More about Nebraska Shall Issue Law

Are you as amazed as I am that both Kansas and Nebraska passed Right To Carry laws within one week of each other? It's even more incredible considering the stiff resistance that citizens of both states faced, and the many years of battle needed to impose their will on reluctant politicians.

In a way, it makes it more difficult for writers to give as much attention to the process and results of each state's success, when it's such a target-rich environment this week. We're almost forced to focus on one or the other story, if only because of the dearth of available pajama time for bloggers. I've decided to talk about Nebraska, which is the newest champion of the RKBA movement. Besides, I've already written about it yesterday.

I've just spent an hour searching the internet for news about the Nebraska bill LB 454, and you probably aren't surprised to hear that the Main Stream Media -- even the Main Stream Internet News -- has ignored the topic in favor of pediphile teachers and political demonstrations.

But Blogistan has the news, and the answers that a lot of Second Amendment Afficianados are looking for.

THE LAW:
Let's look at the actual bill, Nebraska LB 454.
(Legislative Bill 454, available as a 15-page PDF file)

This was initially sponsored by State Senator Jeanne Combs, and the copy of the bill states that the First Reading was January 13, 2005. The version that I'm looking at was posted by the State of Nebraska in May of 2005, and I'm assuming that this is the version which was passed. (If I later find I'm wrong, I'll post corrections as necessary and note it on at UPDATE at the bottom of the page.)

The first question everybody asks is: "Is this a Shall Issue law?" The answer is a resounding YES!

The Concealed Handgun Permit Act (CHPA) is specific to handguns, and does not address carrying concealed weapons in general. It costs $100, is issued by county sheriffs (who get half of the fee, the other half goes to the state for their processing fees and the remainder, if any, goes to the General Fund) and is valid for a period of five years. Renewal fee is $50.

The applicant must complete an application form, provide two sets of fingerprints, be an American citizen and adult resident of Nebraska, be a non-felon, and present an original Certificate of Training.

The Sheriff has five days to issue the permit if all requirements are fulfilled, including a Criminal History record check from the FBI through the Nebraska State Patrol. This is not necessary during renewal of the permit. (Denial of permit can be appealed through the District Court of that county.)

The Nebraska State Patrol is also responsible for defining the minimum standards of training, based on guidelines established in the CHPA.

Incidentely, as cited in my earlier article:

The Nebraska State Patrol did not take a stance on the bill. The Police Officers Association of Nebraska opposes the measure.

There are the usual precautions which we find in many such laws: No felons, etc. A couple of interesting clauses include "no history of violence" and the applicant must "not habitually be in an intoxicated or drugged condition".

There is no definition of the terminology, so one wonders what constitutes a "history of violence". Is this a subjective evaluation by the issuing Sheriff?

A permit holder must have in his possession both the permit and a drivers license (or some other ID, such as a military ID card) when carrying a handgun.

Moving into the vernacular:

Cops can take your gun away while they're talking to you. If you're carrying, you have to tell them. They have to give your gun back, except (for example) if they send you to the hospital and THEN they have to give you a receipt. Whether you get it back later depends on the circumstances.

There are places where a permit holder is not allowed to carry: jails and police stations, court buildings, polling places, bars, schools (school grounds, school busses, school activiies, etc.), athletic events, places of worship, emergency rooms, banks, political rallys, or " ...places or premises which have prohibited permit holders from carrying ... ". This last requires that the owner "has posted conspicuous notice" that handguns are not permitted, or has asked the permit holder to remove the handgun from the premises.

If you're a Domino's Driver, your boss can forbid you to carry in the deliver van.

You can't carry in a bar, while you're drinking (where-ever), or until you've completely sobered up again.

If you shoot somebody, you have to fill out a form or they'll throw you in the slammer and take your permit away from you.

JUSTIFICATION FOR RIGHT-TO-CARRY:
While researching this article, I found an excellent summary from a Nebraska Gun Club under the title "Why Does Nebraska Need A Right-To-Carry." You can read it here, though you'll have to scroll down a page.


THE CIRCUMSTANCES:
The Free Republic site posted an excellent article from the Lincoln Journal Star (January 14, 2006: Nate Jenkins) which summarized some of the opposition.

Big Cities might impose more stringent restrictions:

“If we want to do concealed weapons … let’s make sure the legislation communicates very clearly how we want the rest of the state to address concealed weapons,” said Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk.

Confusion currently exists about whether the bill would force cities to abide by the proposed law, because a state statute now allows cities to prohibit people from carrying concealed weapons. Also, some city officials say they want to be able to set their own restrictions on concealed guns.

Sen. DiAnna Schimek argued that the confusion created “a huge concern” and that more public hearings should be held so city officials could provide input.

Why would anyone need to carry "concealed" in Nebraska?

The Nebraska State Patrol would be charged with devising training standards for safety courses that Combs said could last between one and three days, per session. Some state law enforcement agencies, including the State Patrol, have taken a neutral stance on the bill.

But at least one, the Police Officers Association of Nebraska, has opposed conceal-carry bills in the past.

“A person right now can legally carry a weapon,” as long as it is openly displayed, such as in a car seat or holster attached to a belt, said Lt. Mike Swain of the North Platte Police Department, president of the group.

“What are the benefits of having a gun nobody can see?”

Somebody openly displaying a gun is less likely to be attacked than one who conceals a weapon, he argued. Under current state law, weapons are considered illegally concealed if they are not where officers can view them but are accessible to their owners, according to Capt. Rhonda Lahm of the Nebraska State Patrol.

Anyone who truly believes that "open carry" is a safe, sane way to carry a defensive weapon should talk to Jason, the author of the blospot Fish Or Man. This is a blogger who was arrested in 2004 for carrying a loaded weapon openly in his car. When he was stopped for a traffic offense in his home state of Washington, the traffic cop became nervous when he spotted the loaded weapon. A series of escalating confrontations resulted in arrest, confiscation and trial. Over a year later, many tears from his poor wife and thousands of dollars poorer (I still don't know if he got his pistol back), Jason finally won MOST of his appeals.

It's not clear to me even yet if all the charges against Jason have been resolved, but one thing IS clear: open carry may help you defend yourself against predatory criminals, but it won't protect you against predatory cops.

If you open carry and have an encounter with the police, chances are good that they will automatically assume that you are 'up to no good' and the situation will immediately turn confrontational. If you insist upon your right to open-carry, expect escalation and expect that you will be arrested adn charged with (if nothing better comes to mind) "resisting arrest".

By the way, the link (above) is to the origina blogpost written on her husband's blogsite by Jason's wife, the day after her husband was arrested. The title is "I Am Finished". It will break your heart to read it. It is a sad, tearful story.

Washington State will issue you a "right to carry" permit. Jason just didn't see any reason why he should give money to the State, an have his name entered on a list of "people who have guns", when the Second Amendment (and Washington State Law) allowed him to carry "openly".

He now understands why. It's not an easy story to read; or to follow, if you have the time to track through the many episodes of arrest, imprisonment, bail, hearings, lawyers fees, trials and decisions on the various charges brought against him. But it certainly provides and excellent response to the question “What are the benefits of having a gun nobody can see?”

Answer: it provides protection against both law-breakers and law-enforcement.

Opinions:
Some time before LB 454 was passed, The Omaha City Weekly published an opinion article which contained all of the predictable cavaets. If you're interested, you should go read the whole thing. It's a regurgistation of all the fearful justification to deny honest citizens their right to defend themselves.

There are a few notable sound bites:

An armed society is a polite society, after all. Or so we’re told

Not everyone agrees with Combs’ view of concealed handguns. Nebraska City Police Chief Bill Muldoon raised concerns that family members are more likely than intruders to be harmed by guns in the home. He also was concerned that the additional gun-safety training LB 454 would require the State Patrol to perform for permit applicants would overburden an already-taxed State Patrol system.

Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha also opposes LB 454. In a style all his own, Chambers has proposed an amendment to LB 454 that would punish persons who violate the provisions of their concealed-carry license by having them taken into custody where their “trigger finger shall be shot off by Nebraska State Senator Jeanne M. Combs using a pistol of her choice ... without the benefit of any type of anesthesia other than flavored malt liquor.”

Seriously, that’s the amendment on the floor of the Unicameral. Further debate would be required on the amount of malt liquor that could be used, or the flavors that would be permissible under Chambers’ proposal.

Muldoon is a politicop parroting the old "43% more likely" argument which has long been discredited.

Chambers is a politician and an idiot (but then, I repeat myself).

And ...

