What is not started is never finished ...

Minimalist Living

2012-01-31T05:04:00.001-05:00

Book Grades

2012-01-28T20:40:00.002-05:00

This book is an A - very well written and the plot is un-predictable

C- (should have been a D) The only thing I got from this book is an understanding of how screwed up Glock was / is from a management perspective

B- poorly written again but the ops and real-worlds this guy did are over the top. Wish they talked more about how good he really is/was as a sniper

Playlist additions ...

2012-01-28T09:08:00.001-05:00

Thoughts for the day

2012-01-27T17:58:00.001-05:00

New additions to the playlist ...

2012-01-27T15:49:00.001-05:00

Folding Knife Criteria

2012-01-27T11:49:00.001-05:00

My personal critieria for selecting a knife:

Size: I generally prefer folders with blades of 2.5" to 3.25" long and closed lengths around 4". This allows for a capable knife in a form factor that can be carried in your pocket.
Weight: 3-4 oz
Blade Lock: This is personal choice but I prefer a modern design like the axis lock or a simple design like a liner lock
Blade Steel: modern steels S30V, D2, 154CM, VG10, ZDP-189 if you can afford it, and 440C
Design and Ergo’s: How does the knife feel in your hand? Is the grip texture comfortable? Can it be opened and closed easily and with one hand (strong and weak)?
Blade Shape: I like drop point and although not commonly considered practical, I also like a tanto blade or spear point.
Blade Type: I like a combo blade (serrated section is great for cutting cordage)
Handle Material: G10 or Zytel
Pocket Clip: reverisble pocket clip is a must
Price: ~$150
Opening Mechanism: I prefer thumb-hole or a thumb stud but again this is personal choice. I do not advocate an assisted opening knife.

Vendors:

Benchmade
Kershaw
Emerson
Spyderco
Strider
CRKT
Zero Tolerance

Strider

Spyderco

Emerson

CRKT

Benchmade

And this is what you get ...

2012-01-25T08:56:00.002-05:00

A thinking man with a "doom on you" persona and little time to live a complicated lifestyle

Add some personal philosophy ...

2012-01-25T08:53:00.002-05:00

Some minimal living ...

2012-01-25T08:52:00.001-05:00

First some bikes ...

2012-01-25T08:51:00.001-05:00

New for the playlist ...

2012-01-23T12:12:00.002-05:00

Shoot Me

2012-01-22T19:25:00.002-05:00

Sitting on a plane listening to the stupidest conversation ... Young twenty-something arguing about fashion. As long these type of people breathe air I will continue to question how our younger generations are going to add value to society. And yes I know that one casual conversation does not represent an entire generation but just look at the explosion of social media and our younger generation tapping away on their cells 24/7 and realizing they are not "socializing" on how to solve Fermat's Theorem or discussing how to "fix" the divide between the Shiite and the Suuni's ...

Nice!!!

2012-01-22T18:24:00.000-05:00

Sunday sights ....

2012-01-22T18:07:00.001-05:00

Awesome 2 wheels

Doom on you

Socom II

Awesome 2 wheels

My Son

2012-01-21T11:53:00.001-05:00

Awesomeness!!!

2012-01-15T19:04:00.001-05:00

More minimalist homes ...

2012-01-14T14:33:00.001-05:00

Duck Hunting

2012-01-14T14:30:00.001-05:00

A Piece of Local History

2012-01-14T13:26:00.002-05:00

Will do research and publish out some facts about this company ...

Choose Your Weapon Wisely

2012-01-14T07:38:00.001-05:00

And never forget your mind is the most powerful ...

My new icon ...

2012-01-10T05:51:00.000-05:00

I am going to add a set of tridents but this should be online by this weekend.

Random Photo's

2012-01-08T09:57:00.001-05:00

All of these caught my attention due to my interests and personality ....

Philosophy Lesson

2012-01-07T13:20:00.002-05:00

Know guns, know safety, know peace.

No guns, no safety, no peace.

Must be nice to live with such amenities ...

2012-01-06T10:04:00.001-05:00

Getting Close to Perfect?

