The soldier must understand and apply the four key fundamentals before he approaches the firing line. He must establish a steady position allowing observation of the target. He must aim the rifle at the target by aligning the sight system, and fire the rifle without disturbing this alignment by improper breathing or during trigger squeeze. These skills are known collectively as the four fundamentals. Applying these four fundamentals rapidly and consistently is the integrated act of firing.
Steady Position
When the soldier approaches the firing line, he should assume a comfortable, steady firing position. The time and supervision each soldier has on the firing line are limited. He must learn how to establish a steady position during integrated act of dry-fire training. The firer is the best judge of the quality of his position. If he can hold the front sight post steady through the fall of the hammer, he has a good position. The steady position elements are as follows.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Navy SEAL Training Tips: Mental Preparation
[The following is an excerpt from SEAL SURVIVAL GUIDE: A Navy SEAL's Secrets to Surviving Any Disaster, written by Former Navy SEAL and preeminent American survivalist Cade Courtley.]
The brain is the strongest muscle in the body. You've heard stories of how combat soldiers have been shot repeatedly but were not aware of it until the fight was over. These stories are true, and the power to do such things comes from the mind and can be tapped into by practicing mental preparation. This practice can allow you to far exceed your physical limitations. Just as you train other muscles, you can train the brain with mental-preparedness exercises -- and you don't need to go to the gym to do it! It's an exercise you can do anywhere. I can't stress enough how important mental preparedness is for surviving and enduring any life-threatening situation that you could encounter. This is how you practice it.
The brain is the strongest muscle in the body. You've heard stories of how combat soldiers have been shot repeatedly but were not aware of it until the fight was over. These stories are true, and the power to do such things comes from the mind and can be tapped into by practicing mental preparation. This practice can allow you to far exceed your physical limitations. Just as you train other muscles, you can train the brain with mental-preparedness exercises -- and you don't need to go to the gym to do it! It's an exercise you can do anywhere. I can't stress enough how important mental preparedness is for surviving and enduring any life-threatening situation that you could encounter. This is how you practice it.
Monday, 17 December 2012
Rampage Shootings: It's the Moral Decay of Society, not Guns
By Rachel Alexander
It should come as no surprise that the rate of mass shootings at schools and in other public places is increasing. The surge has nothing to do with guns, which have been widely available in the U.S. for years. Gun control laws have been increasing. Instead, there is a direct correlation between the increase in violence and the gradual degradation of morals, ethics and parenting. We are cultivating mental illness in our society.
It should come as no surprise that the rate of mass shootings at schools and in other public places is increasing. The surge has nothing to do with guns, which have been widely available in the U.S. for years. Gun control laws have been increasing. Instead, there is a direct correlation between the increase in violence and the gradual degradation of morals, ethics and parenting. We are cultivating mental illness in our society.
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
How to Clean a Rifle Barrel the Right Way
Rifle Barrel Cleaning
By Jim Borden
Rifle barrel cleaning seems to be something that is approached like witchcraft. I have read numerous articles on the subject and as an experienced rifle builder and competitive shooter, I have become very concerned with many of the methods and materials that are proposed for cleaning rifle barrels.
By Jim Borden
Rifle barrel cleaning seems to be something that is approached like witchcraft. I have read numerous articles on the subject and as an experienced rifle builder and competitive shooter, I have become very concerned with many of the methods and materials that are proposed for cleaning rifle barrels.
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Range Finding - How to estimate distance
I'm still doing simple things like estimating distance based on "how many football fields" it appears to be. Closer it matters less for a rifle, but with a pistol its good to know if that shot you just made is at 10 meters or 30 meters.
One trick I use when outdoors for telling how much daylight is high target and your thumb nail for example:
Extend your hand doing a big thumbs up in front of you.
Your entire thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance.
Half the height of your thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance.
A quarter of your thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance, and so on.
But we need to be more accurate.....
One trick I use when outdoors for telling how much daylight is high target and your thumb nail for example:
Extend your hand doing a big thumbs up in front of you.
Your entire thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance.
Half the height of your thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance.
A quarter of your thumbnail will cover a 12" target at a certain distance, and so on.
But we need to be more accurate.....
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
.357 Magnum Hornady Critical Defense Ammo Gel Test
Penetration and expansion test of the .357 Magnum Hornady Critical Defense, 125 grain JHP using a diluted form of SIM-TEST Ballistic Testing Media. This format is comparable to ballistic gel, and includes four layers of denim. The inclusion of denim is an IWBA protocol.