Any discussion about gun control legislation really should start with the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that “[a] well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Keep in mind, at the time the Second Amendment was enacted, the United States had a very small standing army. The defense of the nation was left to militias, self-organized groups of men who assembled when the need arose. But clear within the language of the Second Amendment is the concept of a “well regulated militia,” meaning that the ability to wield a firearm had to be subject to the rules of the government.

The author of that article brings up the "history of violence" and "habitually ... drunken" issues, which reflects well on his careful reading of the bill. He recognizes that these are controversial points.

Unfortunately, he finishes with:

Really, it comes down to this question. Who are you more afraid of, the criminal who uses a gun to take your money, or the guy in the car next to you who has been pushed to the limit and uses you to take out his frustration against the world? Which of those two threats do you think is more likely to touch your life?

Guns do many things, and that includes escalating a confrontation into a life and death situation. It is an inescapable fact that in Europe, private gun ownership is a tiny fraction of what it is in the United States, and yet the violent crime rate in Europe (as well as the amount of accidental gun deaths) is far less than in the United States.

An armed society may be a polite society, but that is because it is a frightened society. I think there’s enough fear in this world. I believe that the marginal benefit of being able to outdraw a criminal in a shootout is overshadowed by the risk of each day-to-day confrontation escalating into a shooting. Permitting private citizens to carry concealed handguns is either a failure of our society to provide basic security or a pandering to the baser Darwinian survival instincts of people. For all our sakes, let’s pray LB 454 is the latter.

Fortunately, there are less fearful heads than his in Nebraska. Not everyone has so little confidence in the essential good sense of "people". Again, it's to his credit that he recognizes "the failure of our society to provide basic security", but he doesn't envision any better solution to the problem of crime and violence but that a "frightened society" should stand around like cattle waiting for the slaughterhouse-man.

If he thinks that the police are going to prevent violence, he would be better off hoping that the law is changes so that the Domino's Pizza Driver can carry 'on the job'. They have a much better response time.

TWO MORE STATES TO GO:
Illinois and Wisconsin still don't have concealed carry laws.

The Wisconsin "Legislatie Reference Bureau" posted an article about attempts to enter a concealed carry in Wisconson.

In 2003, SB 214 was passed by the State Legislature and subsequently vetoed by Governor Jim Doyle in early November, 2003. I don't know the current status of this movement, but the PDF article notes that "Missouri's legislature overrode his (Governor Bob Holden) veto in September 2003 making making Missouri the 45th state to legalize the carrying of a concealed weapon."

Wisconsin is on track, and not really far behind schedule. It may even be inevitable that Wisconsin will pass RKBA legislation in the near future.

There's still hope for Illinois.

I hope to bring you good news of these two final 'hold-out" states in the near future.

Nebraska Joins RKBA America!

JournalStar.com

After ten years of effort, Nebraska citizens finally impose their will over that of recalcitrant politicians and "Municipality Liberals" ... a "Right to Carry" bill has been passed, and it will soon be legal to carry a concealed weapon in the Great State of Nebraska!

Coming only a week after Kansas passed a similar law which recognizes the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the Nebraska law is perhaps not all that Nebraskans would want. But it opens the door to individual freedoms, and that's worth a decade of struggle.

Here's the full text of the Lincoln, Nebraska "Journal Star" article:

Concealed-carry adopted
By NATE JENKINS / Lincoln Journal Star

Next year, roughly 20,000 Nebraskans may trade their pepper spray and knives for Rugers and live ammo. Ending a 10-year effort, the Legislature on Thursday passed a law giving law-abiding Nebraskans the right to carry concealed handguns.

“It’s been a long fight,” said Sen. Jeanne Combs of Milligan.

Combs, a shoot-from-the-hip speaker and member of the National Rifle Association who led the fight for the bill, stared at the big board on the floor of the Legislature as votes to break a filibuster piled up.

When the tally hit 33, it was clear Nebraska would soon change its status as one of just a few states that prohibit concealed guns.

“I think it gives the people who’ve been victims of crime at least an alternative,” she said later.

The bill goes to Gov. Dave Heineman, who has said he would sign it.

Senators who have opposed the legislation fought it until the final vote, forcing the filibuster-breaker.

“There is no justification for it which would be considered rational,” said Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha. “Nebraska is not engulfed in a crime wave.”

The Nebraska State Patrol did not take a stance on the bill. The Police Officers Association of Nebraska opposes the measure.


Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney questioned why the “safest people in the safest place on Earth” — Nebraska — need to carry concealed guns.

Supporters were mostly quiet, content to let opponents take their last shots at the bill and allow Combs to answer their questions.

She gave varying answers to a question that especially interested senators and is expected to interest city leaders as the law’s January start date approaches: Will it prevent cities from passing their own ordinances banning concealed handguns?

“As I understand the bill, it is preemptive” and would prohibit cities from overriding state law, Combs said, answering a question from Chambers.

Earlier this month, Combs suggested it may not prevent cities from banning concealed guns.

After the vote Thursday, Combs said she was “not an attorney” and wasn’t sure what the effect of the law will be in cities across the state.

“It remains to be seen,” she said. “My intent was not to have a checkerboard of laws.”

Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln pointed out an apparent discrepancy between what Combs told Chambers and what the bill seems to spell out.

“I think it says right here in your own bill that indeed they have that authority” to pass their own anti-conceal-carry laws and override state law, Schimek said.

None of the 38 states with similar legislation allow cities to opt out of state law, said Keith Wood, an NRA lobbyist who has pushed for this bill and is familiar with conceal-carry bills.

But Nebraska’s bill is different, he has said, because he believes it does allow cities to ban concealed weapons.

Lincoln Mayor Coleen Seng and Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey wrote letters to the Legislature last month expressing opposition to the bill.

Lincoln officials are considering their next move, said Seng aide Rick Hoppe.

“The mayor wants to take time to review the city’s options before making a decision,” he said.

Without widespread city bans, the State Patrol has estimated 19,500 Nebraskans would apply for permits next year, when the law goes into effect. And about 5,000 would apply annually after that.

Applicants will have to pass background checks and meet other criteria to obtain the $100 permits, which will have to be renewed every five years.

Earlier news reports suggests that "Preemption" -- legally restricting the ability of individual municipalities to pass more restrictive laws than the rights granted by the state -- may have been a significant stumbling block to passage of this law. The final text of the bill is not yet available on the internet, so this question remains unanswered. However, there are passages in the Nebraska Constitution which might seem to support preemption.

For example, this passage from Gunscribe (and cited in an earlier article):

All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Source:
Neb. Const. art. I, sec. 1 (1875);
Amended 1988, Initiative Measure No. 403

The political opposition to passage of this bill was evident even after passage of the bill, as the Journal Star reporting demonstrates:

“There is no justification for it which would be considered rational,” said Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha. “Nebraska is not engulfed in a crime wave.”

The Nebraska State Patrol did not take a stance on the bill. The Police Officers Association of Nebraska opposes the measure.

Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney questioned why the “safest people in the safest place on Earth” — Nebraska — need to carry concealed guns.

Still, this is a significant advance in the 2nd Amendment Movement, and one which reduces the right-to-carry ratio from 47-to-3 to 48-to-2.

Only Illinois and Wisconsin have yet to pass such self-defense legislation.

As of this writing, the passage of this bill has not yet been mentioned by the Main Stream Media.

However, Nebraska citizens are virtually dancing in the streets over this acknowledgement of their civil rights.

The CCW Nebraska Forum members are jubilant, yet restrained as they attempt to sort out the implications of the bill as enacted into law.

As Forum Member JoeMerchant24 states:

We did it!

---

FINAL READING:

Aye 33

Nay 12

NV 3

We win! We win! Thank God almighty we win at last!

Welcome to a Blue State!

However, CMZNEB is more restrained, as he cautions:

Nobody is clear on the preemption. Not even the Legislators who just passed the bill.

With only Illinois and Wisconsin left......... I wish you guys the best of luck. Keep pushing your elected officials, keep it positive, and you will succeed.

And member jednp cautions:

Municipalities will have the right to ban it. I live in Omaha and have been told that they will keep their current ban in effect, and change their law any if needed to keep current. Some city council members are going to sponsor a bill to allow it in Omaha, but I was told it will take a strong 5 person vote because the mayor will veto it, and lots of organizations in the city are against it. Only hope Omaha has, or any other city which bans it is to get the law ammended in the next year or so to make it so municipalities cannot ban it.

Questions, yes. The problem with 'early returns' is that the nigling details remain to be resolved. It's perhaps unwise to accept a new law as the answer to all of your dreams. When you turn your back on a problem, remember where it's going to bite you.

But still, in the words of malkore:

today is a good day.

