Gun violence in the United States is a huge problem. There is no denying that. Recent events have brought this problem to the forefront, but for many of us, this is nothing new. We understand that some people in this world are just plain evil and they refuse to respect others or follow laws. There is nothing I can do for them besides pray for their eternal soul. My issue is when problems are compounded. What sense does it make to makes laws that are supposed to stop people that do not care about the laws? NONE! The only people who care about gun laws are people that follow gun laws. Those lowlife pieces of shit that go around preying on unsuspecting citizens are not at all worried about a law. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they supported all gun control legislation. All it does is make it easier for them to do as they please. They want to kill people. It just makes sense that they would want to eliminate the likelihood of being stopped. That's exactly what these stupid little signs do! They instantly turn an able bodied American into a helpless victim. I cannot tell you the number of times I've had to find an excuse to go back to the car because some liberal store owner decided to take it upon himself to ignore the 2nd Amendment in his business. People will only believe you left your wallet under your seat for so long. I finally got tired of it and decided to boycott anything with those signs. I refuse to die in some gas station, holding a Gatorade, asking for $25 on 2, with my guns 15 yards away. Not a chance in hell! And the fact that firearms aren't allowed on military bases and recruitment offices... WOW! I had no idea that the people who volunteer to serve our country and protect our liberties were walking around unarmed. I mean... really?! A soldier... A SOLDIER!!! What kind of idiot thought it was a good idea to disarm a soldier? While law makers are worried about civilians having military style rifles, actual military personnel have nothing! That is beyond ridiculous. More like disgusting. That shit need to change now! The sooner we as a people realize that some are just out to cause harm, and those pieces of paper telling law abiding citizens to disarm themselves provide no safety at all, the sooner we can rid the country of their unnecessary existence. I know it's going to be hard for people to just up and get rid of their signs. We're Americans, anything worth saying is on a sign, right? Well how about we offer something a little more logical?
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When it comes to shooting accurately, a few things are much more important than others. A couple of those are sight alignment & sight picture. If you hope for any kind of consistent shooting success, you must be able to align your sights on the target, consistently. Although it's really important and can take a long time to master, with a little practice, it won't be as hard as you may think. Let's start by talking about standard pistol sights. Most of the popular firearms use the 3-dot, notch and post style of setup. For Glock pistols, the rear sight is a kind of squared off U-shape instead of dots. Personally, I loathe those sights! Can't stand them! For the purpose of this article, I'm ignoring them. Here is an example of the type of sights I'm going to be talking about. As you can see, the rear sight has a notch with 2 dots, 1 on each side. The front sight is a post with a single dot in the middle of it. Thus we get the notch and post, 3 dot sights. One quick thing to remember, shoot with both eyes open. None of that wink type stuff you see in the movies. It may work for one shot, but if you want to get multiple hits on target with speed and accuracy, keep them both open. Now, the first thing any good shooting instructor will tell you to do is find your front sight. It's a must! The front sight needs to be placed on your target to achieve any type of accuracy. In fact, when done correctly, the front sight will be the only thing that can be seen clearly. The target will be blurry and the rear sights will be blurry. Not to worry, that front post is what needs your attention. You may notice that a little double vision happens with the rear sights when you focus on the front post. Actually, you will definitely notice this. Again, no worries. This is just a part of shooting. With practice, you will know exactly where to place the front sight post. Of course, I have a couple tips to make this easier. First, be sure to position the gun in front of your dominant eye. If you don't know which eye this is, wink. More than likely, the eye that you leave open is your dominant one. For me, my left eye is dominant so I hold my pistol more towards the left. As for the rear sights, squint your non-dominant eye, but do not totally close it. This will get rid of some of the double vision that occurs & you will know where the front sight needs to be. This can be done with an unloaded weapon, without an actual target. Emphasis on UNLOADED! Now, let's align the sights. You want to have all 3 dots make a horizontal line, the top of the front and rear sights to also be in a straight line, and an even amount of space on each side of the front sight post. All this is done while still focusing on the front sight post. Depending on where you learn to shoot, you will be told to place the front sight at the base of your target, 6 o'clock, or at the center of the target. You will have to try both to see what works for you. No matter which way you choose, your desired result will be:
Now you have proper sight alignment and sight picture.
A couple weeks ago I was watching game 6 of the NBA Finals (notice i said "watching" and not "enjoying") with some friends when all of a sudden, boom! The lights go out. While everyone began to try to open the flashlight app on their smartphones, I calmly reached into my pocket and pulled out my mini flashlight. I handed it to the owner of the house, he reset the circuit breaker, and we continued to watch the game. While I was putting my flashlight back into my pocket, someone asked me a question. "You carry a flashlight on you all the time?" My reply, of course I do! It just seems natural to me, which made me think. What should a man carry on his person everyday? What is the basis for a good Everyday Carry (EDC)? I think it's pocket dump time... This is a picture of what I carry on my person, every single day. It has evolved over the years, but I have used every piece multiple times and was definitely glad that I had it.
An EDC is very personal and should be tailored to the carrier's daily needs. It should contain the essentials you need to carry out your daily life, but not be so bulky as to the point that you don't want to actually carry it all. Post a pic of your EDC pocket dump on Instagram. Use the hashtag #MCHQPocketDump and tag the @ManCaveHQ page. You may just get it reposted!
