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Reality Check: “All the Gear, No Idea”

I’m fresh back from my latest training weekend. It was a good and enjoyable class, meeting good people as usual. A little more challenging for me with a wider ability gap among attendees than previously, making me work to tailor the lanes to individual abilities. Cookie-cutter training simply would not have worked. The additional target pits that I have put in, extending the ranges, allowed me to challenge returning students while giving new ones the right level of initial training. 
That being said, there has been a recurring theme that has been ticking away in my mind over the last several months. I have been running my training school since May and of course most of the students are civilians. Some have military experience, a couple have been active duty or reserves. My training is adapted to the student body. However, it has also been an educational experience for me – I am no longer training recruits, professional SOF troops or experienced operators. This post is by no means directed at anyone in particular from either this weekend or any previously, but it is a general comment from observation; if you are easily offended just stop reading now:
There are a couple of themes that I have noticed, and taken all together they add up to the perfect storm that will get you killed. I touched on this in this previous post: ‘Gear Philosophy Update’ but today I intend to rip the band-aid right off:
The two themes adding up to your death are:
1) Lack of fitness and obesity
2) Too much gear
Fitness: On the fitness side, let’s be realistic. When you are doing tactical training, you are doing light infantry training. Let’s forget all that ‘groupie’ stuff about SOF/SF/elite forces and all that. SHTF, it does not matter, you are conducting light infantry operations. If you are intending to do that, you need to be fit enough to ‘shoot, move and communicate’. There is a basic level of gear (i.e. weight) that you need to be able to lug about in order to function as a light infantry fighter. You need to be able to move with that load without being too exhausted. The more exhausted you get, the sloppier you will get, the more shortcuts you will take.
“Keep Low, Move Fast” evolves into an exhausted flop down on your ass, sucking water out of your Camelbak, while failing to pull security. 
If you are not as fit as you can be, then you are deluding yourself. No one really knows what SHTF will look like. You all have your preconceived notions, most of which will be wrong come the hour. One thing that can be said is that you need to be as generally prepared as possible. SHTF will be a huge dislocation of expectations. Most of the stuff that you have now, and that you think defines you as an American, such as your big truck, or whatever, will not be part of the picture post-SHTF. Once the collapse happens, the only thing that will define you as an American is your character and how you perform. 
As the political philosopher John Hobbes said, in the ‘state of nature’ the life of man is “solitary, nasty, brutish and short.” Welcome to the collapse. Prepping is one thing, and if you prep well then you have a good chance of increasing your overall chances of survival. But you have to be prepared for massive dislocation of expectations. If your whole survival plan revolves around a fat family sitting tight at a ‘retreat property’ then when the bad guys come over the hill, or whatever, and that retreat is no longer secure, you may be hauling you fat ass over the hill, and trying to bug out and survive in the woods. When you are trying to haul ass with a ruck, maybe pushing/pulling kids, elderly relatives, or sick/wounded family members out on a jog stroller or deer cart, that is when being fat asses is really going to suck. 
But of course, by then you won’t be walking far, because your pants will be around your ankles after you lost 100 lbs as you slowly starved to death as all that canned food started to run out, and the selfish fat relative broke into the store room and gave themselves diabetic shock that night after wolfing down as much of your carefully stored provisions as they could before passing out, to be found in the  morning in a pool of their own shit and vomit.
The problem is that the whole meme of the modern American has evolved into a huge number of lard-asses, overfed ‘corn fed’ people who don’t actually realize the problem. They are not ‘big boned’ they are just fat. It’s classic boiling frog – people were not fat in the great depression, they were starving. Too much easy food nowadays.