(H/T: John Hurd, of "The Unofficial IPSC List")

Norm and the White Tape

At a recent IPSC match, Oregon's newest Master Open Class shooter gets a proper razzing from his friends.

IPSC Shooting Videos & IPSC Reloading Data

I subscribe to a service (StatsCounter) which provides me with information about the people who visit this website. I've talked about the statistics before, but one which provides the most useful information is "Recent KeywordActivity". This is a log of all the keyword searches which brought people to this website. For example, if you did a GOOGLE search on "Kalifornia von number", you would be directed to this url:
Yes, it even works when your search is in German.

This helps me to determine when I'm writing about something somebody wants to read. If they submit a search, and it leads them to an article on my website which provides the information for which they are searching, everybody is satisfied with the results.

Unfortunately, some of the search results are ... unsatisfying.

The people who are doing the searches are looking for specific information, and at this website they find only a reference to the information, or else they don't find as much of what they are looking for as I may have attempted to provide' elsewhere'.

The purpose of this is to provide links to the actual information you're searching for.

Two of the most common Searches-Gone-Wrong are IPSC SHOOTING VIDEOS, or some variation, and almost anything about reloading data.

IPSC VIDEOS, IPSC MOVIES:
The first search, some combination of "IPSC" and "SHOOTING" and "VIDEO" or "MOVIE", is obviously looking for real videos of IPSC shooting competition. Depending upon the actual verbiage used in the keyword search, you may be directed to an article which provides a few pictures, perhaps links to three or four videos, but you have to be determined to mine the website if you want more than a few movies.

If you want to see a LOT of movies, or videos, which show people shooting IPSC stages, you have to look over to the right. Carelessly hidden under the archive of most recent articles, under the general heading GEEK LINKS, you'll find "Jerry The Geek's Video Shooting Gallery".


If you click on that link, you will find over a hundred videos mixed in with over a thousand still photos. Every movie (and many of the stills) I've linked to in this blog can be found at that link ... and a lot more, besides.

Go there and you will find an index of a large number of matches. Those which contain videos will have the word 'video' in the description. When you look at each album, the entries which have the image of a movie camera are videos. They're usually "WMV" format, which means that the movie has been edited and reformatted from the original MPG format (four to 25 megabytes each) to the WMV format, which is usually two to four megabytes, sometimes as much as eight megabytes, and therefore they download faster.

(Note: these files aren't exactly 'compressed'. Instead, the pixle count per inch is changed; higher to lower. That means the visual quality of the WMV version of a video is not as good as the original MPG version. I generally try to avoid lowering the quality so much that the video isn't viewable, and unless you compare the original and the reformatted videos you may not even notice the difference. On some of them, you will; these are usually the videos which are so long that it would require a file so large that download time would be 'considerable', even with a high-speed internet connection. As a service to you, the viewer, I try to achieve a reasonable balance between video quality and download time. I'm not always successful, but I do try.)

Many of the movies so edited include titles and clues on what points of interest they feature, and some of the (especially, but not exclusively, those of the 2005 Croc Match) have music to help you get into the mood for the video.

Want to take your OWN videos?
Good idea! If I'm not shooting IPSC, I can enjoy taking pictures and videos, editing them, and posting them to my own photo gallery. If you don't have your own photo gallery, may I suggest YouTube. They have a 'group' of people who provide videos of IPSC competition which you may find interesting, and if you join (membership is free), you can post your videos there. (Note: these files are DRASTICALLY reformatted for a very fast download time. The quality of the videos are not always satisfactory, but I have often used YOUTUBE to provide fast, direct links from my blog to the video. Anything I post on the blog using YOUTUBE is available in higher-quality versions on my Video Gallery.)

Warning: not everybody depicted in these videos is an entirely safe shooter, and you may see examples of unsafe gunhandling. Do not attempt to emulate these practices. My own videos include people who are "DQ'd" for unsafe gunhandling, as well as a few who perhaps should have been match-disqualified, but weren't. Learn from the mistakes of others, and remember that nobody was actually injured during the filming. It doesn't mean that someone could not have been injured. It just means that Someone looks out for drunks, children and fools ... sometimes.


Reloading Data:
Those searches which seem to be looking for reloading statistics -- powder type, powder weight, bullet make/shape/weight, primer, over-all length, etc -- often end up on the page where I talked about the Dillon XL650 press. There's a lot of good information there, but it's all anecdotal. I very carefully have resisted the urge to discuss the loads I use, because I don't choose to be responsible for providing reloading information which might be misinterpreted or misused. Sure, reloading data can be safely provided if sufficient warnings and supplementary data are provided, but I just don't have the energy or desire to become a source of reloading data.

Enter Jeff Maass.

Jeff has a long-established website which deals specifically with reloading data for IPSC competition, including the IPSC-specific calibers of .40 S&W, 9x21, and .38 Super.

There, Jeff takes the time to talk about safety issues and precautions, as well as providing (with suitable warnings) actual loads used by actual IPSC competitors. He describes the guns for which the competitors have used these loads, too, so if you plan to load for a single-stack Limited 10 pistol, you won't be tempted to use a load which is probably only safe in an Open Gun. (eg: compensated, which uses MUCH heavier loads of slow-burning powder, designed to make the compensator 'work' by generating excess gasses to vent through the compensator ports.)

I've linked to Jeff over there in the sidebar, under "IPSC Resources I Recommend". Look for "Maass' IPSC Resources", which not only includes reloading information but also stage designs.

Jeff has been shooting IPSC, and collecting IPSC load data, for many years. I trust his judgement, and use his reloading data with confidence because I always, always, follow his advice to start at least 10% under the cited powder charge and work the load UP using a chronograph to determine whether the load is generating excessive velocity -- and therefore, probably excessive pressure -- in the gun for which I am developing the load.

If you wish to load for 'other' calibers, may I suggest the excellent reloading page of MD Smith. I've used his loading data for 9mm and .45acp and 10mm, as well as .22-250 and .30-06 rifles. (Unfortunately, he doesn't have loading data for my favorite rifle, the venerable wildcat .25-06 although he DOES include data for the somewhat-similar .270 Remington Rifle.)

Jeff's webpage includes this link, as well as links to a large number of other ('powder and bullet manufacturers') reloading pages. I use them; you may, too.

They usually include warnings about using reloading data wisely, carefully, safely. That is, always make sure your firearm is safe to shoot, and never use the maximum cited powder charge in your first attempt in your firearm, and be sure to use only the reloading information cited for the specific poweder and bullet weight and bullet shape and bullet manufacturer as a reliable guide.

Obviously, reloading ammunition is something that you only want to attempt if you are experienced and knowledgeable. If you are not, don't attempt it on your own. Instead, find someone whose experience and knowledge you absolutely know to be reliable and extensive, and get that person to help you get started.

Don't know anybody that fits that description? Then you need to get out to the range more, and meet more people.

Until then, buy commercially loaded ammunition, and spend part of your range time meeting new people.

Basic IPSC advice for new shooters

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING a couple of new shooters try their hand at IPSC competition since sometime last year, with special interest.

I like to meet new people at the range, enjoy getting to know them, and after twenty-some years of experience at IPSC competition I still can appreciate the struggle to learn how to shoot a pistol safely, accurately, and quickly.

Those three factors are a difficult combination to achieve, and after twenty years of trying I'm still struggling. Because I'm getting older and slower, and I just don't have the talent, I probably won't move up to a higher class. However, I know many of the things that need to be known to be competitive, and even if I can't apply them beyond a certain level I flatter myself that I can share the basics with new shooters and perhaps help them progress more rapidly than I have.

I am especially interested in these two new shooters because they are shooting Revolvers.

Six shots, slow reloads.

This is perhaps the most challenging equipment choices in IPSC; and because it just feels so good to do well with 'difficult' equipment, perhaps the most rewarding.

I have no use for a revolver, beyond certain applications for which I am told (but do not believe) they were not originally designed: bud vase, door stop, hammer. I shot a revolver in IPSC competition one time, in a winter concealed-carry match, and it was an embarassing, frustrating experience. The only good part of it was that I won my division. I was the only fool who showed up with a revolver on that day.

Now these two new fools are showing up with six-shot revolvers, to shoot IPSC!

While I admire their gritty determination, I recognize that they rightly belong in a "Special Needs" group. Nice guys, a little soft in the head, and they already know that they are bound to be frustrated when they watch people using pistols with magazines so jam-packed with ammunition that they rarely have to reload during a course of fire, except for the occasional Classifier stage.

Consequently, even though my knowledge of revolver shooting is nil I'm unable to resist giving them some advice from time to time. When they ask for it. (Or when they can be backed into a convenient corner.)

