Category Archives: Gun Fun

Quote of the day–Say Uncle

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I learned more in the last three hours than I have since I’ve been shooting.


Say Uncle
August 22, 2008
Referring to instruction from Todd Jarrett while being taped for Michael Bane’s television show.
[I had told him, several times, that professional instruction would make a big difference. Not that he ever disagreed with me. But it’s nice to hear him confirm what I had been saying. This is not to say that his shooting was particularly bad. Just that you learn a lot from someone who knows what they are doing and how to teach.–Joe]

Para USA/Blackhawk/Blackwater pictures

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You can get a better hour by hour update on my Twitter account but here are some pictures:



Leaving the Norfolk hotel to get on the Blackhawk bus.



This is the Blackhawk bus. It’s very nice inside.



Gun bloggers picking up their holsters, shirts, belts, and other super tactical stuff at Blackhawk headquarters. They have some very cool stuff.



Todd Jarrett doing some classroom stuff.



This is not something you want to see. The muzzle of Todd Jarrett’s gun.



Say Uncle gets his two minutes of fame with Todd Jarrett, Michael Bane, and video crew. Sebastian and I also got a couple minutes with them.



End of the shooting for the day and we walked from the cafeteria to the Blackwater hotel.



Despite us bloggers being no smarter than chimps everyone has been treating us like royalty. This has been an awesome day!

Old age and treachery

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Currently the vote is 81% to 19% for me to win the bet between Caleb and I. That must because they expect the “old age and treachery” cliché to have a grain of truth. I must set the record straight on a few items.


There is no truth to the suspicion I arranged a false positive on the explosive sniffer as he went through TSA security yesterday.


There is no truth to the suspicion I poisoned him this morning so he couldn’t eat.


It is true that I shot him while on the range at Blackwater (splatter from the steel).


Update: Bitter created a logo for the poll on who is going to win the bet:


Quote of the day–Tamara K.

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This is like Disneyland for guns.


Tamera K.
August 22, 2008
While touring Blackwater.
[A few hours later Caleb said, “This is like Disneyland for gun nuts.” I asked if he had heard Tamara say something similar earlier. He had not. I think Sebastian also said something similar while on camera with Michael Bane. It’s really can’t be adequately described in less that 1000 words and/or several dozen pictures. Being less articulate I just say, “Awesome”.–Joe]

I’ll sleep when I’m dead

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Uncle and I talked and he sent the shuttle out to pick me up before I even picked up my luggage in Norfolk. I ran into Kevin Baker before I even checked in. I met up with Sebastian, Rob Allen, Caleb, JR, Uncle, and Kevin in the bar across the parking lot. We talked for an hour or so and Tam showed up. About 11:00 or so Rob was crashing and that broke up the bar party.


Read (almost) everyone’s blog posting of people here on one web page.


Sebastian invited us back to his suite where Uncle, a local guy (a reader of Say Uncle) and I all talked until after 2:00 AM.


The bus leaves for Blackwater at 9:00 AM.

New shooter report

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One of the more interesting things about working at Microsoft is the people I meet from all over the world. My officemate is from India, our PM is from Pakistan, my boss is from Sri Lanka, the new guy is from Australia, and a couple others are from Canada. We work with people in the bay area, China, India, and Dublin.


The guy from Pakistan is forbidden by his Entry Visa from touching weapons or explosives while in the U.S. and has to get “his fix” when he goes back to Pakistan once a year or so. A new member of the team in Dublin is here this week and I took him to the range last night. He had a little bit of experience with shotguns and clay pigeons but had never touched a handgun.


I started him out dry firing my STI then he shot a semi-auto .22LR pistol and then a .22 revolver. After he had gone through a couple hundred rounds I asked if he wanted to try the STI (chambered in .40 S&W). He did. I put just one round in it and he carefully aimed and fired. I could tell by the sounds he made and the expression on his face that it was a bit more than what he expected. I asked if he wanted to try another. There was some hesitation but he agreed. The second round didn’t improve his attitude. He wanted to see me shoot it. I emptied a 16-round magazine in about half that many seconds with a group of about four inches at 15 feet. I did another five rounds at a much slower rate into a group about half that size.


If offered him the chance to shoot again and he chose the .22 semi-auto. We took turns shooting in the lane. I with the .40 and he with the .22. I finished up one box of .40 ammo and purchased another (I had accidentally left my handloads back at my bunker). The second box was a different brand and bullet weight and had a little less recoil. I offered him the .40 again and he fired about three or four rounds before saying he had enough. This is more tolerance for recoil than the previous guy from the U.K. I took to the range about 10 years ago.


I kept thinking there might be an application for the “9mm Europellet”.

On my way

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I’m waiting to board at SEATAC. You can follow my flight progress for the first leg to St. Louis here. The second leg to Norfolk is here.


Tomorrow I’ll be at Blackwater enjoying the company of several other gun bloggers and the hospatilty of Para USA.


I’m really looking forward to settling the bet with Caleb.


Update: I forgot to mention I plan to update Twitter frequently during this trip.

The Works

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The History Channel recently started running a program entitled, “The Works”.  The host, Daniel Wilson, has a PHD in “Robotics”.  I didn’t know you could get a PHD in robotics, thus becoming what, a “roboticist” or a “robotologist”?  I’d have thought you’d need three degrees for that– mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science, but I’m just a layman.  For all I know, there are degree programs for “Vending Machine Technology” too, you know, for those who don’t quite feel up to the work load associated with a major in “Roboticism”.