Video includes brief overview of the cartridge, recoil shots, and one shot test. Post-shot evaluation shows bullet path through the block, average diameter, and retained weight. Test gun was a Ruger GP100 with 3" barrel. Chronograph velocites are noted in the video.
VERY IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING AMMO TESTS ON THIS CHANNEL:
Please understand that these techniques are merely representations to indicate possible ballistics; they are not intended to replicate real-world street results. There are just too many factors involved in a self-defense scenario to offer a 100% degree of accuracy when compared to street results. It is essential to perform exhaustive research on your carry choice, which could yield actual use data. The law-abiding citizen bears ultimate responsibility for their ammunition choice and insuring reliability in their handgun.
Video includes brief overview of the cartridge, recoil shots, and one shot test. Post-shot evaluation shows bullet path through the block, average diameter, and retained weight. Test gun was a Ruger GP100 with 3" barrel. Chronograph velocites are noted in the video.
VERY IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING AMMO TESTS ON THIS CHANNEL:
Please understand that these techniques are merely representations to indicate possible ballistics; they are not intended to replicate real-world street results. There are just too many factors involved in a self-defense scenario to offer a 100% degree of accuracy when compared to street results. It is essential to perform exhaustive research on your carry choice, which could yield actual use data. The law-abiding citizen bears ultimate responsibility for their ammunition choice and insuring reliability in their handgun.
Boereregte om eiendom te beskerm - Wanneer mag jy skiet?
Ek dink dit is belangrik dat almal hulself vergewis van hul regte in die verband.
Advokaat Albert J. Murphy het ‘n regsopinie hieroor geskryf wat ons regte deeglik omvat!
As jy voel dat die situasie in hierdie vir jou enige bedreiging inhou, maak seker jy is vertroud met die inhou van die skrywe!
Brief nr. 1
JY MAG JOUSELF BESKERM
Advokaat Albert J. Murphy het ‘n regsopinie hieroor geskryf wat ons regte deeglik omvat!
As jy voel dat die situasie in hierdie vir jou enige bedreiging inhou, maak seker jy is vertroud met die inhou van die skrywe!
Brief nr. 1
Sunday, 2 December 2012
The Rifle Cartridge Killing Power Formula
By Chuck Hawks
I don't have much faith in killing power formulas in general. Most such formulas are obviously designed to reinforce someone's pre-conceived notions. As a result, these "killing power," "stopping power," "knock out" (or whatever they may be called) formulas typically disregard factors that are detrimental to their case.
I was curious to see what the results would look like if I included the most obvious, easily quantifiable, factors in a simple killing power formula. These factors are velocity, energy, bullet weight, sectional density (SD), and bullet cross-sectional area (frontal area). Upon reflection I realized that since velocity is already the most important factor in calculating kinetic energy, it would not be necessary to incorporate it separately.
That left the factors of energy, bullet weight, SD, and cross-sectional area. Then I received an e-mail from Ole Swang, who is a mathematician, and he pointed out that sectional density and frontal area equal bullet weight. Thus by including bullet weight separately I was, essentially, squaring its value. So I eliminated bullet weight. (But remember that, like velocity, it is actually present in the remaining factors.) That left the numbers for energy, SD, and frontal area to work with.
I don't have much faith in killing power formulas in general. Most such formulas are obviously designed to reinforce someone's pre-conceived notions. As a result, these "killing power," "stopping power," "knock out" (or whatever they may be called) formulas typically disregard factors that are detrimental to their case.
I was curious to see what the results would look like if I included the most obvious, easily quantifiable, factors in a simple killing power formula. These factors are velocity, energy, bullet weight, sectional density (SD), and bullet cross-sectional area (frontal area). Upon reflection I realized that since velocity is already the most important factor in calculating kinetic energy, it would not be necessary to incorporate it separately.
That left the factors of energy, bullet weight, SD, and cross-sectional area. Then I received an e-mail from Ole Swang, who is a mathematician, and he pointed out that sectional density and frontal area equal bullet weight. Thus by including bullet weight separately I was, essentially, squaring its value. So I eliminated bullet weight. (But remember that, like velocity, it is actually present in the remaining factors.) That left the numbers for energy, SD, and frontal area to work with.
