Kurt

Op-Ed: Stop throwing gear at the things you suck at and train instead

“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” — Miyamoto Musashi, “The Book of Five Rings”

Getting “cool guy” gear and tricking out your firearm is awesome, I have several mods and bits of gear I swear by. I routinely trick out my firearms with parts that I feel give me a performance related edge. It is important to realize, however, that these modifications and accessories are not solutions to any shortcomings in technique though. If your skills are lacking in any area, stop attempting to compensate for those shortcomings by applying external additives. Instead train in the fundamentals and perfect the things that you suck through rigorous training.

If you suck at marksmanship, spend more time at the range shooting and practicing the fundamentals of marksmanship through dry-fire off the range. If you suck at reloads, do more reload drills. If you suck at drawing from a holster, practice drawing your gun more often. It all sounds so obvious but far too often people spend the money on equipment instead of training. You will get far better at shooting with a base model gun and 1000 rounds of ammo than you will with a tricked-out gun and 100 rounds. For a couple hundred dollars a month you can afford to shoot and improve consistently. For the cost of around $1000 a year, you could take a training course (should you feel that such a thing would benefit you). I’ve seen guys spend far more than that on an optic for a gun they shoot once a year. If you can afford to do both, go for it but the main thing is that experience and training are far more valuable.

High-speed gear and tricked out guns are cool as hell but you look like an asshole with all that expensive stuff if you suck at using it. If you’re like me, you don’t have a big budget. So, spend your money on improving your skills rather than attempting to buy skill by way of external additives. A Tapout shirt doesn’t make a fighter, gym clothes don’t make someone an athlete, and “operator” kit doesn’t make you a gunfighter. Train efficiently, safely, and often if you want to be a better shooter. The guy with a couple of simple guns and a whole lot of hours behind them will always be a dangerous customer.

Article written by Kurt T. for Newsrep

Featured image: The author’s kit while in Ukraine.

How to escape handcuffs with a hair pin

Being able to escape handcuffs can be a valuable skill for multiple reasons, the primary one being escaping illegal detainment. Whether traveling abroad as a private citizen or conducting clandestine operations as an elite operative, getting out of a bad situation should be made easier through the pursuit of specialized skills. Getting out of handcuffs is actually a fairly easy task compared to lock picking and other similar problems. There are specialized tools available but for demonstration and practicality purposes, I will be using a run of the mill bobby pin.

First of all, you should be able to access the bobby pin from a cuffed position; If you can, I recommend slipping the cuffs to the front of you because it makes the whole task a lot easier if you can see what you are doing. Keep in mind there are a variety of handcuff designs out there, but I will try to cover the fundamentals while demonstrating on a pair of Peerless Model 700s. There are two options available when using a bobby pin to escape handcuffs, pick the lock or shim past the teeth. Both have their limitations but I find that shimming them is not only faster but often easier to accomplish (especially when your hands are behind your back).

So to knock the hard one out, picking the locking mechanism, you’re going to want to insert the bobby pin into the lock and bend the tip into an “S” shape. From there you use it to first pop the locking pin out if it has been employed, then go the opposite direction and attack the lever that holds the teeth. By applying the right amount of pressure at the correct angle, the bar will lower and the cuff should slide out. Essentially you have created a makeshift key as it functions in the same fashion.

To shim a handcuff is much easier but depending on the shim, in this case the bobby pin, you may need room to tighten them a few clicks. You will still have to defeat the locking mechanism (if it has been engaged) somehow for the teeth to move. Bend the bobby pin into an “L” shape and wedge the end of it in between the cuff’s shackle and the mechanism housing. An important thing to take not of is that this will not work if the bobby pin still has the resin on the tip of it. That will need to either be shaved of prematurely or rubbed against a rough surface to remove it. Once the pin has been inserted, push it in further will simultaneously tightening the cuff for the best results. Eventually the bobby pin will create a barrier between the shackle and the locking bar, enabling the shackle to slide open.

I should note that this is not a skill you want to learn on the fly and practice is going to get you a long way. My disclaimer is that I in no way condone the use of these techniques to break the law or circumvent lawful detainment. That being said, this is a really cool party trick that you can do after a few beers to impress your friends; good luck and you are doing this at your own risk, just saying.