2012-01-04T17:50:00.002-05:00

What I really like about the house above is the lap pool component and how it blends into the overall design of the outdoor living space.

Too nice - would hate to see the A/C bill in the summer

Doom on You!

2012-01-03T18:54:00.001-05:00

While not politically correct ...

2012-01-02T08:34:00.000-05:00

So easy to think that this was truly a direct quote from some 20-something hooyah Marine ...

More 2 Wheels

2012-01-01T10:04:00.001-05:00

2012 Goals

2012-01-01T07:26:00.002-05:00

Taper my race weight down to 160 by June in preparation of summer race schedule ... 165 (Feb); 162 (Apr); 160 (Jun)
Run 3 Half Marathons
Run 1 Marathon
2 Sprint Tri's
1 Olympic Tri
Half Ironman (Jul/Aug/Sep)
Compete in at least 2 3-gun competitions
Achieve local ranking for IPSC
.75 MOA consistently with R700 (4 3 round groups within 15 min)
4 100 mile rides
Don't burn out by June
Peak run week @40 miles
Injury free

My new minimalist "problem" approach: Simple, Efficient, Consistent

Installation in Progress

2011-12-30T15:44:00.001-05:00

Glock 17 (Gen 4) Modifications

2011-12-28T04:24:00.000-05:00

Here are the modifications that I am doing this week:

Replace factory barrell with Storm & Lake threaded match barrell.
Replace crap Glock factory sights with Warren Tactical sights. This will be biggest change and I feel very confident in this sight package.
Add grip tape to the front part of slide and near the breakdown latches (anchor points)

I am also contemplating a trigger upgrade but will hold off for the next 45 days to see how effective and fast I can integrate these platform changes into my weapon system. I am shooting "comfortably" with the Glock and feel pretty confident out to 25 meters and downright effective within 15 meters. Within 10 meters, I can shoot one 3" hole all day (well maybe a few flyers) - but with one caveat. As compared to my 1911, it takes me an additional 1-2 seconds to acquire the sight picture. I need to be battle engaged within 1 second and be able to have 2 rounds on target with 1-2 seconds. With my factory Glock, it is taking 3-4 seconds and with the Kimber (Pro Carry II), it takes 2-3 seconds.

Vacation Week

2011-12-27T16:41:00.000-05:00

Couple comments as 2012 approaches ...

Hate going to the gym over the next few weeks while all the wannabe fat bastards try and shed pounds and relive their youth. For the majority, its a lost cause :>) and in the interim I have to mutter under my breath while they waste my time waiting on a piece of exercise equipment.
I have been shooting over the past couple months as I prep for 3 gun competition this summer. As soon as I finish up some travel in Jan, I intend to shoot steel plates every other week to prepare.
Oldest son is deployed - gone for the calendar year - based out of FOB Salerno but spending majority of time on patrol or remote firebase.
Youngest is anxiously awaiting acceptance letters for university - I wish him the best as I looking forward to his new phase in life.
Have to find balance with my fitness. Thinking about a 5am workout schedule thru the winter months to see how that goes
Only race on the horizon is the ATL Marathon. I really need to get my butt in gear. I intend to do my race schedule this week so maybe that will be the start of my re-focus on race fitness.

Later ...

So Others Can ...

2011-12-26T15:56:00.001-05:00

Minimalist Lifestyle

2011-12-26T15:54:00.001-05:00

2011-12-26T07:27:00.002-05:00

Another book down ...

My wife and I saw the movie on Saturday and I thought it was great. The book and movie complement each other and no doubt, the movie was very closely aligned to the book. Highly recommend reading the book then seeing the movie - alot of the details in the book helps make the movie more enjoyable. I usually have a let down when I try and compare books to movies - in fact, the only movie that I thought stood up to the book was the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was great and although one or two scenes were pretty graphic, the movie was just as good as the book.

Three for the playlist ...

Merry Christmas To All!

2011-12-25T05:02:00.001-05:00

More Custom Bobbers

2011-12-24T09:57:00.001-05:00

Minimalist Living

2011-12-24T05:25:00.001-05:00

More for the playlist ...

2011-12-23T07:29:00.000-05:00

Impressive ... I have never seen this before

2011-12-21T09:25:00.001-05:00

Must read!