Because most of that advice is equally applicable to any new shooter, I am going to modify it slightly and post it here for the dubious benefit of anyone who is so desperate for coaching that he or she will take advice from an admitted Geek:

I carry a first aid kit in my range bag. When the inevitable scrape or cut occurs, you are entirely welcome to first aid and advice, both of which are free but not of equal value.

The bandage is immediately beneficial.

The advice, however, is of no use until you figure things out for yourself. Then a little Aha-bell goes off in your head, and you realize "Aha! So that's what they were talking about!" It helps to have been told what to do and how to do it.

Even if you think you are dismissing the free advice; even if you resent the implication that you're not a naturally excellent shooter; even if you're consciously allowing the Old Poop to pontificate because you're too polite to cut him off cold -- somebody needs to tell you these things so you'll know when you've re-invented a useful tool

Shoot Accurately:
After Safety, at this stage of your development, accuracy is the most important thing.

It's even more important for revolver shooters, because when you have to make up a missed shot your whole game plan goes out the window. It takes something like five hundredths of a second longer to make *sure* you have a good sight picture and trigger control. Compared with an extra two-second reload, that's nothing. People who are shooting pistols usually have an edge, because they can often afford a miss or two before they have to reload. Still, you can count on a quarter of a second to several seconds lost because you have to (a) realize you have missed, (b) decide whether you should make it up, and (c) take the extra shot. Since you are aware that you are burning stage time, you'll probably hurry the make-up shot and have to take another one.

Missing is not good. Avoid it.

The speed will come, but usually not today unless you are unusually gifted.

You're not unusally gifted. You can shoot accurately, but you think you can shoot accurately AND quickly AND safely.

You can't. But you will. Trust me on this point.

Focus on your shooting.
You can't afford to just wing shots downrange in pedal-to-the-metal hopes of connecting with the target. You have to get your head into the shooting. Brian Enos calls it "focus". You don't CONCENTRATE on your shooting, because then you start to over-think it. Thinking while you're shooting a stage just tenses up your muscles and reduces the natural flow.

You probably already know how to make the shot. You think you have to do it quickly, so you push yourself to shoot quick. That's how you get into trouble, because you have to make up missed shots.

Your job isn't to push yourself to shoot quickly; your job is to just follow along and watch things happen. Call your shots, be aware of where the sight is when the shot breaks. That way, you don't have to listen the [clink!] when you hit that little plate, you just know whether you were on-target when you took the shot, and can immediately either make up the shot or move on to the next target.

Ron Avery refers to it as "see what you have to see" because every shooting challenge is different and it's not just the sight/target relationship. It's an awareness of everything that's going on, with yourself and the gun and the targets and movement and props and the RO and bystanders. Most important, it's focusing on the target you're currently engaging, not worrying about the target you just finished and not hurrying to get to the next target. Focus on THIS target, do what you came here to do, and then move on to the next action ... index to the next target, move to the next shooting position, reload, whatever it is.

Never look back.
It's hard not to worry about a mistake you may have made. The solution is not to make the mistakes. (Carpenters call this the "Measure twice, cut once" rule.) If you missed the target, go ahead and make it up. Take the extra shot immediately, without thought or self-doubt.

If you find that you move your attention from the target you should be shooting to the target you just left, you're wasting time and you're breaking your focus. You called your shot, you were right in your evaluation. No second thoughts. You may occasionally be wrong, but as you gain experience you'll be right more often than not and you WILL get your hits and you will NOT waste time and ammunition on 'insurance shots'.

Try to shoot every target in the A-zone, but don't try to make up a C-zone or D-zone hit. It isn't worth the time, and you may need that round in the next few seconds anyway. Don't worry about it.

Why are you spending your weekends on the range, anyway?
When you put it all together, and it all works, you get that occasional stage where you did everything perfectly and it's like an out-of-body experience. We all say we like to shoot, and we like the company and the fresh air and the exercise and the competition. That's not really why we keep showing up at the rock quarry.

We're there for the endorphin rush.

It's not at all like the effects of adrenaline caused by knowing that everybody is watching you, and being self-conscious. That's just nerves, and what the effect you're seeking is the complete opposite. It's being in The Zone and at complete peace. You marvel at how well things happen, but you don't think about them or try to make it happen.

Sometimes, when you get very close to The Zone, you notice little things. The most rewarding thing to notice is the "Hey, I can shoot this faster" moment, so you do, and it works just as well with absolutely no effort at all. It just takes a little nudge, like shifting from second gear into high gear. You're not pushing yourself to rush, you're just allowing yourself to move into a different rhythm.

It's all natural. It's not forced. You can't make yourself shoot faster, and maintain an acceptable degree of accuracy. You just let it happen, and when you're really ready you know it.

"You can't miss fast enough to win."
Whatever it takes to shoot accurately, do that.

Usually, it'll take a little more time than you would wish to spend, because you're aware of the passage of time. You can't afford to worry about anything while you're shooting, because that's a distraction and distractions make you lose your focus.

Don't try to save time by shooting fast.
You can save time by learning to reload quickly, which is something you practice at home while you're dry-firing.

(Standard precautions about dry-firing apply: triple-check that you have an unloaded gun, no ammunition in the same room with the gun, always put your aiming point on a wall that you can't shoot through even if you screw up the first two precautions, never point a gun at a person even if the gun is unloaded, etc.)

When you're shooting a stage, you can save time by saving steps. Learn to reload on the move. Keep track of how much ammunition you have left in the gun; pre-plan WHERE you will reload, and if you're using a limited-roundcount gun you can expect that every time you're moving, you're reloading.

You'll eventually figure out all of this for yourself, and it won't be real to you until you re-invent the wheel.

But remember, you heard it here first.

Now, go out there and win one for The Geek.

But remember, it's only a game.

Kansas Right-to-Carry Bill Passes!

NRA-ILA :: Releases

The Kansas Legislature today passed a Right-To-Carry bill over the veto of its governor.

Here's the text of the NRA announcement:

House and Senate Override
Governor Sebelius' Veto:
Kansas Passes Right-to-Carry

Thursday, March 23, 2006

(Fairfax, VA) – Both the Kansas State Senate and House of Representatives voted to override Governor Sebelius’ veto of the National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed Right-to-Carry legislation, Senate Bill 418, “The Personal and Family Protection Act.”

“After 12 years, it took a collective, bi-partisan effort to win this fight. Kansas now joins 46 other states who enjoy some form of Right-to-Carry,” NRA Chief Lobbyist Chris W. Cox declared.

The Kansas State Senate voted 30 to 10 to override Governor Sebelius’ veto of the Right-to-Carry legislation. Less than a day later, the Kansas House of Representative voted 91-33 to sustain the override.

Cox continued, “We want to recognize the steadfast support of several state leaders. Without their hard work, Kansans would still be deprived of this valuable law. Senator Phil Journey, Representative Candy Ruff, and Representative Gary Hayzlett worked tirelessly on this measure and we thank them.”

Kansas becomes the 47th state with some form of Right-to-Carry. There are now three states that do not allow any form of Right-to-Carry; Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin have yet to pass such self-defense legislation.

“As always, we appreciate the commitment and participation of our members in Kansas for helping pass this legislation and helping override the Governor’s veto of this self-defense law,” concluded Cox.

It took them 16 years, but they won the final battle against politicians, big-city kleptocrats, and liberal nanny-staters. Good for you, Jayhawkers!

That's 47 down, three to go.

---

On January Eighth of this year I talked about the efforts to effect a similar Second Amendment drive in Nebraska.

A local blogger, Gunscribe, has been actively campaigning to persuade his state legislature to pass LB 454, which would allow fellow citizens the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution. I had asked him to keep me informed, but unfortunately events in his personal life didn't permit him time to maintain correspondance. However, he has been covering the RKBA issue on his blog and that may be enough to give us an outline of the issues.


Don't Take Your Guns To Town.
Essentially the state legislature doesn't want to pass it.

And they're getting some support from the "municipalities", which want an 'opt out' clause.

In what may be the stumbling block between the citizens of Nebraska and the proposed enactment of this bill, the "municipalities" (Omaha and Lincoln, primarily) want to retain the 'right' to impose local ordinances which will effectively cancel the provisions of the state law.

Gunscribe summarized the arguments pro and con. As far as the 'home rule' provisions which the big-city politicos espouse, it's "States' Rights" vs "Federal Law" all over again, except that the States Rights are spelled out in the U.S. Constitution.