Article written by Kurt T. for Newsrep

How to field strip and clean an AK series rifle

A well made AK variant can be incredibly reliable and accurate believe it or not. It still requires routine maintenance to stay at this level of overall quality though. Sure, you can neglect the rifle or run it dry (unlubricated) but it’s not the most ideal state of operation; for any weapon system for that matter. Basic cleaning of an AK is extremely quick and easy though, it can be done with a rag and some solution alone but of course utilizing proper cleaning equipment is ideal. So for this process I will discuss the field expedient steps for cleaning it in an undesirable environment. This process will not cover all the different AK based designs and their minute mechanical differences, however it will apply to the most common variants.

Before you can clean anything, we need to break the rifle down first. Before doing any disassembly we should remove the magazine and make sure that the rifle is unloaded. After this has been accomplished, we start by removing the dust cover. To do this, push the button on the rear of the dust cover forward and lift up the cover with the other hand; It should pop right off, but some can be snug or loose depending on wear. With the dust cover removed we are going to remove the spring/buffer assembly by pushing that same button forward until the entire rod/spring pops out of its fixture in the rear trunnion.

Next we remove the bolt carrier group/op-rod assembly, make sure the hammer is down and take the safety off. Then pull the BCG to the rear of the receiver and slide it up through the opening at the rear trunnion; it should lift out easily because of tension from the hammer underneath it. the bolt should twist out of the carrier in a clockwise motion with little effort.

After we set that aside, we need to remove the gas-tube contained within the top portion of the handguard. This can be achieved by flipping a small lever on the right side of the rear-sight block. By pushing the lever up into a point of alignment, the gas tube will lift up and out but, again, some variants may be a tighter fit than others.

Ok, we are ready to do a basic clean or field expedient cleaning of the rifle. So essentially we are going to use a rag and cleaning/lubricating solution (or not if you don’t have any on you) to wipe down everything. While it’s important to do your best to remove as much carbon, dirt, or grim as possible, the purpose of a field clean is to make sure the AK will function acceptably so it’s okay if it’s not perfectly clean after we’re done.

Start by wiping down the bolt carrier group. Ensure to make a pass at all the nooks and crannies, especially the surfaces where the bolt rotates and the bolt-face. Then wipe down the piston head on the op-rod; take note here because a lot of the carbon found here will be caked on, so don’t worry too much unless you’re doing a full cleaning. Next give the spring/buffer a few passes with the rag. Next wipe out the gas-tube as best you can but it usually doesn’t get too bad. Finally, the internal components should be wiped down along with the receiver walls/rails. If it’s possible, use the AK’s cleaning rod (if it has one it will be under the barrel, running parallel to it) to punch the bore and barrel with some cloth soaked in cleaning solution.

Now that everything has been quickly scrubbed/wiped down with the rag and cleaning/lubricating solution, we can re-assemble the rifle if we are only doing some quick maintenance/cleaning. This whole process can be relevant during a trip to the range, in a training/field exercise, or being in an operational environment. By maintaining a minimal level of maintenance like this, the AK weapons platform will serve you well, provided it is of quality to begin with.

*Originally published on NEWSREP and written by Kurt T

How to simultaneously walk and shoot like a pro

Walking and shooting is an incredibly simple task that is often made unnecessarily complicated by instructors and the general shooting community. For instructional purposes, this article will be targeting beginners — but you paper-slayers out there might learn a thing or two as well. There are a great deal of practical uses for shooting while on the move, anything from competitions to creating your own base of fire while maneuvering on a threat in a gunfight. However, to attain any level of competence at this skill, you should know how to shoot standing still first; learn the fundamentals and master them, then move on to more complex things.

The good news is that you already know how to walk, hopefully. Walking while shooting is pretty much the same thing with some minor changes. The most noticeable change is that you will be wielding a firearm, but let’s forget about that for a minute. To get started let’s imagine walking in a normal fashion down a sidewalk. Now we modify it starting from the ground up — and remember to relax a bit, don’t walk like a robot.