2011-12-21T08:50:00.000-05:00

Think!

2011-12-20T22:03:00.002-05:00

I think the majority of issues in today's day to day chaos is the result of just in time decision making with little time allocated to think out the situation. Like many, I strongly believe that once an answer or path is proposed or on the table, most folks fixate on immediate action and once a plan is set in motion, assume its an unmovable object. When I was in the service, as we worked through a "problem" we constantly judge ourselves and adjusted. And in some cases, abandon our original plan, and seek another solution. We were taught to relish change and be ready to always adapt and evolve.

Looking at society today, we seem to have lost our ability to evolve, adapt, and mature and accept constant change.

Muscle and Bobbers

2011-12-20T07:30:00.002-05:00

epitome of "clean"

Book Review

2011-12-20T04:46:00.000-05:00

Book Review: A-
The only reason why this book is not a A is because it lacked 2 important artifacts: A detailed map of the the various locales described in the book. And two, it lacked a detailed timeline of the entire operation. There is a small map-timeline included in one of the chapters but its terrible and lack detail and clarity to help understand the theater of operations.

This book is the military view of the initial invasion of Afghanistan - told from the 5th Special Force perspective. It is a complementary book to Jawbreaker. It was a great book and I truly respect the effort and sacrifices these folks endured as described in this book. These guys are the real deal and the book does a great job bringing their job and team spirit into perspective.

More 2-Wheel Goodness

2011-12-18T10:36:00.001-05:00

More for the playlist ...

2011-12-17T09:36:00.001-05:00

I Love It

2011-12-16T05:17:00.001-05:00

I saw this on another blog and chuckled as I can imagine the mind of a child thinking like this - priceless!

A Hard Life

2011-12-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

Son #1 a few months back ...

2011-12-13T18:18:00.000-05:00

Whereabouts

2011-12-13T15:42:00.000-05:00

Heading home after 3 days Naples taking care of family business. I can attest that Naples is one of top 5 areas for personal wealth.

Thinking of a remote place and the sacrifice ...

2011-12-13T05:59:00.001-05:00

Custom CB360 Cafe Racer in Naples

2011-12-13T05:20:00.000-05:00

All parked within 1 block of each other

2011-12-12T17:00:00.001-05:00

Great Looking Wheels

2011-12-12T06:09:00.001-05:00

Whereabouts

2011-12-11T18:37:00.000-05:00

More 2 Wheels

2011-12-11T03:59:00.000-05:00

What is a "perfect house"?

2011-12-10T07:29:00.000-05:00

Think

2011-12-10T07:20:00.001-05:00

Bobbers

2011-12-10T05:10:00.002-05:00

Oh So True ...

2011-12-09T04:28:00.001-05:00

All gave some and some gave all

2011-12-07T05:47:00.001-05:00

One of the few spots I have visited that I don't want to forget

Chilling message ...

Well said ...

2011-12-06T19:41:00.005-05:00

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the things you did do." -Mark Twain

And here is a really good song that I heard tonight - a little different from my normal playlist but on target with my mood and thoughts ...

Mossberg 930 Ghost-loading Technique

2011-12-05T11:17:00.002-05:00

Triumph Porn :>)

2011-12-05T05:59:00.004-05:00

Under the Coffee Table

2011-12-05T05:09:00.000-05:00

The current stack of magazines ...

Simple Reliable Accurate

2011-12-04T08:39:00.001-05:00

Glock 17 Gen 4

And finally - more for the playlist

2011-12-04T07:10:00.002-05:00

(this one is a little over the top but I do like FFDP)

Great rendition of the original

last week I posted their acoustic version of this song

It's too early for Xmas

2011-12-04T06:42:00.002-05:00

We hosted my wife's family xmas / annual reunion party last night and my house is 100% decorated. Just doesn't feel like the holiday season though with all the changes and recent events in my family - time passes, people change, priorities shift, and the lives around us mature and evolve despite maybe a willingness to freeze time.