*I know you're looking at my keys. If you want to know how to make your own, stay tuned...* *Warning, this is going to be a long one. Just bear with me, you're about to get some extremely good information! Once you've purchased a firearm, the next logical step is to want to shoot it. It just makes sense. What's the point in having a gun that you don't fire, right? Now we need to locate a facility that is equipped to handle all the freedom we plan on disbursing. There are many options from outdoor, to indoor, to private property. Any will do, just be sure that all local laws are followed. When you find a location, you need to make sure that you have certain tools to ensure that your range day goes off without a hitch. That's where I come in. I'm going to go through what I take to the range to give you some idea of what types of things to consider. You may not need it all, but it's better to have and not need, than to need and not have. The first thing you want to do is get all the gear you plan to take to the range together, in one spot. Let's start with the guns... When I go to the range, I like to have all my pistols in cases, in my range bag. I usually take about 4 or 5 with me. I use cases like these to keep what I use for each pistol separate. They also provide a little extra protection without taking up too much space. I keep my rifles and shotguns in a separate case, outside of my range bag. The next thing that I make sure that I have is my ear protection. I have a pair of ear muffs and a set of ear plugs. Depending on what I'm shooting, it can get pretty loud. For larger calibers, I use both sets together, but no matter what I'm shooting, until I get my silencers, some form of hearing protection is definitely a requirement. The electronic ear muffs are a personal favorite of mine. They allow me to reduce the sound of the gunfire and with the push of a button, hear someone talking if need be. With ear protection, comes eye protection. They are both extremely important. You won't appreciate them until you're glad that you had them. Most designated ranges actually require shooters to wear them. You don't have to get too fancy, just be sure that your glasses are rated to meet ballistics standards, are comfortable, and will not fog easily. As far as the tint of the lenses, that's totally up to you. Let's face it, if you are required to wear safety gear, there's a chance that things can go wrong. That's why I always include a good first aid kit in my range bag. Whether it's a runny nose, cut, allergic reaction, or something much worse, I want to give myself the best chance of fighting it. You don't need a full on doctor's bag, but some equipment to stabilize a situation until a medical professional can take over is a good idea. AMMO! Lots of ammo! If you've ever been shooting, you know how fast a box of rounds can disappear. If you haven't, just take my word for it. A box of 50 may sound like a lot, but it will be gone in about 15 minutes. Be sure to include ammunition for all the calibers you intend to shoot. However much you think you need, bring more! No one has ever regretted taking home leftover rounds. A dirty gun can bring a range day to a screeching halt. That's why I include a cleaning kit in my range bag. Something small and compact is all you need. Shooting at high volume will cause carbon build-up and may result in a firearm malfunctioning. Have a kit that will allow you to clean out any fouling and get back to shooting. Depending on where you shoot, you may be required to take your own targets. If not, it's still a good idea to have a few inside your bag. It can be as simple as a piece of paper with a dot or as fancy as reactive splatter targets. Personally, I prefer shooting at zombies. I don't think anyone is surprised by that... If you have to bring your own targets, you may want to bring a way to secure them. For this, I use a heavy duty staple gun. Also, be sure to bring extra staples. One is kind of pointless without the other. Tacks can also be used if you prefer. Most people shoot outside in the great outdoors. If you do too, you will definitely need protection from Mother Nature. Bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat. Trust me. You won't regret it. You may want to consider putting the bottles in a zip top bag. Because, you know... s*** happens. Dude, it's duct tape. Do I really need to explain? Guns are machines. Machines break. Machines that hold small explosions are more likely to break than others. That's why any range bag needs to have some tools included. It can be a tool set specifically designed for firearms or a multi-tool that has parts that can be used for the purpose. Either way, you need tools. A pen and pad are essential if you want to get the most out of your day at the range. Whether you use it to take down the size of your groups or record D.O.P.E. (data on previous engagements), chances are there will be something that you need to write down. And believe it or not, it's a lot easier than pulling out your phone. No matter what time of year you go to the range, you will get thirsty. Just grab a few bottles and thank me later. The last thing you're going to want is a range bag, a bag dedicated to only you firearms and other shooting accessories. There are many options to choose from and there is no one right choice. You should make your decision based on the firearms you plan to shoot and buy something that can handle all the gear you want to carry. Keep in mind, the more you pack, the more you have to carry, the heavier the bag will be. I prefer the backpack style. It distributes the weight so it's easier to carry and has a lot of pockets to organize all my gear. Plus you can find them for a pretty reasonable price at many Army surplus stores. You may think this is a lot, and to some it is, but there is much more that can go into a range bag. You want to make sure that you have everything you need or may need. There is nothing wrong with overpacking. In fact, I do it every single time. I see a part two coming in the near future...
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AuthorKeep in mind that I am by no means a gun expert. I have had some safety, handling, and shooting training, but nowhere near the amount I feel is needed to claim the "expert" title. With that being said, I am a man that owns a LOT of firearms, knives, and gear! I have been shooting since I could hold a rifle and have even competed in and won a few competitions. The advice and tips that I give are based on personal experience, but are by no means to be taken as law. Please consult a trained, certified professional for all your firearms needs. Enjoy! Archives
May 2016
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