The Definitive Military Service Calibre and Rifle For the 21st Century
By Mike Staples
Introduction
Hi, my name is Mike Staples and I am an ex Australian Army Fitter Armament or to put it more simply, an Armourer. My experience takes in all Australian Military Weapons including pistols, rifles, SMGs, LMGs, HMGs, Mortars, recoilless rifle, and artillery pieces, as well as mounted guns in our Armoured vehicles that were current at the time of my service. On top of that experience is my love of shooting, which started when I was around 6 years of age and has continued to this day, some 51 years later. I have been asked by Mr. Hawks to write an article on a suitable calibre for a General Purpose Military Rifle (GPMR), and whilst the calibre is important the delivery system, a.k.a. the rifle, is equally so. That being the case, this first article will establish what I feel is a suitable calibre to replace the 5.56mm NATO round, whilst the second part will put forward suggestions on a suitable rifle.
There has been a multitude of cartridges that have been used by the worlds Military Forces, and to compare all of them in the pursuit of the "perfect calibre" for the 21st Century would take many pages and many hours of research. Therefore, I will concentrate on those which have been used by the US, Australia, Great Britain, and NATO Forces in recent history.
Since the Vietnam War there has been a move to make one calibre "the NATO calibre," and at this point in time that calibre is the 5.56mm NATO. The main reason for this, from my perspective, is to make all aligned forces users of this calibre. NATO is a collage of many countries. When NATO forces either take up arms against an aggressor or have become an occupation force on behalf of the United Nations inside a country that has experienced a war or uprising, many soldiers from different countries make up that force. If all used a different calibre in their GPMR, ammunition re-supply would be a nightmare.
On Oils for Guns - the best damn gun lube guide I’ve ever read
TTAG reader Dyspeptic Gunsmith posted this in the comments section. I’ve cut and pasted it here ’cause it’s the best damn gun lube guide I’ve ever read. Wait. That doesn’t sound right . . .
1. WD-40 is a mediocre lubricant and an OK rust preventative. It’s original purpose was as a water dispersant for machining – since the 60′s, machine shops have gone to water-based machining lubrication/coolants and when you’re done machining a part, you want to get the water-based lube/coolant off the part quickly. WD-40 does this well, and prevents corrosion on most naked machined steels. But, WD-40 then dries over a period of weeks, leaving behind not much in the way of lubrication. The downside of WD-40 is that is can harm some gunstock finishes and plastic parts . . .
1. WD-40 is a mediocre lubricant and an OK rust preventative. It’s original purpose was as a water dispersant for machining – since the 60′s, machine shops have gone to water-based machining lubrication/coolants and when you’re done machining a part, you want to get the water-based lube/coolant off the part quickly. WD-40 does this well, and prevents corrosion on most naked machined steels. But, WD-40 then dries over a period of weeks, leaving behind not much in the way of lubrication. The downside of WD-40 is that is can harm some gunstock finishes and plastic parts . . .
Saturday, 1 December 2012
The Great .270 Winchester
The Great .270 Winchester
By Chuck Hawks
The .270 Winchester is regarded by many experienced experts as the world's best all-around cartridge for thin skinned non-dangerous game. Jack O'Connor used the .270 almost from the beginning, and wrote extensively about it throughout his long and illustrious career. He probably did more than any other single person to popularize the .270. It is certainly on my short list of four great all-around cartridges. (The other three are the 7mm Rem. Mag., .308 Win. and .30-06 Spfd. See my article "All-Around Rifle Cartridges" for more on this subject.)
Almost from its introduction the .270 established itself as a premier long range hunting cartridge; its evolution into, and its acceptance as, one of the 3 or 4 most versatile cartridges in the world probably surprised even Winchester. It has proven effective on everything from jackrabbits to Moose, and is in regular use in all the game fields in the world. It is more than needed for jackrabbits and a bit light for moose, but it has and will take both with appropriate bullets and well placed shots.
By Chuck Hawks
The .270 Winchester is regarded by many experienced experts as the world's best all-around cartridge for thin skinned non-dangerous game. Jack O'Connor used the .270 almost from the beginning, and wrote extensively about it throughout his long and illustrious career. He probably did more than any other single person to popularize the .270. It is certainly on my short list of four great all-around cartridges. (The other three are the 7mm Rem. Mag., .308 Win. and .30-06 Spfd. See my article "All-Around Rifle Cartridges" for more on this subject.)
Almost from its introduction the .270 established itself as a premier long range hunting cartridge; its evolution into, and its acceptance as, one of the 3 or 4 most versatile cartridges in the world probably surprised even Winchester. It has proven effective on everything from jackrabbits to Moose, and is in regular use in all the game fields in the world. It is more than needed for jackrabbits and a bit light for moose, but it has and will take both with appropriate bullets and well placed shots.