The Gun as a Tool for a Better World Presentation

2011-12-04T06:17:00.003-05:00

I see legit arguements and concerns about what he says. I would think there are many other strategic opportunities to impact peace like literacy, education, local economy, good infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc..), and that the gun is a short-term, point of no return tactical tool. And perhaps that is how the message was meant to be delivered. My other concern with his message is that he does not emphasize the message that the gun is the tool - the solider is the delivery mechanism. They are the ones that implement and ultimately, their mindset and willingness is what makes the mission successful.

I have been part of many of these peace keeping operations and stabilization missions with weapon at hand, and while I have always felt that although those places I went to were at a point of no return, my presence could have been alleviated thru other options if someone had been willing to step up and lead from the front.

And as far as his comments regarding warlords, dictators, and despots who use their power to weaken the weak - absolutely - the gun is a tool of peace.

2011-12-04T04:55:00.000-05:00

The Paradox of Our Age

We have bigger houses but smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
More knowledge, but less judgment;
More experts, but more problems;
More medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever but have less communication.
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;
Tall man but short character;
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.

-Dalai Lama

I saw this in a doctors office the other day and thought it was pretty good and certainly an interesting read as many prepare for whatever New Year's resolution, next years goals, or maybe past year reflection. With normal rhetoric, I would refer to this as reflective sugar water - while it might reflect society at a superficial layer, it does not reflect a complete view of our society nor does it provide a path out.

Perhaps this would be a better view for the "half empty" folks :>)

Range Time!!!

2011-12-03T10:47:00.001-05:00

Anybody following ESPN or NFL Today will appreciate ...

2011-12-01T14:53:00.001-05:00

Quote of the Day

2011-12-01T05:16:00.002-05:00

"Innovation has virtually ceased."

-Steve Jobs circa 1995 when asked about the personal computer industry. Looking back - he was right. There was a lack of ideas and new ways to look at the consumer / corporate marketplace for PC's. I think with the advent of the smartphone and accessibility to decent Internet connectivity, we are at the forefront of a new marketplace ... driven from innovation and product development.

Book Review

2011-11-30T05:04:00.001-05:00

In minimalist fashion: A

Old songs but still sound good ...

2011-11-29T05:37:00.004-05:00

Not a big fan of Lacuna Coil but heard enough of them in my past to like their acoustic work.

Some images of 2 wheels ..

2011-11-28T18:49:00.004-05:00

And a short film ...

And a short video anthology ...

MACHINE from matt machine on Vimeo.

Paktika Province - home for son #1

2011-11-27T14:52:00.001-05:00

Minimalist Approach

2011-11-27T11:06:00.003-05:00

Here is a list of activities or opportunities to "simplify" your life. I am very keen on the concept of becoming a minimalist as I have many hobbies and side-interests and yet I seemingly am constantly distracted to enjoy them - I am always rushed. This list is not mine - it comes from Zen Habits - a great blog.

Make a list of your top 4-5 important things
Evaluate your commitments
Evaluate your time
Simplify work tasks
Simplify home tasks
Learn to say no
Limit your communications
Limit your media consumption
Purge your stuff
Get rid of the big items
Edit your rooms
Edit closets and drawers
Simplify your wardrobe
Simplify your computing life
Limit your buying habits
Free up time
Do what you love
Spend time with people you love
Spend time alone
Eat slowly
Drive slowly
Be present
Streamline your life
Create a simple mail & paperwork system
Create a simple system for house work
Clear your desk
Establish routines
Keep your email inbox empty
Learn to live frugally
Make your house minimalist
Create a simple weekly dinner menu and eat healthy
Exercise
Declutter before organizing
Have a place for everything
Find a creative outlet for self-expression
Simplify your goals
Single-task
Simplify your filing system
Live life more deliberately
Make a Most Important Tasks (MITs) list each day
Create morning and evening routines
Create a morning writing ritual
Go for quality, not quantity
Simplify your RSS feeds
Create an easy-to-maintain yard
Carry less stuff
Simplify your online life
Simplify your budget
Simplify your financial life
Learn to pack light
Use a minimalist productivity system
Leave space around things in your day

Suggestions for the XMas List ...