Beginning with the feet, you should roll from the heel to the toes with each step. Lower your center of gravity slightly by bending the knees and leaning forward a bit at the waist. This is often referred to as the combat glide, duck walk, or Groucho walk because of its similarity to how Groucho Marx would walk around with a cigar in films or how a duck heel-toes when it waddles on land. The idea here is to create a steady stride that is smooth and has as little bounce in the step as possible. The smoother, flatter the walk is, the less vertical sway there will be when a firearm is introduced into the mix.

Now that a technique has been introduced we need to establish a tempo. Many people try to time their shots between or during steps and this is a poor way to do things because it is forcing you to focus on way too many things at once. Instead pick a pace and stick to it, then take shots accordingly. Much like a tank turret, the upper body should function separately from the legs here; the upper body pivots at the waist to engage targets. Stride length can also be a factor here, shorter steps equal more stability because larger steps can create increased vertical sway of the weapon. Your stride length should be a balance and entirely dependent of the individual shooter’s body type.

Now we sling lead; simply apply the technique and practice keeping your sights on target in a steady fashion. Terrain can make things difficult depending on how uneven it is, so it’s best to practice on a flat surface first. Avoid sidestepping when possible here, keep your momentum going in the direction your toes are pointed. Just remember that this is an advanced skill and will require a good deal of practice to master. Work on doing it dry (with an unloaded firearm) and then if you can practice it somewhere safely, move on to live fire.

Featured image: U.S. Marines and Sailors perform “combat glides” while shooting during combat marksmanship training at Melissatika training area near Volos, Greece, June 10, 2009. The Marines and sailors are assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. By English: Cpl. Theodore W. Ritchie [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

*Originally published on NEWSREP and written by Kurt T

How to stab someone with your rifle like a Marine

The technique of using a bayonet is a somewhat lost art out of military circles, probably for the obvious reason that it’s a bit impractical for civilians. That being said, I’m going to teach you anyway because it’s cool and who knows? There could be some cross relevance to it in relation to close quarters fighting with a rifle.

A bayonet is employed when the end-user must enter close quarters fighting or runs out of ammunition; preferably the latter. Bayonets are attached at the muzzle end of the weapon and some rifles even have permanent folding bayonets. For instructional purposes I will be discussing the subject matter in terms of the M16 series of rifle and standard issue OKC-3S bayonet. Basically there are two aspects of bayonet fighting, offense and defense (duh), but these can be further broken down into different categories

In terms of defense, the technical options are somewhat limited and a good offense is always the best defense because violence of action works. Blocking and deflecting are the two primary option when defending against attacks but if you can evade a strike entirely then you should do so. Blocks will primarily be used against slashing techniques. Deflection can be used against slashes as well but also works well against stabs. The true benefit of deflection is that it allows you to counter with a strike of your own in a way blocking doesn’t.

To execute a proper deflection/counter you need to time it right. Wait for the enemy to thrust his blade at you, when he does knock it away with your muzzle end (it doesn’t have to be the blade, feel free to use the body of the rifle). From there, close the distance by stepping into his space and execute your desired strike.

Marines in Fallujah, Iraq (2004) prepare for possible close encounters with die-hard insurgents.

The thrust/stab is the most commonly used and practical solution for striking your opponent. A slash can also be practical and the less lethal “butt-stroke,” which is not as fun as it sounds, makes for a good technique as well. To properly executed a thrust, grip the rifle firmly around the hand guards with your non-dominant hand. Then, using your dominant/firing hand, grab the rifle by either the pistol grip or small of the stock closest the receiver. I would recommend gripping the stock if all ammunition has been expended, if you still rounds to spend then grab the pistol grip so you can fire as needed while maintaining a defensive posture using the bayonet. From there, you drive the pointy end into the other man using excessive follow through; as if you are attempting to stab a man standing behind him. In the absence of clarity or technique, violent aggression will serve you well regardless.

Bayonets are still issued (and used on occasion) to this day by modern militaries around the world. They teach young combatants that you are never out of the fight and to achieve a level of aggression that can’t be found elsewhere. Maybe I’ll make a video on this all someday for fun but in the mean time you can study YouTube videos if you require further clarification or demonstration.