Not one of my students!
A huge part of physical fitness is mental fitness. When you are doing light infantry work, a lot of what you do, in particular when you get down to doing fire and movement, comes down to anaerobic exercise where you are breathing out of your ass and the only thing that is going to get you through is iron determination and HEART. Well, have the heart to drag your ass away from the keyboard and start doing some effective fitness now.
I don’t mean ‘useless’ gym fitness, or ‘show muscles’. I mean real cardio and strength training. A good thing to add to that is manual labor. By which I mean actually digging holes and moving dirt with a pick and shovel. That takes heart and determination and will go a long way to prepare you for the rigors of a life of manual labor and infantry work which may well be your lot post-SHTF.
You need to test yourself and push your limits. Unless you have been out on extended operations with large amounts of physical exertion and reduced calorific intake, you won’t really know what I am taking about. Extended patrols over harsh terrain. Leaden legs as you set off again up another hill, feeling the tiredness to the core but still moving with a steely determination. Getting out your entrenching tool and digging in. Constantly wearing your gear, even your boots at night in your bag even though you will have swapped out socks and powdered your feet. Getting out of your bag on a freezing night to go out on patrol, or go on watch, or getting up and packing away all your gear prior to a dawn stand-to. That is when your mettle and professionalism will be tested, weighed and counted. 
My tactical courses are not even that hard, and there is plenty of rest built in between iterations. However, even given that people find it hard, because fire and movement is hard work. I see a lot of heart on my ranges, but I also see a lot of resolutions to go away, lose weight and get fitter, and come back to do a better job. If you find it hard going up and down the ranges in your vest and tactical set-up, and that is with frequent rest back at the school house, then it’s time to lighten the load and up the fitness. 
Gear: One of the big problems for preppers, in particular wealthy preppers, is a mindset where gear can solve all your problems. It all becomes about gear and gadgets. Now, I love a good bit of gear myself, and I agree that having it can seriously increase your chances of survival, but there is a limit. You have to be able to survive with minimal gear; to make things work without that latest gadget. It is about what you know and your determination rather than having the latest widget. 
This gear-centric attitude, together with an often lack of effective fitness, leads to this perfect storm. Granted, a lot of wealthy preppers are older, and thus not as fit, and that is a challenge. However, this attitude is really a form of denial – it’s an “I can fix it with gear” attitude, when what is really needed is more PT and a good dose of aggression and determination to kill any fucker that comes near your family posing a threat. 
The gear thing, tied in with the fitness thing, leads to people carrying far too much gear. As discussed in the previous linked post, it is all a balance between firepower, mobility and protection. If you get all that latest gear, load it onto a vest carrying full plates plus a full ammo load, and you can’t move, then you just failed. If you can’t move, then you just lost the mobility thing. You will tire easily, move too slowly under contact, get sloppy and lose the will to continue. If necessary strip weight, including plates, in order to be able to regain the ability to move. If you want to carry more gear, then you have to get fitter and stronger so you can move with the gear.

Not one of my students!
SHTF will be ongoing. You don’t know when the enemy will appear. To protect your base location you will need an ongoing and endless process of LP/OP, watches, ground domination patrols and the like. You will need to wear your gear most of the time, or at least a basic emergency load so you have your rifle and some magazines with you in case you are caught short while tending the tomatoes. You need to rig your gear so you have a squared away load that you are willing to actually wear and carry while walking around the hills and hollers of your property location, without becoming an exhausted whale in the woods. If you are struggling, and you will be struggling with limited calories as your body fights the loss of weight, you will start taking shortcuts. Your legs will be too tired to make it up that hill. It’ll be all right, yea? No bad guys will come up here will they? Welcome to denial and defeat. 
The next factor is that of casualties and casualty evacuation. Moving a casualty is one of the hardest things you will do, particularly if you are trying to break contact. If you are a fat-ass, then you can’t move yourself and your gear with much efficiency. You also can’t move your team member when he is hit and becomes a casualty. If your team member is also a lard-ass, then it makes it even harder for you to move him, and he is definitely not going to be able to move you if you are hit. Best that is going to happen is one lard-ass using the other for cover, hoping all those plates and gear, plus the lard, will stop the bullets while he strips off that cool gear he’s been coveting. He’ll then try and get away , but he is too tired, fat and overburdened by gear to actually do an effective break contact drill. He can’t “keep low, move fast” so he is going to be shot down too. Well done those that ambushed you, because they just shot down a couple of fat guys and profited with all the gear you were carrying. 
Oh, and by the way, if you are reading this and chuckling at all my references to fat guys, then think again. If you are one of those vanity steroid muscle guys, or a weak skinny guy without any cardio fitness, then you are screwed too. The vanity muscle guy will be exhausted post-SHTF as he finds can’t take in the calories to maintain all that protein muscle. The skinny weak guy will be unable to carry his gear.
What you need is a balance of cardiovascular fitness and a strength to weight ratio where you can move and lift your own body. Above all, endurance and determination, will to win. 
If you can’t be bothered to go out right now and work on your weight and fitness, how well does that attitude bode for what you will do and how you will perform SHTF? I’m not talking about ‘6-pack’ abs here, that sort of thing is simply not important and actually speaks to a body fat ratio that is too low and will lead to faster starvation. Be healthy fit, not vanity fit. 
You want a conspiracy theory? How about this: you are being made fat and unhealthy. You are being convinced that training by former LEO’s on square ranges, which works well if the enemy is standing there not firing back, is making you tactically competent. The result of this? Failure and death. 
As far as tactical training goes, the procedure goes something like this: learning how to handle a rifle and the marksmanship principles; grouping and zeroing; application of fire; transition to field firing; field firing. 
All up to transition to field firing, if taught correctly with a knowledgeable military trainer,  can be achieved on the ‘square range’. It is important to develop good shooting competence, achieving good consistent groups, as you develop the fundamentals before moving to the ‘cool stuff’. For the transition to field firing and the field firing itself, which equates to realistic tactical training, then you need to train with a suitably qualified military trainer at  a suitable facility. If you are worried about your level of PT right now, I can tell you that if you train with me I will tailor it so that you achieve the training, even though you may convince yourself to do more PT, lose some weight, and come back to train again. 
You should also, if possible, train at a suitable facility which is set up to do live firing tactical movement. There is no substitute for actual live firing, particularly if used with electronic pop-up targets for realism and reaction. 
Which reminds me: although the use of .22 LR is good in theory, and I will continue to allow it so students can save money on ammo, the Ruger 10/22 is outright BANNED on my ranges. I have seen nothing but trouble and malfunctions from students using that rifle, whether the cause is the rifle itself, the larger capacity after-market magazines or the ammunition. Go on, try me – show up with one: visualize me smashing the butt of the wooden rifle on a rock until it shatters, that’s how strongly I feel about that. ;-)
(Students from this last weekend will appreciate the reference).
Something like my CRCD class is not something you should do once and then consider yourself ‘good to go’ – these drills need practice, and each time you come back you will achieve a higher level of competence and awareness of the different layers of what is going on during the drills. My repeat students can attest to that. 
Enjoy your training.
Live Hard, Die Free.
MV