2011-11-26T07:51:00.001-05:00

These are certainly not stocking stuffers - not outrageous in costs but certainly not a timex. Both watches are well respected and reputable dive watches that have been adopted by many professional operators. I use to have a Lum-Tec (was issued to me in prior life) and it's one of those trinkets in life you wish you still had. It traveled the world with me and certainly was a solid tool and part of my kit.

Lum Tec

Tawatec

Sorry - Have to make a political statement

2011-11-23T04:55:00.001-05:00

My EDC (everyday carry)

2011-11-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

IPhone 4
Citizen ProMaster
Sharpie
Coach bifold wallet (with concealed carry license)
Moleskine Pocket Notebook
Benchmade Mini-Griptilian
Keychain (8gb memory stick, Leatherman Micra, Photon mini light, 4 Sevens Quark mini 123)
Glock 26 (Gen 4) (not pictured Blackhawk Serpa paddle holster for concealed carry)

Another Book Review ...

2011-11-18T05:32:00.002-05:00

This was a pretty good read although the last few chapters became a repeat criticism from my prior reads. Anyways, this book is a very high level (but well presented) history of precision marksmanship - starting with bow and arrow and crossbow during European feudal times. I really enjoyed the timeline and history lesson and while much I knew after the 1600's there was indeed some facts and unique details that I hadn't connected the dots. For example, I didnt know that the South during the Civil War paid over $600 per rifle for a Whitworth rifle and there was only <1000 used during the civil war. That the North sharpshooters relied on Sharps carbine's and very few had the more accurate version, the Sharps rifle. I didnt know the lineage of the American Long Rifle from the Jaeger nor did I know the history of a "gauge" as referred to today in a 12-gauge shotgun.

Good book for the first 300 pages - then it once again resorts to modern narratives of LEO or ex-military which I really cannot read anymore. Well written and at a high level, fairly informative. I give it a solid B.

#1 Habit of Creative People?

2011-11-16T08:34:00.000-05:00

Although not completely research and vetted, after a couple days of Internet trolling and reading a few of the self-improvement books, the common habit for a creative person is ... SOLITUDE. Being able to think independent of distractions and allow isolation to find internal thoughts and properly reflect. Its funny, but in today's modern world and just in time communications and social media, solitude is probably the hardest thing to find for many. Ironically, this is why I run and get up early - gives me the opportunity to think and allow me to meet personal goals or objectives. But my solitude is not a way to drive creativity - it allows me to the opportunity to re-stack my thoughts as I confront the day.

No Words Needed

2011-11-15T05:13:00.001-05:00

Veterans Day Ceremony

Shot Timer - 10 Rounds B27

2011-11-14T17:03:00.003-05:00




Shot Count	Total Time	Split Time

1	2.82	2.82

2	3.76	0.94

3	4.73	0.97

4	5.57	0.84

5	6.49	0.92

6	7.36	0.87

7	8.44	1.08

8	9.28	0.84

9	10.20	0.92

10	11.19	0.99

Notes:

B27 target at 10meters with all shots hitting center mass (4" diameter). This was time as deliberate fire as the intent was to maintain all shots within center mass. It took 3 seconds to find the target with weapon at side and about 1 second between shots to let front sight settle back into target and align sight picture. I will repeate this drill and see if I can get the times down to 1.5 seconds and .5 seconds for a total of around 6 seconds. For reference, a professional would be able to conduct the entire drill in 2-4 seconds with 100% accuracy and high degree of consistency.

UPDATE: Shot with a Glock 17

Dry Fire Drills

2011-11-14T12:41:00.000-05:00

Below is a list of good dry fire drills to perform during the week with your pistol. Practice with the mantra that its about QUALITY and not quanity. Practice these drills 2-3x a week.

8-10 presentations from a ready position, Don't press the trigger.
8-10 correct draw strokes with no trigger press. Present the gun from the holster and aligned with the target.
8-10 draws adding trigger prep (taking up slack) but still not pressing off the shot. As the weapon rises into the line of sight, take up the slack, pick up the front sight and FOCUS on the front sight. HOLD IT.
8-10 draws just like the previous one but add complete trigger press. As you press, monitor the front sight for movement. Go for perfect execution with no front sight dip or bounce. Get perfect sight alignment and picture.
Do 8-10 presentations with turns, both 90 and 180 degrees.
Perform reloads and malfunction clearance drills.
Add movement in all directions while performing the drills. Concentrate on staying on target while minimizing bouncing.
Do presentations with your eyes closed to develop an index. Focus on the exact spot you wish to hit. Close your eyes and present the weapon. Open your eyes and see where you are actually aiming. Consider making postural adjustments so that you are better indexed.

