AMMO FOR THE KALASHNIKOV PDW
One problem that has always faced the man who relies on a rifle for self-defense has been a balance of performance. The rifle should penetrate things like cover and armor, but its ammo should stop in flesh...to give a very simplified perspective.

As more and more rifles enter the role of Personal Defense Weapons, more and more concern is placed in the area of ammo performance. There is no such thing as a "smart bullet" that can discern what material it is travelling through. But the careful operator can select the right bullet for the right environment. For use outside, or for general purpose, standard ammo is fine, but when the issue becomes indoors use, some thought must be given if performance is to be optimized. After all, what a hollow victory to shoot the home invader or terrorist only to learn a few seconds later that your well placed shots passed through him and killed an innocent.

Corbon is now selling a 7.62x39 cartridge with a specialized bullet appropriate for CQB and other short-to-medium range uses. It comes in the gray/green "Hunter" box of 20 rounds with a 108 gr. MPG bullet. 2500 fps/1499 ft lbs energy. Corbon is the only commercial loader selling this bullet in loaded ammunition. The bullet is the Barnes MPG (Multi-Purpose Green--no lead). Barnes developed this projectile at the request of the US Navy. It falls into the "frangible" category, but it has many distinct characteristics compared to typical, sintered, powdered metal frangible bullets. The military prefers the term RRLP for Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration. Barnes now sells this bullet as a handloading component in its M/LE line as the TAC-RRLP, a .310" diameter 108 grain. Barnes sells a similar handloading component, without a cannelure, as the "Varmint Grenade" in smaller calibers.The bullet is constructed using a standard copper jacket formed from the base up. Barnes compresses copper and tin powder, almost as fine as talc, under great pressure to form a core. The core is dropped into the jacket, and the jacket is formed to a spire point with an open tip.Because it has this copper jacket, it loads and feeds like an FMJ. Some sintered rounds can break off tips on feeding (into the mag, action, or barrel) and sometimes during extraction of a live round. Sintered powder can also get into gas ports and systems causing problems.The copper jacket also allows the bullet to spin up to very high speeds without coming apart. It is very accurate, although because of the lower weight, it loses velocity quickly at extended ranges.The jacket allows the bullet to penetrate most light to intermediate barriers, such as heavy clothing, plywood, sheetrock, and car doors. It will penetrate thinner glass surfaces. If it hits a hard target, such as steel or very thick glass, the bullet will break up (reduced ricochet).In soft targets with a liquid base, such as tissue, fluid enters the open tip, peels back the jacket and the powdered core immediately returns to its powdered state in an explosive manner, dumping all its energy in about 11" with basically no exit (limited penetration). Shoot a watermelon and see what happens!
Although not as inexpesive as lead core FMJ, its capabilities for terminal performance meet specific needs. As usual, Corbon is at the forefront of providing defense based ammunition solutions.
I hope to see what this will do out of the short barreled Suchkas (Krinkovs to the uninformed).

GUERRILLA SNIPER TRAINING


The Guerrilla Sniper

The Class - April 30-May 2, 2010Guerrilla SniperKingman, AZFollowing the concept of the Guerrilla Sniper, this course will focus on the use of optically sighted rifles as sniper/marksman rifles. We will examine various models of weapons as well as their suitability for the application. While we will focus to a degree on the AK Rifle and the Guerrilla Sniper application, you can bring any type of rifle you wish to class.In the 3-day course, students will bring their sniper skills to high levels. We will begin with zeroing, range estimation, and hopefully getting first round hits to 600 yards. Much of the class will also deal with field movement and field shooting against single and multiple adversaries (targets), and target engagement from 50 to 500 yards. And that only covers the first two days. Then it's a day of "hands-on" practical work, planning/execution at actual "start to finish" missions. This course is a "must" for any serious student of the rifle!Learn to apply precision shooting skills under any all conditions, placing emphasis on how to fight with a sniper rifle instead of simply shooting bulls eyes. You will be doing CQB, as well as longer range precision shots with your rifle.