39 responses to “Reality Check: “All the Gear, No Idea””

  1. “Convict conditioning” is an excellent book for those who have very little time to work out but still need to have excellent strength. Check out the “veterano” workout. 15-30 minutes, 6 days a week. EVERYONE has 15-30 minutes a day.

    This book goes into the “old school” methods of work out, saving one’s self from injury, learning to gradually strengthen the tendons (the make or break you part of your muscles).
    The author takes you from simple wall pushups to one arm pushups over about a year’s time. Literally almost anyone can start doing these exercises, no weights are needed.

    *I wouldn’t recommend this if I didn’t use the program. I regularly work out with plates on, doing pullups and cardio exercises. Last June I ran the tough mudder challenge – in addition to finishing I also acquired an inside and outside tendon injury on my elbow. I couldn’t even pick up my little girl with that arm. Long story short, after the initial recovery period I was able to take the Convict Conditioning workout’s back to square one and rehabilitate my elbow so I can once again work my upper body with plates on again without significant pain to the elbow. The gradual application of this system works.

    It got me back to my old self again in 3 months. Also I have noticed since doing this program (before and after my injury) I am much more strong than I ever was several years ago with a less efficient workout plan. Lifting a full loaded ruck over my head doesn’t feel the same way it used to.

    Some food for thought. Enjoyed the post.

  2. Let me second the recommendation for Convict Conditioning…at 55 it made me harder and stronger than I have been since racing desert and doing judo so many years ago.

    Also started eating one meal a day for the last 2 years. That meal is high fat, low carb moderate protein. Went out for a run a year ago thinking it would be a repeat of my usual pitiful performance of 30 years ago, my racing partner ran the miles backwards as fast as I did it frontward. It was not. Matter of fact I got to the end of the mile and decided I wasn’t tired, 10 minute miles, so I did another 4 and stopped because I got bored.

    Diet and exercise can transform even the lard asses…I know because I dropped 55 pounds, 3 years ago and kept it off.

  3. Mosby is not going to appreciate you posting pics of him. I safely dry fire your initial drills at least I think they are your initial drills, contact front, return fire, take cover, return appropriate fire (after moving to the side and taking the kneeling position). I include manipulation of the safety before movement so its not exercise with rifle exclusively. I find doing this for a minute elevates the heart enough if done at a rapid enough pace, and done correctly.