Pre-1900's American Precision Weapons

2011-11-12T09:50:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of the well-known and commercially available long guns of America between mid 1600's to late 1800's. The most widely known would probably be the American Long Rifle and the Sharps as they are somewhat pivotal in American history and well-represented in various movies and historic US characters.

Jaeger Rifle (this came from German settlers in the 1600's as origin is Germany)
American Long Rifle (modified Jaeger rifle) aka Kentucky Long Rifle or Pennsylania Long Rifle
US Rifle Model 1819 (Hall rifle)
Sharps 1859 Rifle (as opposed to more popular and mass produced Sharps Carbine)
Whitworth (imported by Confederate forces)
Enfield P1853 (imported by Confederate forces)

Unknown to me was the influence of German gunsmiths on the American Long Rifle and the incredible accuracy of both the Sharps and Whitworth (out to 600+ yards).

Sweet Ride

2011-11-11T05:02:00.001-05:00

Wilier TT bike - first time I have seen it and it's AWESOME!

Booklist addition

2011-11-10T04:45:00.001-05:00

I finished this book last week and while I normally don't like first hand narratives of modern combat, this one was a good read. It details the accounts and actions of a British infantry sniper and his team during a deployment in Iraq. It is well-written and does not embellish the brutality or realities of combat but rather lays out the efforts and actions with harsh reality and little drama or gory details. He brings himself and his team into the reader as trained soldiers - who mature into professional combatants / snipers during their deployment. This was my view of the book - well trained snipers with no combat experience being dropped into a theatre of operations and within months, maturing into professionals.

Really enjoyed it ... rating B

The book did not expose any details around tactics or changes to operating models for urban landscape but does hint at a few interesting tidbits:

Usage of larger caliber weapons for effective sniper operations (50 caliber)
Usage of snipers as both precision marksman as overwatch and also as fire control operations
Team size varying based upon security concerns
Engaging sniper teams as FOB security
Employing sniper teams as part of urban patrol teams

On a personal note - oldest son is off to Afghanistan on Saturday - without violating OPSEC (and knowing that his information is suspect), it appears he will be based out of the Paktika province for his area of operations. Very volatile area - wild wild west.

What is 3-Gun?

2011-11-09T11:16:00.002-05:00

In short, 3 gun is a confined and governed shooting competition where the competitor must engage targets of varying size, distance, and position with either a shotgun, rifle, or handgun. The transition from weapon to weapon is orchestrated and the abilities and ranking of the shooters are scored as an aggregate of time + hits on target + missed targets. There are different classes to 3 gun based upon weapon and weapon accessories but in general, a 12 gauge shotgun, service rifle, and a modern handgun plus holster and magazines can get you into a local competition. Pretty cool. I have competed in steel plates and long range rifle (600+ meter) competitions over the past 15 years and enjoyed it but this really has caught my attention.

Season Complete - State Finals

2011-11-05T15:48:00.001-04:00

Son #2 has finished cross-country!

What is DOPE>

2011-11-05T07:34:00.000-04:00

DOPE or Data On Personal Equipment is a military precision marksmanship term where the shooter assesses and records all relative information about equipment and environmental variables to create a firing solution. Things like wind speed and direction, humidity, range to target, altitude and angle to target relative to shooter, ammunition data, etc ... are all factors to determine the appropriate settings (aka "scope dope") for windage and elevations for long range shooting.

Once recorded, data and results can be re-applied or adjusted with precision.

All I want for Xmas is ...