According to Gunscribe:

The crutch that these Municipalities lean on for enactment of these unconstitutional ordinances is their supposed "Home Rule Authority".
... Under "Home Rule Authority" a Political Subdivision cannot enact an ordinaces [sic] that are repugnant to or inconsistant with the Constitution.

Purpose of home rule charter provisions of Constitution is
to render cities as nearly independent as possible of state
legislation, subject to the general public policy of the state. State
ex rel. Fischer v. City of Lincoln, 137 Neb. 97, 288 N.W. 499 (1939)

[Emphasis added by The Geek.]

Further, the Constitution of the State of Nebraska seems to specifically support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms:

All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Source:
Neb. Const. art. I, sec. 1 (1875);
Amended 1988, Initiative Measure No. 403

The judicial precedent for supporting a Right-To-Carry measure in Nebraska seems to be in place. Special interests have apparently accepted that they can't stop the bill. Now they're focusing on "Damage Control", in an attempt to define 'no-fly zones' where their own little feifdom can still impose a modicum of control over the rights of their citizens.

It's frustrating. Maddening. Still, it's a positive note, which presages that all parties have accepted the inevitable.

Consider it in light of the old joke about the man who asked a woman if she would sleep with him for a million dollars. When she admits that this might be possible, he asks if she would sleep with him for twenty dollars.

"Why, of course not!" she retorts. "What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"Madam", he replies, "We have already established that. What we are doing now is merely haggling over the price."

Geeks with Guns

I can't say I never appreciated Day By Day, by Chris Muir, because my affection is obvious since his daily 'toon is loaded at the bottom of this blog every day. It's a service he provides for free, and it makes it easy for me to pay daily homage to his genius.

Of course, I'm not the only blogger who appreciates Muir; many of us who are predominantly gun-bloggers feature his daily 'toon. It's probably because if you like guns you're probably conservative, and DBD is certainly a Conservative forum.

You can go to Muir's website (see the link above, or click on the cartoon at the bottom of this page) to get the background of the four main characters: Damon, Sam, Zed and Jan. Or you can ignore that, and just enjoy their daily give-and-take.

If I was enamored of the Blogger-Tests, I would start one asking "What is your favorite Day By Day Character", but it would probably be either x-gen Jan or Baby Boomer Sam - Muir has a talent for celebrating feminine pulchritude.

The character I most closely identify with? No contest. Zed is an aging male Geek, gotta be the hero in my book.

The smartest character? Damon, who gets (almost) all of the very best lines, week to week.

The most interesting (and only) Liberal among the four main characters is Jan, who generally serves as a foil for the conservative messages Muir presents. Muir has endowed her with a sense of humor, which not only keeps the character likeable but makes me doubt her credentials as a card-carrying member of the Democratic Party. Well, I guess there must be at least ONE Dem with a sense of humor. Wouldn't you know she would be a regular in a Conservative Cartoon.

At the risk of sounding like a South Park fan: Favorite episodes are a possible source of diverse opinion. There's the time when Sam and Zed were explaining CCW to Jan. This winter, Sam bought Zed a shotgun for Christmas. Then Zed bought Sam a beautiful gown, took her to a ball where Bill and Hillary were guests of honor, and punched out Bill for making a move at Sam.

That Zed is a real Party Animal, and there's just another reason why he's my hero. Who wouldn't like a guy who fulfills so many of my own post-adolescent fantasies?

Usually, Muir dances around the RKBA/shooting issues. Not that he doesn't address them, but they are merged into larger themes. This week, he has Sam and Zed going to the range and inviting Damon and Jan as their guests. Nice of Zed and Sam, but this frightens Jan.



When they meet at the range, Jan is surprised that Sam is there for the joy of shooting, for not adopting the role-playing costumes she might wear -- using pistol-shooting as an excuse.



Sam then convinces Jan to try shooting a gun, in an attempt to show her that guns aren't ugly, they're fun.

Damon and Zed appreciate Sam's efforts to introduce Jan to the joys of shooting, and Jan's willingness to try something new even though Jan is dubious.

Damon -- has regrets.



_______________________________________________

You're probably wondering why I'm spending so much time picking my way through a series of cartoons that you could have read for yourself and sorted out the inherent message without this superfluous commentary.

I just wanted to draw your attention to the idea that, if you are a shooter, you can do yourself and the world a favor by taking a non-shooting friend to the range. Teach them the basic principles of gun safety, coach them, and let them find out for themselves the shooters are real people. We're not a bunch of nitwits who are acting out a fantasy role as we sit on the tailgate of our pickup and drink beer. We're safe and responsible, and that's the kind of people we want to attract to our sport.

Some people -- those who have never tried it -- think that shooting is, in fact, a solitary vice .

Those of us regularly participate in shooting sports, though, consider it a pleasurable excuse to spend a nice day with congenial company, sharing a social activity.

Several Gun Bloggers make an open invitation to ANY person who has never gone shooting, but would like to try it, to meet them at a range. The blogger offers to provide access to the range, firearms, ammunition, safe & appropriate targets, safety equipment ("eyes and ears"), and instruction.

Among bloggers on my "links to me" blogroll who make this offer are Captain of a Crew of One, One In A Row and The Smallest Minority, (I'm sure there are others in my blogroll who make this offer, I've only included one small section as a representative sample.)

Perhaps not surprisingly, two out of three of these folks are in Arizona. I am unsurprised because Arizona remains a bastion of RKBA enthusiasm. Captain of a Crew of One is in Virginia, and I make no assumptions although I do point out the large number of Virginians who were active participants in the American Revolution and signatories to the Declaration of Independence.

Why don't I make a similar offer?

Perhaps I'm not as courageous as these other bloggers. Shooters tend to be conservative (I believe I may have mentioned this observation before) and I am well-qualified to be counted in this personality group. I tend to choose my friends very carefully, and I would like to know something of the character of people I take to the range before I arm them.

This isn't a negative reflection on those who DO have the courage to offer an open invitation to a day on the range.

How about you? You're a shooter. When is the last time you took some one to the range who wasn't already a shooter? I have taken a few friends to the range, and we left friends, too. We always enjoyed the day, and while they haven't all ended up with the same enthusiasm for shooting that I have -- I believe every person I took shooting had some appreciation for the shooting sports as a safe, enjoyable activity.

You might consider taking a friend to the range this week.

Wet t-shirts are not generally recommended.


UPDATE: 23 March, 2006

Geekthanks to the Hobo Brasser for pointing out that I had been referring to "Zed" as "Zeke". I have no idea why I did this, but it certainly proves that I need an editor. I've corrected the mistake.

Russian Practical Shooting: T64 & BMP40

Russian Spetsnaz.Russian martial arts. Spetsnaz - Russian System Training. Systema. /Army training

So, you like to shoot "Major Power", eh?

Here's a place where you can learn to shoot the main gun of a Russian Tank, and also the cannon on a BMP40 (vaguely similar to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle).
Where?

The Ukraine!

Price is a low low $999.99 - each - for groups of five or more. If you form your own group, everybody gets a 10% discount.


Apparently, this doesn't include travel to The Ukraine, but you get some GREAT gifts!

After the training you will have Russian special force uniform, certificates, photos and a special tank driver's helmet as a present.

Their service also includes:

Preparation of target objects and field

leasing of stands

leasing of weapon emplace

leasing of training field for the whole delegation

Lunch .Including Russin [sic] caviar, Russian vodka etc.

Transfer to/from the military base

Instructors and interpreters services

They'll take PayPal (with prior arrangement) and the course is scheduled ... whenever you can get there, apparently.


Wire Paladin, San Francisco.

No, I'm kidding about that. here's the real contact information:

E-mail: travel@UkrainianExpress.com
Tel: +38-067-2574311
Tel: +38-050-3315028
Tel: +38-044-5361237
Tel/Fax: +38-044-536125

Oh yeah, I almost forgot:

They also let you shoot a magazine each from a handful of handguns, plus a couple of magazines (or several rounds) from some 'long guns', to include the AK-74, the RPK-74, the classic PKM, and ten rounds each from an SKS and an SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle.)

Looking for something more ... 'middle of the road-ish'?

Launch a couple of RPG-7 rounds down-range after lunch.
It helps to settle the caviar.

Only Victims: 3 Dead in Restaurant Shooting

CNN.com - Police: 3 dead in restaurant shooting

Geek News, March 15, 2006:
Two murdered, two wounded in maniac-shooting at Pismo Beach Denny's restaurant. Murderer then takes his own life.


I've been to Denny's restaurants before, and I never saw the "Free Fire Zone" sign.

What is it that causes people to go crazy in Fast-Food joints? Is it the food?

This isn't the first time that restaurant patrons have experienced random violence by an armed, unknown assailant. Here's a small sample of prominent examples:

...