Featured image: Marine recruits go through the bayonet assault training course at Parris Island, S.C., on May 13, 2011. | DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen, U.S. Army

*Originally published on NEWSREP and written by Kurt T

Which style of sights do you want on your EDC handgun?

Pistol sights are an interesting topic, they come in all shapes, sizes, and preferentially vary between individual needs or desires. Of course, there are a large selection of brands to choose from as well but that’s not really what I care about, if they work as intended then who really cares? What’s your gun being used for? If you answer isn’t something that revolves around combat then this is the wrong article for you because I don’t know anything about competitive shooting or hunting game. So, from that bit of context I want to discuss the benefits and drawbacks from the different sight systems available for an everyday carry (EDC) handgun.

Alright, basic iron sight plain “3-dot” sights are the most common configuration; let’s exclude the old school G.I. style unmarked sight because they suck and are way outdated. The 3-dot sights are great for what they are, and that is cheap and just effective enough for proper combat based application. The 3-dot sights are often luminescent and are not entirely invisible in low light, but they suck unless you have the godliest of natural points of aim. If you are serious about firearms proficiency (like view it as a lifestyle rather than a profession or other) then upgrade those basic 3-dot sights if that’s all your gat came with.

The next level for my own personal scale are fiber optic sights. Not too expensive compared to some of the other options and insanely effective for daytime shooting. Fiber optic sights glow from large amounts of ambient light and are picked up by the human eye easily when acquiring sight picture. One of the most effective combinations, in my opinion, is to have a blacked out rear sight with a fiber optic front sight so the lack of clutter enables a quick line up (with practice and training obviously). The major con to fiber optic sights is that they are damn near pitch black in the dark, for this reason I tend to run a weapon mounted light source on guns with fiber optic sights.

Tritium sights are the next best thing, I honestly think I prefer them above all else. Yes, they do make fiber optic/tritium combination based sights and they are badass but I’m not going to split hairs here. Tritium sights glow in the dark plain and simple, they often have luminescent white circles painted around them too. Let me tell you that being able to see your sights without giving away your position using an external light source is a beautiful thing when applicable; granted it doesn’t matter as much in close quarters given that the threat is mostly likely is tracking your position. Anyway, glow in the dark sights are rad and have an obvious benefit — albeit a bit less pronounced during the daytime — over fiber optics. Cons are that they don’t have the edge in daylight or well-lit conditions but they shine in a night fight (pun intended).

The other big one is running a small “red-dot” or holographic sight on your pistol. I’m just going to say I view this as an advanced option and that the individual better be proficient at using basic iron sights first, electronics fail and some optics struggle in adverse conditions. Most pistol mounted optics are setup in conjunction to a “backup” set of iron sights. Optics are great because of their speed and simplicity but still require training and practice. They often feature a simple reticle that when placed on the target represents a projected point of impact (in layman’s terms). These often run on batteries but there are a few fiber optic options available, they usually suck due to extremely dim reticles though. Cons are that they are bulkier than standard sights and have depletable power sources; also depending on lighting conditions, if not setup correctly for brightness they can “washout” making the reticle difficult to acquire visually.

There are other sights out there such as ghost rings etc. — but use what works for you. This who article hasn’t been entirely scientific but I hope it gives those of you who need it enough guidance to go do some research and get what best suits your lifestyle. Above all else, you need to train to be proficient and no matter what you invest in for your firearm, it’s not going to make you a better shooter but routine practice will. The person who takes their bare bones gun to the range weekly or even monthly is far more dangerous than a person with a $2000 Glock that shoots twice a year. Warriors don’t rely on equipment to succeed, they rely on a hard heart and a sharp mind paired with the endless pursuit of perfecting their craft.

Featured image: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan – A Marine with Force Reconnaissance Company, 3rd Recon. Battalion, sights in an M45A1 close-quarters battle pistol during training June 3 at Range 15 near Camp Hansen. The Marines applied the fundamentals of marksmanship they learned in recruit training, including proper sight alignment and sight picture. 3rd Recon Bn. is a part of 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mark W. Stroud/Released)

*Originally published on SOFREP and written by Kurt T.