    So if you are an American who loves to dip his/her snout in the corn syrup trough think about just trying the above to see if you might want to put down the Prole Chow bowl and start exercising (and I agree with the convict workout, been doing that for decades). RRS

  4. I have a heart condition called bradycardia, or extreme low heart rate. My HR rarely gets above 50. I also have hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes. I started exercising and lost 25#. The HR is still a problem, causing eventual fatigue, but the HBP is under control, and so is the diabetes. Can I run a mile? No. Can I run 50 yards? You bet. Maybe even a hundred. Fast? Not really, but I won’t be the last guy in line either. I can do what I can. I can dig like a dog. I can move uphill at an angle. I can carry a reasonable load without pooping out too soon. And I exercise everyday now, even with an arthritic shoulder. My point: Do what you can to improve.

  6. Long live Ruger hollow:
    Thanks Max great class. Your skill and patiants as an instuctor was exeptional your criticism on and off the range was well founded. And if we have an shtf sititutation and my ruger fails me I will yell bang bang bang. lol

  7. That’s weird about the Rugers since that is what Appleseed recommends…course they are not moving as much.

    • I think it would be fine as a target rifle. I think it may be an ammo/magazine problem with the large capacity magazines people buy for them when they want to use them in place of their AR. There seem to be a lot of feed problems. If you use the smaller capacity magazines, it doesn’t serve so well as a substitute for an AR/AK.
      And really, although I will still allow M&P and ‘AR style’ 22LR versions, the Ruger does not replicate using your AR or AK, so it’s saving money, but not training as you fight.

    • This is what I use and it doesn’t fail.

      BX-25 magazines…expensive until you calculate your sanity gains from having a mag that works…every darn time.

    • When not at Max’s class, 10/22 folks might like the HC3R mag/stripper clip/speedloader system. Search “HC3R review” on YouTube. Used right, it works right.

    • Appleseeder here. I’m happy to be helping teach with them.

      Appleseed just a few months ago struck a deal with Marlin, they’re making an Appleseed-tailored 795 with a peep sight (but not a Tech Sight).

      Also, we teach Camp Perry marksmanship which is a good foundation, but here’s a caveat about the tight sling: a gun expert friend tells ms if the sling swivel mount is on the barrel in the front instead of on the stock, the tight sling could change your zero as opposed to having a loose sling. I guess if you had time to take aim (like being in a sniper nest) it would make sense – and the muscle memory for getting up and down is useful. Also we do exhort people to get civically involved which might avert a war in the first place. Appleseed is not tactical training, is the bottom line, but if someone has never handled a rifle much before, it’s a good place to learn.

      Re. the Ruger 10/22. Releasing the 10/22 bolt catch is a PITA because it’s so little. Forget operating it with gloves on. There is an after market part for that with a notch cut in it (makes it sort of heart shaped) that makes it not as much of a problem. Also the rail for a scope is way too far back on the stock, I have a Tasco scope (yeah, I know, they suck) and I have to turkey neck backwards to see through it. (I think my scope mounts are too tall too).

      I have also had problems getting the factory mags out from time to time on those things. They get stuck in there and you have to kind of pry them out. There is also a larger mag release lever you can get.

      The factory sight sucks. Peep sights are a vast improvement, if you have to go with sights instead of a scope.

      Put together, these problems are very distracting when one is trying to learn how to shoot and move under a stopwatch. But, it has very little recoil and it’s relatively inexpensive. I like the Marlin better as a platform though.

  8. 50% of people’s health problems can be solved by not having fat ass portions when eating and dropping the soda. Since last Christmas I’ve dropped 90 lbs just from cutting out excessive amounts of soda and unnecessarily large portions. If I was actively exercising in conjunction with this I have no doubt that the number would be closer to the 100s of lbs.

    If it helps you sell it to yourself consider it another prep to add to the arsenal, the ability to need to consume less and be able to go that extra mile or 2. It really is worth losing it, my aim was to be able to get in to Arc’teryx Naga Hoodie before Christmas without having to buy a fatass size and I am on track.

  9. I’m fairly active in the mtns, and at 59, just lost another 10 lbs this last month from hiking my ass off. And putting me within 10 lbs over my lean USMC weight 35+ yrs ago. The muscle isn’t quite there like back then, but I work fairly hard and have to admit, age messes you up. I will never allow myself to look like those guys in the photos, but I guess my Marine fitness training has a lot to do with it too.
    Most of these wannabe Rambos will be dead the first day, all on their own. Make sure they all have their own ponchos, I wouldn’t waste mine on them for a body bag.