In 1991, George Hennard drove his truck through the plate-glass windows of Luby's Restaurant in Houstan, Texas, and shot two dozen people before he killed himself. Wikipedia has a good summary of the incident, including the following:

Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp's parents were among the 24 killed by Hennard in the attack. Hupp possessed a gun but left it in her car in compliance with laws against carrying a concealed weapon; she felt that, had her gun been on her person, she could have prevented the tragedy or limited the casualties. Hupp has since crusaded successfully for a concealed carry law and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1996.

There's also a link to a 2001 Houston Chronicle article which provides some historical background and details I couldn't find anywhere else.

I also found a WorldNet Daily commentary by Tanya K. Metaska, dated June 1, 2000, which features this incident from the point-of-view of an "armed female".

...

A man went crazy in an Amarillo, Texas Denny's in January, 2003, and shot four police officers down (there to break up a fight!) before finally being killed by one of the wounded officers. The incident is also blogged here ... although the blogger apparently thinks the incident happened in San Antonio.

...

Armed Females of America presents a summary of fast-food shooting, including Denny's in Houston (2004) and San Diego (2003) ... as well as several Pizza Huts and the odd Tacueria. No authoratative newslinks (MSM) are provided, so I'll have to offer this as "anecdotal evidence" only.

__________________________________________

These incidents include common factors:

• They all occurred in or near a 'fast food' restaurant, although I may be libelling the quality of food at Luby's -- I don't know, it's not a nationwide chain and I've never eaten there. (That Luby's has since been closed due to 'competition'.)
  
• They all involved seemingly motiveless murders, usually with multiple victims.
  
• "Assault Weapons" were not typically involved.
• At most of the restaurants, the victims were not able to protect themselves against random attack. The situation where four armed policemen were attacked and shot with pistols taken from the policemen is atypical; however, note that the rampage might have continued to include civilian victims, except that one of the wounded policemen ... the youngest, least experienced officer still in his 'probationary period' ... managed to shoot and kill his assailant despite having been wounded several times. One wonders if the officers could have been protected from their grevious wounds if an armed civilian had been present and had acted in their defense.
  

Whether or not the attackers had legal access to the firearms used is not the issue. Criminals will always find weapons. The point of contention is whether or not the VICTIMS should have been legally armed and able to prevent the carnage. Personally, I'm inclined to agree with Suzanna Gratia Hupp: if not for the endemic anti-gun hysteria in this country (and other countries), law-abiding citizens would be able to arm themselves in self-defense in any public venue.

And they should.

...

This has been a quick survey of restaurant-related random murders in America. In truth, we would be able to make the same points in many other venues; including churches, schools and night-clubs. The places where people gather are focus points for random violence. The Conventional Wisdom is that these are places where firearms SHOULD be prohibited, either because the potential for maniacal attacks is increased (eg: nightclubs) or violence is unlikely to occur because 'everyone is un-armed' -- schools and churches are peaceful places, where peaceful people gather.

The true fact is that these are the very places which attract deranged murders, if only because they are confident that they will find no defenders.

Only victims.

Incidently, while researching this post I found an interesting article in the Lawrence, Kansas Journal-World (February 9, 2006) which discussed a proposed Concealed Carry law for Kansas in the light of a recent local shooting. The article itself is worth the read, but the real meat is to be found in the 113 comments submitted by readers. It's a fascinating summary of the entire concealed carry argument ... both sides ... with as much ignorance and bias to be found in any discussion of the subject. The participants obviously have passionate opinions, and express them with various degrees of authority and credibility.

UPDATE: March 17, 2006

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - A gunman opened fire early Friday at a Denny's restaurant, killing one man and seriously wounding another, police said. It was the third fatal shooting at the restaurant chain in Southern California this week.

The 2:45 a.m. shooting happened after a fight between two large groups inside the restaurant, said Sgt. Rick Martinez of the Anaheim Police Department.

One victim re-entered the restaurant after being shot and died inside, Martinez said. The other victim was taken to a hospital and was expected to survive.

The gunman was being sought by authorities. The shooting did not appear to be gang-related, Martinez said.

The shooting was the third in a Southern California Denny's in three days. In Pismo Beach on Wednesday, a transient with two guns walked into the restaurant at lunchtime, fatally shot two men and wounded a married couple before committing suicide.

And in Ontario, a 37-year-old man was fatally shot in a Denny's parking lot Thursday after a fight. The gunman was still being sought.

I know this seems like I'm picking on Denny's Restaurants, but I'm not. I like the restaurant, and I often dine there when I'm travelling because I know I can count on the consistent quality of the food and service, and the cleanliness of the facility. It's not their fault that so many incidents occur at their ubiquitous franchises. The fact is, with 1,600+ restaurants in the chain, located all across the country (since 1953), they cover too much of the market not to be a prominent feature on America's streets.

Running Gun IPSC - Pics and Movies

Running Gun IPSC - Pics and Movies

You may have noticed, if you're a regular reader, that I spend a lot of time shooting IPSC matches, photographing them, making videos of IPSC matches and posting them on the internet.

Most of the videos I film never make it to the internet. That which does, is most often made available through Jerry the Geek's Video Shooting Gallery. I have what I consider a good album of IPSC type competition footage.

Tonight I was reviewing my blog statistics, mostly looking at what people were searching for when they hit on my blog. I found a page where someone was looking for IPSC Videos, and found another site that looked promising.

I wasn't even on the first page. But number one on the first page was




(UPDATE: March 31, 2006)

(This website is UP again! Click on the banner to access it.)

As near as I can tell, this is a gun club in Ontario, California. I don't know who runs it, and I hope someone can give me some background on the club and the man.

All I can say is, this defines IPSC video. Great hoser-cam photography (I see the fine hand of Nolan Smythe in this), incredible editing, multi-cam technology, world-class shooters and in-your-face 3-gun match stages combine to make this a product far beyond anything I'm able to produce.

If you have a high-speed internet connection, or a lot of time to spare, click on the club logo above and take a look at the "Pics and Movies" segment which prominently features a

" ... 5 minute video (which was) was put together by Mike Pellisier, Ron Filho, and Jojo Vidanes. Starring are Mike P., Ron F., Jojo V., Mike Voigt (El Prez), Ralph Arredondo, and Debbie Keehart-Ross. It was filmed at the Raahauge range during one of our weekly IPSC matches."

I watched this 'main' segment, and was entranced. This is the best live-action IPSC-type video photography I've ever seen.

If you go to the website and scroll down a bit, you'll see individual stages professionally filmed with some (lame!) narration. If you're not weeping because there aren't enough videos to keep you glued to your seat for more than a half-hour, you have no heart.

Of course, they don't have it mixed with appropriate music, which is the only criticism I can offer.

Click on the link, sit down, shut up, hold on.

And if you really need music, play THIS while you're watching the videos.

PS:

There are some other worthwhile things to see on this search-page.

Team Darkside's videos are shot from too far away, and you can't really see what's happening. Besides, there is no sound.

However, I do recommend you go to the "The High Road" forum's video segment. Among the videos featured there you can find Travis Tomasie's "Perfect Reload" video.

IPSC Safety

At a recent club match in the Columbia Cascade Section of USPSA, the Match Director made a special announcement about an incident which occurred during the match.

After a competitor had completed a stage, and the targets had all been pasted or reset, the Range Officer started the next competitor only to discover (after the competitor actually started shooting at targets) that 'someone' was still working on the stage and was, in fact, downrange of the competitor.

As soon as the presence of a downrange person was detected, of course, the competitor was stopped and the person downrange returned to a safe area. Nobody was injured, and since the competitor was only likely to engage targets which were obviously backed by a berm, the situation never presented a great danger of the downrange person being harmed.

Still, when so many of the 'fail-safe' measures which are an integral part of IPSC safety rules have been faulted, the question remains as to what can be done to make this a safer shooting sport.

The central issue seems to be that Vision Barriers, used to force a competitor to follow a pre-planned mode of target engagement, constitute an intrinsic flaw in the attempt to make IPSC as safe as it can possibly be.

The same opaque barriers which add an aura of mystery to a competitor's engagement of multiple target arrays make it difficult for the Range Officer to easily scan the shooting bay to determine that all personnel have returned to a safe area before the next competitor begins to engage the targets.

The responsibility of ensuring a safe shooting event is primarily on the Range Officer. This person, assumed to have been trained by the National Range Officer Institution in the safe operation of an IPSC match, is responsible for every thing that happens on a single stage during an IPSC match: Scoring, time-keeping, a fair accounting of each competitor's performance -- these are all important functions of the Range Officer.