Sectional Density for Beginners
Bullets have several quantifiable characteristics. One of the most important is Sectional Density (SD). It took me a long time to finally grasp its true significance, but once I did, much of my confusion about bullets just disappeared.
Sectional density, according to the SpeerReloading Manual No. 13, is defined as: "A bullet's weight in pounds divided by the square of its diameter in inches." Note that SD is independent of a bullet's shape. All bullets of the same caliber and weight will have the same SD, regardless of their shape or composition.
For the lay person, SD can be considered to be a calculated value that represents how much mass of a given cross-sectional area is necessary to push a bullet through a given medium (such as a game animal).
It's calculated as follows: Sectional Density =
7000 x (bullet diameter in inches) x (bullet diameter in inches)
As the frontal area (think caliber) of a bullet increases, the weight behind it must increase accordingly to achieve the same penetration.
Homemade Rifle Cleaning Stand
By Johan PC Prinsloo
Front View
Length 640mm x Width 270mm x Height 360mm
Terminal Ballistics
I've been interested in terminal ballistics for a long time. There are lots of opinions out there but finding hard scientific fact is not easy, though there is a lot of stuff that pretends to be.
Luckily I've been able to talk to a few people doing weapons R&D for the military, and have been able to combine some of the things they've told me with known mechanisms of physiology and anatomy to produce the model explained below.
Some of what you see will fly in the face of current fashions in Gun Magazines, but my reasons for these should hopeful be clear.
Combat Mindset - The Cooper Color Code
For those who are prepared to take a couple of minutes and read about a system that saves lives. It costs no money, only small and sustained effort to implement it and make it part of your daily existence.
If you do not realise the absolute necessity of this mindset your are either not living in SA, you are completely ignorant as to what is happening in this country and therefore not paranoid enough, or your are simply just plain stupid.
Nowadays we should constantly be functioning in yellow and never white, because we do not have that luxury. While we are driving on the road we should be flipping between yellow and orange as we approach intersections with traffic lights and stop signs, who is next to us, behind us and even in front of us.
The most important means of surviving a lethal confrontation, according to Cooper, is neither the weapon nor the martial skills. The primary tool is the combat mindset, set forth in his book, Principles of Personal Defense. In the chapter on awareness, Cooper presents an adaptation of the Marine Corps system to differentiate states of readiness.
If you do not realise the absolute necessity of this mindset your are either not living in SA, you are completely ignorant as to what is happening in this country and therefore not paranoid enough, or your are simply just plain stupid.
Nowadays we should constantly be functioning in yellow and never white, because we do not have that luxury. While we are driving on the road we should be flipping between yellow and orange as we approach intersections with traffic lights and stop signs, who is next to us, behind us and even in front of us.
The most important means of surviving a lethal confrontation, according to Cooper, is neither the weapon nor the martial skills. The primary tool is the combat mindset, set forth in his book, Principles of Personal Defense. In the chapter on awareness, Cooper presents an adaptation of the Marine Corps system to differentiate states of readiness.
Defining civil unrest
By Claire Wolfe
Look up "preparations for civil unrest" on Google and...What's that echo I hear?—you'll find nothing that's going to help you. In fact, you won't even easily turn up a good definition of what civil unrest is.
Like "indecency," the definition seems to be in the eye of the beholder.
I wouldn't consider a peaceful anti-war march to be civil unrest, for instance, but a police chief might. Similarly, I wouldn't consider acts of localized non-violent lawbreaking (like environmental activists chaining themselves to a tree) to be civil unrest; but a timber company official probably believes otherwise.
Civil unrest occurs when anger, frustration, or fear turn disruptive on a mass scale. Or when government officials crack down because they anticipate such disruptions. Crackdowns can lead to further frustration, leading to further crackdowns and so on—especially when the crackdowns look unwarranted and tyrannical.
Welcome to Madibeng Hunters and Game Management Club
Welcome to :
Madibeng Hunters and Game Management Club
Madibeng Jagters en Wildbestuurklub
Madibeng Batsumi le Tsomerelo ya Tlhago
Madibeng means "the place of water"
We meet at Rashoop shooting range each third Saturday of the month, January to November
Madibeng Hunters and Game Management Club is a registered NSA affiliated shooting club.
Our e-mail address : skietklub@gmail.com