    • True in the extreme Max!!!Most of us are guilty in varying degrees, and the way you put it was hilarious…Thank you for the excellent article..I will “endeavor to persevere”…

  10. …and i thought the Ruger 10/22 was GREAT because you would experience the FTF malfunctions, thus practicing clearing same – real hands on. Priceless experience & practice.

  11. It’s amazing what we all “used to be able to do”. I had some seriously crazy workout routines (12 mile run @ 7 minute pace, 2 mile swim, 30-40 mile bike ride. Daily. Unless it was the weekend, then I’d do something hard. Lifted, too: benched 340, leg press 1100) but injury, an 80 hour per week job, and 3 kids pack the pounds on. And steal the strength away.

    So I have started hiking here in the mountains, and realized that I am one fat toad. Forget a big pack or lots of gear, the extra 50 pounds around my middle is enough. So I make a deal with myself: I’ll by new gear, but the weight of said gear has to come pound-for-pound, off my lard load.

    And soon I’ll move to the northeastern TN area, and hope at some point to get to your training.

    • Sounds like an excellent way to sell it to yourself. For every pound of fat you lose, you can replace it with desired equipment or use convert that 1 pound in to a few extra feet.

  12. Hell yeah, Max. Great post. Fitness is critical. CRITICAL. And remember folks, if it took you five years to get in bad shape, it’s going to take a while to get back in good shape. Start slow and build. But START. It’s never too late and there is always something you can do.

  14. As a physician for many years it has been obvious that the fitness of the average American has gone down the tubes. It doesn’t surprise me that you get fat equipment geeks showing up for training. They are EVERYWHERE anymore.

    I am not young but I am fit. In your AO there is an interesting litle endurance event called the SM100. Some years ago I completed that and managed to finish ahead of most of the other competitors, including those whom I could have been their father (age-wise). Younger guys seem to have few role models for older guys being in shape, so I surprised them. 20 yrs earlier, backpacking in the Appalachians was a favorite pursuit for me.

    Hopefully I can make the trek up to your place in the spring. It is a long haul from Alabama, but I would love to train with you.

  16. Hey that’s me in the first photo!
    I’m not a fat ass, FYI everybody knows the camera adds 200 pounds.

  17. Any kind of high intensity interval training, such as Crossfit, will help. Eat clean. As for the Ruger 10/22, it’s a good weapon to have on hand if you’re hunting squirrels.

  18. Don’t forget everyone that all the GM crops and other poisons in the food mess you up big time as well. It may be more expensive to buy organic but in the long run it is worth every penny. And don’t believe the bs about fat being bad for you. Good saturated fat from healthy animals is vital for your health but especially your brain because the brain is made up of fats. No fat=no brain. I suggest that everyone serious about making a change in their health should look up the Weston A. Price Foundation and read their literature. God bless and kypd.

  19. I’m right around the corner from 60. Have pulmonary artery stenosis which simply means that I can get X
    amount of O2 out of my lungs to the heart and then on to the body. I can walk on flat ground ALL day, I can gain mild elevation for a while, I can sprint for maybe a hundred yards…..after that MY BODY MUST STOP. And I am
    certainly not alone in having such limitations. Even though I’m 6 foot and 200# and in decent shape for age I
    will never be able to function in the light infantry mode. This means I take my fight to the enemy in different
    fashions….and it means I likely won’t have a long life after things go to hell and the shooting starts.

    That’s OK….I will do what I can when I can and will do all I can to make sure that the price extracted for me
    assuming room temp is high….as in high value target. Isaac Asimov said ” life is pleasant, death is peaceful,
    it’s the transition thats difficult”. Make that transition count.

  20. I am late 40’s, been off active duty almost 20 years, still drilling monthly, and run on my lunch break at least 4 times a week. I weigh slightly more than I did 20 years ago 165 up to 173, but can still hold a 7.5 minute mile pace in street clothing. My tribe opted for SKS’s due to intitial purchase price years ago, but do use AKS’s in a supporting role for those who bougjt them. Gear whores amuse me, especially when they own brandnew stuff, and think it will make up for poor fitness or training. Old school style training with minimal electronic support gear is in my opinion more realistic, and demonstrates small unit tactics, without a logistic support train they may or may not have available WTSHTF. Fitness is a very perishable product and must be constantly renewed or lost.