But most important is the primary responsibility of the Range Officer: Safety.

In this endeavor, the Range Officer is supported by many people. The score-keeper not only faithfully records the time and score for each competitor's performance, but also keeps track of incidental events during the competitor's stage performance: foot-faults and adherence to the published stage procedures are just two of the score-keeper's duties.

The score-keeper also is responsible for helping the Range Officer to determine that all IPSC targets have been completely pasted, all steel and moving targets have been properly reset, and that the range is clear of all personnel, including especially target tapers and people who are picking up used brass.

The individual squad members have their own responsibilities. They must help the Range Officer and the Score-keeper in the effort to ensure the safe operation of the range, and they are also responsible for being aware of the safe location of every person on the stage.

Often, it's difficult for the Range Officer and the Score-keeper to keep track of all of the squad members and spectators -- who may not be an official member of the squad, but who may be helping with the target-resetting and brassing duties.

When a new shooter comes to the line, the Range Office may or may not declare "The Range Is HOT!" in an effort to announce that all persons must return up-range of the starting position, if they are not already there. Usually, the Range Officer has already (with the assistance of the Score-Keeper) made the determination that all personnel have retired from downrange. Anyone who is downrange at this time is responsible for immediately notifying the Range Officer that the range is NOT clear.

After this point, the Range Officer directs the next competitor, in a loud "Command Voice":

"Load and Make Ready!"

A certain time passes while the competitor loads his pistol and in all respects makes ready to engage targets on the stage, then assumes the starting position according to the published stage procedures. This may take from five or ten seconds to over a minute, depending upon the circumstances.

Then the Range Officer asks the Competitor: "Are Your Ready?"

Lacking any negative response from the Competitor, the Range Officer announces:
"Stand By", indicating that the time will start within the next three to five seconds.

Finally, the Range officer presses the time-start button on the timer, which causes the timer to to make an audible sound signaling the Competitor to begin engaging targets.

Usually, this is a drawn-out process with many loud audible clues that the next competitor is being prepared to engage targets. It should, under almost all circumstances, provide plenty of opportunities for everyone on the stage to be aware that a new shooter is on the line and being readied to engage targets. Anyone downrange should have been able to hear the commands, and appreciate that his person is in a position where he should not be.

This SHOULD be adequate preventative measures. I myself have, while acting as a Range Officer, failed to note that a person was downrange (bent over, picking up brass) in a cul-de-sac formed by two solid vision barriers, when I gave the command "Load And Make Ready". Fortunately, other members of the squad were more situationally aware than I. The immediately shouted "Stop! There is someone downrange!" or words to that effect, and I stopped the competitor from drawing his pistol before we could ask the brasser to please clear the range.

Because the existing procedures are demonstrably a point of failure of existing safety rules, the Columbia Cascade Section is taking measures to remove what we sincerely hope is the last source of failure of safety precautions: the member clubs are beginning to replace solid vision barriers with perforated barriers, which look like the familiar 'orange snow-fence' (be they orange or black) and which provide better down-range visual access.

This won't happen immediately, of course, but at least one club has already scheduled a "work-credit" night (when the club members who participate are rewarded by a decrease in their annual dues, proportional to the time spent in the effort) to replace all solid vision barriers with perforated material.

I have been competing in IPSC matches for over 20 years, and this is the first time I have ever heard of a person being 'caught down-range' when the timer goes off. I've probably participated in over 800 matches (40 matches a year for 20 years) involving at least three hours per match ... say, 1,600 hours in competition. This is the first time I've ever heard of this kind of complete break-down in range safety procedures, especially because it requires that EVERY PERSON PRESENT failing to observe the basic safety procedures.

Once in 20 years is 100% too often. It won't happen again.

I applaud the Columbia Cascade Section Coordinator, Mike McCarter, in his bold decision to invest time, money and personnel to make IPSC as practiced in the United States Practical shooters Association an even safer shooting sport. I encourage every club in the country ... indeed, as IPSC is an international sport, every club in the world ... to follow his lead.

Mr. McCarter informs us that he will soon submit an article to the Front Sight Magazine (the official publication of USPSA) describing the efforts that the Columbia Cascade Section is making to promote the sport and to make it safer. I understand that this change in policy will be prominently featured.

The Case AGAINST Lasers

Shooting Gallery - On the Outdoor Channel

Michael Bane's article on laser sights reminds me of an incident which occurred at an IPSC Winter Club Match a few years ago.

Okay, it wasn't an 'incident' as much as a 'revelation'.

This was a winter match, and everybody wore coats. It was the first year that the Sherwood gun club decided to concede the coats, and declared that this was a Concealed Carry match. Rules: handgun and ammo must not be visible when you stand with our arms outstretched, and the way you present yourself to the Range Officer for inspection must be the way you shoot the stage.

Fair enough. The kicker was "Bring Your Stubby Revolver/Carry Gun!"

At the time, my 'carry gun' was an STI Edge in 1omm, which only could be carried in a 'race-gun holster' due to the extended dust cover. I wore it with my rain coat buttoned up ... well, all of the velcro front-fasteners were velcroed together.

The whole point of the match, for "normal people", was to give us a chance to see how we would do in an IPSC match if we actually used our carry gun. Generally speaking, it was pretty embarassing.

One of the shooters, though, actually brought a stubby Glock with minimal barrel (I don't know what the model number was, I'm not much up on Glocks) equiped with a grip-activated Laser Sight.

The guy was a Master Class IPSC competitor, and accustomed to shooting with an Open Gun. He had a matched pair of hard-chromed open guns with Holosights, and usually was among the top competitors in the club.

Not today.

Every target he engaged, he put on a dancing exhibition. It was a performance similar to the classic "C-More Shuffle", in which a shooter with a red-dot sight is trying to learn how to shoot it during a match. When he started to shoot at a target, he was looking at the minimalist sights, and expecting to see a dot on the target. The problem was, he was accustomed to shooting over the SIGHTS. He wasn't use to looking for a dot on the target.

And when he was looking for the dot on the target, he couldn't find it. Well, it was daytime and the bright cold winter sun just washed out that little red dot on the brown cardboard target.

He ended up with a lousy score, and placed low in the order of finish, because he was relying on his ability to put the dot on the target ... and see it ... and not drag the dot off the target when he pulled the trigger. None of which happened, mostly.

Now, Michael makes a great case for he 'intimidation factor' of a laser sight. Heck, I've seen "Predator" probably a dozen times, and you just can't argue with that kind of graphic evidence.

Or can you?

The thing is, for a "Bad Guy" (Michael's "BG") to be intimidated, he has to see the dot tracking on his anatomy. If the gun is pointed where it oughta be, it's either painting his heart or his head. How many of you thing that you can see a dot on your face? How many of you expect a BG to look down at his chest when he has been TOLD that there is a gun pointing at him?

Show of hands?

Right. The laser sight is only intimidating if the BG realizes he is being painted.

So what if he's not intimidated, and he makes a big rush at you -- the home owner?

This is "rubber meets the road" time, and you probably are going to revert to point-shooting techniques. That is, you're going to swap one shooting technique for another, under the most extreme conditions imaginable. You think you've got the BG buffaloed, and suddenly you're in a Robert Ruark situation where the Buffalo is charging you and you don't know whether to follow the bouncing ball or go with your instincts ... so you hesitate.

What will you do? What WILL you do? Drag out your American Express Card, a la Karl Malden?

Or will you be confused, distracted, and dead?

I'm picking Door Number Two.

The way I see it, if you're counting on your Laser Sight to save your bacon, this should be the gun and the sight that you use "all the time." When you go to the range, you practice with the belly gun and the laser sight. Forget about practicing with your iron-sights, or your dot-sight. Your goal in practicing is to build the groove in which you look at the target, point the gun around the room (or the range) until you have confidence in your ability to rely on the laser sight exclusive of any distractions such as a 200 pound biped Buff charging through your foyer directly at YOU!

If you have any other handgun-shooting interests, consider that the skills needed to shoot well with a laser sight COMPLETELY ignore the skills needed to shoot without it. Point-shooting, being entirely aware of the orientation of the gun, is not a skill which is apparently reinforced with a Laser sight.

Need proof?

Got to a gun store, ask to try one of their laser-sight equipped guns, and try to sight it on the Cape Buffalo head on the North Wall. See how long it takes you to redirect your attention from the over-the-barrel sight picture to the dot-on-brown sight picture. Consider what the Wall Buffalo might be doing if he was an aggressive biped while you're trying to find the dot, and ... walk away.