2011-11-04T19:32:00.003-04:00

Remington 1100 Tactical (for 3 Gun this Spring)

Seiko SNM307

Spartan Enyo

And while I have not competed in a 3Gun event yet, I am already evolving into a equipment nut - easy to do. Anyways, while I am pretty close to this setup already, these rigs are pretty close to a perfect setup. It is interesting to see how many rigs have chosen magnification for their rifle optics and have installed customizations (ghost rings, rails, extended releases, etc ...) for shotguns. I could see optics being an issue on close in targets and ghost rings being a time hindrance as you would tend to sight and shoot vs point and shoot (instinct shooting). Just some thoughts ...

Book Review

2011-11-02T14:44:00.001-04:00

My review of the book ... C-

This is a book of first hand narratives from various US armed forces snipers involved in Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. It covers folks from Special Operations to Army and Marine infantry units. The stories are flashbacks and while well edited, did not reveal any interesting tactics or validation of changes in tactics or operating models. It did enforce the concept of urban sniper teams working in larger teams (6-8) with 4+ members acting as security and/or area recce. Not much more ...

In general, it was a waste of my time.

Regional Championship

2011-11-01T06:39:00.001-04:00

Playlist additions ...

2011-10-30T14:21:00.000-04:00

Another book ...

2011-10-24T05:39:00.000-04:00

I give this book a B- as once again it proves that a book by ex-military is not necessarily well-written and would be far off the pulitzer or NY Times Bestseller. But what the book does introduce is a justified approach to changes in sniper tactics as employed by a Marine infantry unit. I appreciate the arguement and justification. It also helps support my poor rating of the other book I recently read since it lays the groundwork for a difference in stature of a Marine sniper and a Army infantry SDM. Not proven nor could I defend this ... it just seems that the Army SDM is NOT a sniper (albeit maybe half-trained and equipped) and that maybe the Army has adopted a more "factory output" approach to producing and employing precision marksman on the battlefield.

I got asked the other day how I can read, run or bike, take care of the house, and still work? The answer is that I get up at 4am - daily! And I don't watch TV less maybe an hour in the evenings. Makes for a demanding schedule but I tend to like this approach as it lets me really focus on activities.

Anyways, an 'ok' book based upon the current flood of recent military books about A-Stan and Iraq.

On a completely different topic, son #1 comes home this weekend for 13 days. Short visit with his follow-on orders being Afghanistan for a continued 15 month tour. And son #2 has regionals this weekend with States the following week - busy times. Will be nice to have family assembled as it will be a LONG time this will happen again.

Really Nice ...

2011-10-22T12:36:00.002-04:00

Variables that Influence Long Range Accuracy

2011-10-21T14:31:00.002-04:00

There are a number of variables that must be considered and weighed when determining how to be accurate. They are:

inherent accuracy and adjustment range of the optics
inherent accuracy of the weapon
inherent accuracy of the ammunition
inherent accuracy of the shooter
ballistic coefficient of the ammunction
wind speed and direction
zero range of the weapon
bullet weight
muzzle velocity of the bullet
range of the employed gun, cartridge and bullet combination
angle of the target relative to shooter
target speed and direction - if moving
air temperature, barometric pressure, altitude and humidity
Earth's gravity
gyroscopic drift (spin drift)
Coriolis effect drift
Eötvös effect
lateral throw-off
aerodynamic jump

Of all these, the last 7 are really only applicable at really long distances and only considered by military and professional marksman. The first 4 are the important for the weekend shooter. If a shooter is properly skilled and has chosen the right equipment, they have overcome the primary obstacles for being capable to making long range shots. From there, they must consider external variables, with special attention to ammunition ballistics, zero range of the weapon, range to target, and the wind. By considering these factors, and accurately shooting at 500+ meters, an individual is a skilled marksman and ready to ascend to the highest level of marksmanship. But to get to this point takes incredible patience and attention to detail, and ultimately, time on the range.

Over the next few months, I am going to to re-develop some of my legacy skills - call it a mid-life crisis. I want to reassert myself as a compentent marksman with a precision rifle and I plan on participating in 3-gun competitions this summer. This is not necessarily a "new" hobby as it use to be part of my profession. Instead I see it as an attempt to dust the cobwebs off of some old rusty skills.

Home Protection :>)

2011-10-19T06:34:00.001-04:00

The family pet ... Bear