SUAREZ SNIPER SCHOOLS

ENROLL TODAY BEFORE ITS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO YOU


COMBAT FITNESS - GETTING STARTED
OK guys...I've gotten several emails asking about how to get in shape after years of neglect and sloth. First thing you have to ask is get in shape for what? Since we are a fighting group, I would assume we mean getting in shape for fighting, self defense, ect.You can divide fitness into several areas but the most importnat I think is to have a proper weight. If you weigh in at 350 pounds and your fat percentage is 50%, that weight will not help you either in a fight, or for longevity.Since this situation is the most likely one, I will begin with that. First thing is to make certain the diet is correct. Pasta, bread, rice, potatoes and doughnuts washed down with a keg of beer every night will not do anything for you. Look up Paleo Diet and try to follow it as much as possible for six months. Eat vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken and fish as much as you want and avoid other things. Next thing is avoid (avoid is avoid...not eliminate) alcohol and sodas, and sweet fruity commercial drinks. Water, tea, coffee, and natural fruit juice should replace them.Eat until you are full and then stop. It is a discipline like anything else. If you think its too much, then forget the whole thing - go back to watching the military channel with your chocolate cake.Next thing is get out on the road...or treadmill. Start walking...fast. Everyday. Increase the time, and speed. Turn the walk into a run. If your knees are destroyed, use a bike instead. If you have no bike, buy one. Eventually one will run out of excuses, or they will find one to justify the military channel and the chocolate cake.The road work and the paelo will begin to drop off weight. It will work unless you are eitrher not doing it, or there is some actual physical/hormonal issue that prevents it and then its not a matter of exercise.At some point you will need to begin strength and anareobic work. The simplest thing, that you don't need any equipment for is a simple exercise called the Burpee. You can do ths anywhere....in your office, in the yard, in the garage, in a hotel room, even in a jail cell.The low level method is this: Begin standing. Drop to a push up position, kicking your legs out. Kick the legs back in quickly, and stand up. Do them until you are out of breath. Stop, recover, and do anther set. Do it for 15 minutes at least, adding time until you are working for 30 minutes.Next level is to add a pushup.
Next level is to add a vertical jump when you stand up. Keep adding reps and sets. Eventually you might even want to add some weights but that is for another time.Walking, eating right, doing burpees. How freaking caveman simple is that?? Begin with that and let us know how it goes.

RED DOT VERSUS LASER

When we began the discussions about putting red dot sights on pistols we were immediately asked, what about lasers? Well...lets analyze this.
Remember that what we are looking for is not what someone can do on a shooting range, but rather performance in the chaotic and dynamic world of force on force. I don't see the need for any sight enhnacements...or sights at all for that matter for dynamic reactive gunfighting inside of five yards. Don't believe me? Come to a force on force class and we will not only show you, but we'll show you how to do the same thing yourself.

Back to the laser vs. red dot discussion however. Both systems will offer an easier system of verification of alignment than traditional iron sights for the times you need iron sights. Regardless of manufacturer or devotee claims, neither one is faster nor a replacement for close range dynamic shooting, or point shooting.
Still, for close range proactive precision shots, or for long range shots, the systems offer a marked advantage over iron sights. As well in other applications such a reduced light, or on moving targets, etc. the systems offer advantages. But which one is best?Lasers -Price: $250-300 (quality units only discussed)Advantages: Easy to add to the gun with a Lasermax or Crimson Trace system. These will project a red dot on the target itself. Supposedly, there is an intimidation factor though I've never seen it happen. No "sight picture" necessary as the laser can be projected regardless of a muzzle-eye relationship. Disadvantages: Projects dot on target itself potentially giving your position away. Dot can be used at close ranges but virtually unusable at extended distances due to inability to see dot on distant target. In my opinion, at close range, in a dynamic reactive problem, you can point shoot a sightless pistol faster than you can use a laser. Batteries are a concern unless manufacturer guarantees extended usage. Needs to be activated to function. May or may not need a modified holsterTypical examples are the Crimson Trace and Lasermax systemsRed Dots -Price: $200 - 600Advantages: Does not project the actual dot, rather it superimposes the dot on your visual field. Potentially covert, and can be used at all distances not just close up. Always on so no need to activate it. Extended usage is almost always there. The Trijicon claims two years of use, and Aimpoint 50,000 hours!. You can still point shoot the pistol with standard methods if dot cannot be picked up quickly enough.Disadvantages: Needs special holster. Makes pistol slightly bigger than a non red dot weapon. A less than perfect presentation will not yield the dot in the scope quickly enough, but see point shooting comments.Typical examples are the J Point, Docter, and Aimpoint Micro.
From my perspective, the Red Dot systems offer things that are not available with the lasers. I want to also say that I have received emails saying, in essence, "I am a civilian ccw guy and I will never see a need to fire a shot past ten yards and if I do I will go get a rifle." Well, that is fine. I wish life was so simple as to be able to say "always" and "never" with such certainty. If you guess wrong, you have just made yourself a non-combatant. Jeanne Assam engaged the bad guy at the church that day at 35 yards. I wonder if a red dot sight might have made it easier for her?