Use of a laser sight is an unique skill which must be learnt, and practiced constantly. If you're not willing to shoot somebody in the privacy of your home, at the cost of allowing all other gun-handling and gun-pointing skills to atrophy, you might reconsider the vagrant thought that lead you to consider a Laser Sight handgun for home defense.

Or, you can rely on bluff to defend yourself against the Buff.

Kudos to Michael Bane's Shooting Gallery: The Outdoor Channel

I been on blogging-hiatus, and recently catching up on my blogging, and my blog-reading.

Michael Bane's "Shooting Gallery" now includes dynamic hot-links to recent articles from blogs which, apparently, are linked to in his personal website. (I assume that the links are automatic and dynamic, because it has a link to an article that I wrote less than an hour ago.)

I'm flattered that it caught my latest IPSC-related article. He's temp-linked (not a permalink for that website, I'm sure) to the IPSC Practice article I wrote earlier tonite. I'm reluctant to publish this update, as it will wipe out the earlier link ... I think.

You can see that IPSC PRACTICE article here.

You can see Michael's Outdoor Channel website online,. and it is now linked on my links sidebar as:

Michael Bane's Shooting Gallery: The Outdoor Channel

Thanx, Michael. I owe you.

IPSC: The P-Word

It was a beautiful late-winter day in Corvallis Sunday, so SWMBO and I went to the range to PRACTICE!

I never practice.

Okay, that's not quite true. I love to practice, but due to my work schedule and the shortness of the days, I almost never practice during the winter.

However, last spring I bought 2000 rounds of new Winchester brass in .38 Super caliber, and half of it still sits in a cardboard box on the floor of my garage, next to the loading bench. I don't like to use brand new brass at matches, so I usually load it up and take it out for practice ammo.

Having some spare time Saturday, I loaded 400 rounds of it up and invited SWMBO to the range for a practice session. There was no club match scheduled for this weekend, and she has been complaining that her performance -- not up to her standards -- in matches during this winter is mostly due to her inability to get in any practice time.

Here's the answer: let's go practice!

She had, of course, no alternative but to go to the range with me, to practice. Sneaky Geek to catch SWMBO in a quandry.

On the drive to the ARPC range (where the only significant activity was a Black Powder match in Bay 3 ... there were 5 cars there when we arrived 15 minutes after the BP match was to start), we discussed what we should work on during our practice.

I had no idea what I should work on, and neither did SWMBO. I asked her what she thought I should work on, and she begged the question by suggesting that I was a much better shooter than she was and it was not reasonable for her to criticize my IPSC performance.

No help.

So I suggested that since she had complained about her inability to get good stage times, I though she would benefit from training which emphasized quick and efficient movement out of a shooting position, and into a shooting position.

Also, her time to transition from one target to the next might possibly be improved ... as might mine!

She very graciously acknowledged that this was an area in which we might both improve, so when we arrived at the range we quickly set up a stage designed to emphasize these skills.

Starting in a shooting box, engage a US popper (never mind whether you hit it or not, it's just there to distract you from what you're going to do next) and then immediately transition to an IPSC target ... both set up at about 15 yards distance.

Then, exit the shooting box as quickly as possible, move to another shooting box downrange and to the right: total distance about 15 yards. There are two full IPSC targets set 10 yards downrange of the second shooting box, so we need to have the gun mounted and something of a sight picture as soon as we enter the second shooting box to engage these two targets.

I took the first run on the stage, and everything went beautifully. I afterward consistentlyl missed the popper, of course, but was leaning perfectly on my way out of the box and caught two-Alpha on the IPSC target. Quick, efficient run to the 2nd box, gun mounted when I entered and dropped only one point on those two IPSC targets. Good time, good balance, good focus. Not perfect, but it was the best run I made in about 15 attempts.


SWMBO tried it, and took about 20% longer with a lot of misses, so we started focusing only on the concept of engaging the targets on the way out of the box. I suggested that she should already be shifting her weight as she transitioned from the popper to the IPSC target, and she didn't like it. She wanted to step out of the box with her leading foot, which was often touching the ground out of the box before she took her 2nd shot. She was working on her accuracy, and not paying any attention to her movement.

I suggested that she lead with her trailing foot, in a cross-over movement. She didn't like it, it didn't feel natural and she was concerned that she would trip over the box on the way out. Well, I have been known to do that myself so it seemed a reasonable concern. But she tried it anyway, and discovered that it wasn't as easy as it looked but it was do-able.

It took about a dozen runs before she could time the lean, the cross-over, and the shooting with accuracy so they all worked out for her. It wasn't consistent, but she was more comfortable, so we started trying to put that together with having the gun mounted and prepared to engage the two IPSC targets downrange as she entered the second box.

All this time, I was working on the same techniques, and I found my performance to be degrading with every attempt.

We had been filming each other with the Geek DigiCam on every run, and SWMBO finally asked me to please turn off the unspeakable camera, it was making her self-conscious.

I discovered that it was having the same effect on me. When we practiced with the camera obviously running, we did a terrible job. Without the camera we weren't as concerned with looking good as we were with working on the technique.

Toward the end, we quit working on the leave-the-box technique and focused on the enter-the-box problem. To make it more rewarding (we were both getting a little frustrated by this time), we moved the IPSC targets up to seven yards from the box. This helped us a lot by giving more positive feedback, and we found that we were actually getting more A-zone hits when the targets were closer. This was surprising, because we were actually getting clean misses, rather than C-zone hits, at the two yards greater distance. Go figure.

To wrap up the practice session, we rewarded ourselves by just starting at the second box and hosing the closer IPSC targets. After a dozen runs of the four-shot exercise, our draw times were getting down close to where we thought they should be, we were getting good splits and cutting our transition time between targets to around twice our split times.


We learned a few valuable lessons during the practice:

• Don't try to practice under the forbidding eye of an obvious running camera. It may be okay to set up a camera on a tripod and just let it run, but when you KNOW someone is watching you through a camera, it's a distraction.
• Instead of starting with a difficult problem, start with an EASY problem and make it progressively harder. For example, we should have started with the targets closer to the shooting position and gradually moved them farther away as we became more proficient. Doing it the other way is not only counter-productive, it's frustrating and detracts from the value of the lessons learned. You should start with what you KNOW you can do well, and then challenge yourself to learn what you can do better.
• Practicing with someone else is a good thing. You can take turns, which gives you time to relax between runs. We don't shoot five runs back-to-back in matches, and we shouldn't do that in practice. With the continued, prolonged tension of trying to do too many rounds per turn, you can see your performance degrade and you don't pay attention to EVERY run. They all just seem to blur together, and you learn nothing.
• Practicing with a timer works. It's the only way you're going to gauge your progress. If you can maintain an acceptable level of accuracy, and see your stage times going down, you're encouraged to keep it up. Always have a decent timer handy, and running with the timer on your belt instead of in the hands of a RO puts you in control of your practice.
  
• It IS a good idea to plan what you're going to practice before you get to the range, and to keep the lesson-stages simple and quick. You don't want to spend more time than necessary changing stages, and if you have too many items on your agenda you don't learn any of them well because you can't get enough repetitions to burn in the new skills.
  
• It IS a good idea to finish off a practice session with something easy, fast, and fun. It rewards you for a good practice, and it cancels out the gloom if it has been a bad practice -- and restores your confidence, which is an important part of competitive shooting. Besides, we shoot for fun, we refuse to put up with a day at the range which is NOT fun.

You probably already knew all of this. Heck, I knew it. I set up a bad practice, because I was out of practice at -- er -- practicing.

The next time we go out to practice, we'll use the tripod mounted video-tape camera instead of the handheld digicam. We'll start with closer targets, and move them out as we gain confidence in our skills.

My usual plan is to use the club matches as practice sessions, and hope I learn enough to keep up my skills. My new plan is to schedule at least one practice session a month, more in the summer, and work on specific skill sets.

One more thing:
We brought along a large plastic tarp to catch the brass. We needed two of them, because we were shooting from two different positions. It made a LOT of difference in the amount of time it took to pick up all of that new brass, especially in that the surface of the practice bay was large gravel and I know we lost some of the brass in the intercises between the rocks.

PS:
In case you missed it, the blue underlined text is a link to 1mb videos which demonstrate the subject.

PPS:
Unless you're just going out to shoot up some "questionable ammunition", prepare for your practice the same way you would prepare for a match. Have good ammuntion, have a clean gun, do whatever is required to ensure that your practice is not cut short or slowed down by jams and other malfunctions. Practice all of the safety rules, every time.

Work hard, have fun. Make loud, rude noises and generate noxious burnt-gunpowder stenches. That's what it's all about. Improving your skills, and enjoying it, comes naturally from all of the above.