institute (LFI) in Concord, New Hampshire from 1981 to 2009. Ayoob now directs the Massad Ayoob Group (MAG).

More than that bio Mr. Ayoob writes some of the best firearm books on the subject of the legal aftermath of a self defense shooting. I widely quote his work in my classes, and recommend his books courses and videos to my students.

Shooting on the range against static targets is pretty easy – but we do it to gain skills that will help us survive when the targets shoot back and we have life on the line rather than bragging rights.

Having a close range action plan is pretty important because it helps deal with everything going on when everything going on is rapidly changing, confusing, complex, and life altering. Just know that what Tyson said about plans is true “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”

April 17, 2012
TED Talk Why I chose a gun from Peter van Uhm

Buy at Amazon

Why I chose a gun is a TED talk from Peter van Uhm the former Chief of Defense of the Netherlands’. However his job does not mean he is pro-war. At TEDxAmsterdam he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed — and why we need armies if we want peace.

I have some TED talks I use in teaching, and have learned a lot from them, but they do have a very noticeable liberal bias and rarely have videos that show a pro-gun sentiment.

I do have some questions on his soldier’s lack of familiarity with the manual of arms on the M-16 and her poor marching skills, but there is a lot of useful thought in the video.

Not everyone is familiar with or even likes guns. However, how many people do you know who dislike what guns protect. Guns protect people – families – kids.

My gun protects life. Mine, my loved ones, and the lives of those in my community and nation. My gun is for defense. From protection against bad guys that use guns for offense.

General van Uhm tells a story about his father’s inability to stop the Nazi advance due to poor equipment. He describes how that inability marked him for life. The General speaks on why he joined the military to stop evil.

Why I chose a gun is a pro gun story from a guy that does not like guns.

April 17, 2012
How to Replace a CETME Roller
Buy at Amazon

In previous articles we talked about the importance of bolt gap on delayed roller blowback rifles like the CETME or the HK G3s.

We even touched on how to increase bolt gap by adding oversized rollers to correct wear of internal parts.

What we did not do is give instructions for replacing the rollers.

Now, as I have said before, I am not a gunsmith, but I will present an easy way of changing rollers.

You don’t need much in the way of tools – a pair of pliers, a roll pin punch (I used a nail) and a hammer.

Procedure:
- First ensure you have NO ammunition in the room. This is imperative to make a habit whenever you are cleaning, working on, or dry firing your firearm.
- Next strip the rifle (we have an article on that)
- Remove bolt assembly by twisting – you probably can do this without tools if you have decent hand strength
- Remove Bolt head from Carrier (twist and pull)
- On the top of the bolt head you will see a small hole with a roll pin. Using a small punch tap out the roll pin, I did not have a punch nearby that was the right size so I used a small finishing nail. Retainer plate and rollers will now slide out the side
- Shake bolt head until the roll pin falls out.
- Insert your plus sized rollers on the retainer plate (one side of the roller ill have a small divot in the center. This divot corresponds to a tip on the retainer plate.
- Slide retainer plate and rollers back in the bolt.
- Reinstall pin (may take a tap on the punch with a small hammer)
- Reassemble firearm function check to ensure you put everything back properly
- Check bolt gap (it should have increased) If it has not or it is still out of specification you may have to consider getting the barrel repressed – there are not a lot of gunsmiths that are willing to do this, but luckily I found two in my area.
Resources for CETME Parts

(I have no connections to any of these companies, but I have been their customer)

I buy my rollers from RTG International Surplus Parts in Arizona

And for barrel work, I use wither Dave’s Gun shop in Cookeville TN (I’ve been in firearms classes with Terry their gunsmith – great bunch of guys)

Or Lock Stock and Barrel in Franklin TN (sorry no website)
April 16, 2012