  22. Max. You didn’t get specific, but I will. In every class I have gone to, someone (or multiple someones) show up wearing body armor and/or plates. Unless they are a true hard charger/former or active military, the body armor goes the way of the Dodo by the end of the class. Body armor is certainly useful and everyone should have some, but everyone needs a wake up call as to what it takes to hump all that gear. Thanks again for providing that wake up call in the form of training.

  23. Sad but true.
    You just made me a lot more nervous about October’s class…

    On a side note, how you got that many 10/22s to go down like that…. I really don’t understand. Were they the “wal*mart specials” or heavily modified?
    I have a 10/22 and know a couple other folks with them, and it has been flawlessly reliable. Of course I stick to the factory 10 and 25 round mags, use decent Fed and Rem bulk ammo,keep it cleaned, and have made no mods whatsoever. It’s gone “click” a grand total of about 4 times in about 4k rounds.
    Of course, mine IS the polymer stocked version, so clearly this is proof that “plastic fantastics” trump “wood and steel”….. LoL

  24. I am an Appleseed instructor, with a lot of 10/22 experience. We have a fleet of loaners which are over used and under maintained. They are stock except for “standard” Appleseed mods – sling, auto bolt release mod, larger mag release, nylon bolt buffer, different sighting system. I find them to be incredibly dependable within a few limits:

    Clean them from time to time. Blowback rifles run awfully dirty. If one starts stove piping it’s because it’s too dirty. You can usually spray some Rem Oil into the works, and get it to finish out the shoot, but clean it before next time.

    Once I saw misfires due to things being so dirty the bolt didn’t get completely closed.

    Our rifles typically are run a couple of thousand rounds or more between cleanings (shameful).

    When I clean one, I pull out the trigger group, strip down the bolt, and clean it all. The bore will hardly be dirty, it’s all those moving parts. Upon reassembly, oil anything that’s shiny from rubbing. I use CLP. If you put it where it’s not needed, it’ll just attract crud faster.

    Oiling the trigger like the book says not to will do wonders for the grittiness.

    I only use Ruger OEM 10 round mags, and they are reliable. I’ve seen all sorts of problems from other manufacturer’s mags. We just loan the student some OEM 10 rounders and move on. Don’t know about the new Ruger 25 rounders, since I don’t have any, but I’d expect them to work OK. We encourage the use of 10 rounders at Appleseed, because the others get in the way in prone.

    Feed problems – I have seem some OEM mags (but definately not all) that seem to prefer less round bullet shape – e.g., Federal bulk rather than Winchester bulk. Haven’t pursued this extensively since I have mostly Federal ammo. But I have noted the feed ramp is part of the magazine. If I ever get the time, I’ll try to isolate this better.

    It’s important to make sure the mag is well seated for consistant groups.

    Don’t oil the mag release button that projects into the mag body. Run it dry or you’ll have drop free problems (hydraulic lock I think).

    Make sure the stock isn’t touching the mag on the sides. Plastic aftermarket stocks seem to curl towards the mag, especially after lying out in the sun on a hot day. A file or a knife can be used to trim away enough to avoid problems.

    Volquartsen makes a picatinny rail that allows you to mount a scope almost far enough forward to allow a proper turkey neck in prone.

    Bottom line is, freshly cleaned and lubed, I’d expect 2000 rounds out of any of our trainers, and they are nothing special – one is 18 years old, one has the new plastic trigger group, one a Walmart special, one a Bass Pro special.

    A Western Freeman

    • Given that the point of the article, and this blog, is not to turn itself into the ‘Ruger 10/22 forum’ I simply believe that the problems are probably due to after market 25 round magazines and maybe the ammo. The rifle is probably great for Appleseed and teaching fundamentals, but it does not transition well as an AR/AK battle rifle substitute on a field firing range.

  26. You want a conspiracy theory? How about this: you are being made fat and unhealthy. You are being convinced that training by former LEO’s on square ranges, which works well if the enemy is standing there not firing back, is making you tactically competent. The result of this? Failure and death.

    Outfrigginstanding, Max.

  27. I am curious to hear what rim fire platform you have found to be reliable for your form of training? I have experience with literally thousands of semi auto rim-fire rifles, none of them in my opinion are “reliable” but the 10/22 comes closest, followed closely by the s&W M&P 15-22.