He did an episode on guns, which was pretty good.  It did however show an image of Superman flying “faster than a speeding bullet”, and as per the cliché, Superman was shown flying right next to a fully assembled, metallic pistol cartridge.  I’m not sure how one is meant to propel an entire cartridge through the air at the velocity of a speeding pistol bullet (which the host correctly described as about a thousand feet per second) but I’m sure that where there’s a will, there’s a way, especially if you have a PHD in robotics.


Anyway, the program was interesting.  Though the host talked down to us a little more than required, IMO, I can forgive him– he’s young.  He obviously had a lot of fun with the various guns too, and wasn’t afraid to show it.


Check out “The Works” on THC if you have the time.  I think you’ll like it.  Oh and;


Congratulations, Dr. Wilson.  Keep up the good works.

Gun Nuts, Para weekend, the bet

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Rob and I had a nice chat with Caleb and Bonnie on Gun Nuts at Blog Talk Radio last night.


We mostly talked about the Para sponsored weekend at Blackwater. But we touched on Boomershoot just a little bit too.


We did talk about the bet between Caleb and I about who is the better shooter and how that bet came about. We didn’t get the stakes of the bet nailed down but that may have been settled today in the comments of his post about our discussion last night. Rob and Bonnie have their own posts about last nights show too.


To answer the question that keeps coming up–the bet came about in the following email thread:



From: Say Uncle
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 6:40 AM
To: Sebastian; Ahab; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com; Joe Huffman
Subject: My dad can beat up your dad


 


http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/07/09/chicks-and-guns-17/#comment-203007


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 9:27 AM
To: Say Uncle; Sebastain; Aha’; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Almost for certain he can.


 


My dad is almost 85 years old and not thinking too clearly anymore.


 


How about between the two of us we see who shoots the best at summer camp? Aren’t you the betting type?


 


J


 


-joe-



From: Say Uncle
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 9:36 AM
To: Joe Huffman
Cc: Sebastian; Ahab; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


I am but I only bet on things in which I have a positive expectation. In this case, I’m guessing I don’t have such an expectation 😉

In fact, due to my recent lack of time at the range, I’ll put me at dead last!


From: Ahab
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 9:54 AM
To: Say Uncle; Joe Huffman; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


I’ll take that bet, joe


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:02 AM
To: ‘Ahab’; ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted @progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Name your terms and I’ll think about it.


 


 


-joe-


 


From: Ahab
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:13 AM
To: Joe Huffman
Cc: Say Uncle; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Six pack of the winner’s favorite beer?  Bottle of the winner’s favorite booze, not to exceed, oh, I don’t know…$30 bucks?


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:51 AM
To: ‘Ahab’
Cc: ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted @progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


The number of beers I have had in my lifetime can be counted on my fingers (base ten, not base two). Beyond that the last drink of alcohol I had was the glass of wine at the NRA convention dinner. That said, because of my sweet tooth there is no such thing as something “too sweet” and I like ice wine.


 


But more important to me is how are we going to determine the winner? And what sort of handicap are you giving me? I’m probably at least 20 years older than you. I’ve had a couple surgeries on my left knee and my right leg and foot is still swollen from the ATV that landed on it at Boomershoot 2008. I’m overweight and my eyes take minutes to change focus from front sight distance to target distance.


 


And what caliber gun did you select? I’m going to shooting a .45. If we do the contest at the end of the weekend after shooting 1500 rounds in the heat and humidity my old muscles, ligaments, and bones will have taken a lot more damage than someone much younger shooting a 9mm.


 


-joe-


 


From: Ahab
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:54 AM
To: Joe Huffman
Cc: Say Uncle; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted @progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


I reckon determining the winner would be kind of challenging, and we would have to handicap because I picked the 9mm.

I don’t know, let’s turn it over to the posse to see if they have any ideas.  Well, everyone except for Robb, because his idea will involve jokes about sausage.


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 11:04 AM
To: ‘Ahab’
Cc: ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted @progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


How about an El Presidente? Score it according to USPSA rules and that would take into account the 9mm versus .45. It would also test a number of different skills including the draw, the reload, accuracy and speed.


 


And you are forgetting the handicap I should get for my age and infirmities. J


 


-joe-


 


From: Ahab
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 11:07 AM
To: Joe Huffman; Say Uncle; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted@progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Yeah, but you’ve been shooting for a lot longer than me.


 


🙂


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:08 PM
To: ‘Ahab’
Cc: ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted@progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Ignoring a 100 rounds or so that I shot when I was living at home on the farm I have been shooting for about 15 years. Is that more than you?


 


Regardless, I might be willing to give up on getting that handicap if you agree to a shooting test that isn’t too taxing on my aging body.


 


So, what are your thoughts on the El Presidente? Or do you just want to wimp out entirely on a contest?


 


 


-joe-


 


From: Ahab
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:10 PM
To: Joe Huffman
Cc: Say Uncle; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted@progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


I would shoot an El Presidente, that sounds good.  I’ve been shooting seriously since I was about 19, so that would give me 7 years, giving you a bit more experience.  Plus it’s been my personal observation that experience and treachery defeat youthful enthusiasm most of the time. 


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:20 PM
To: ‘Ahab’
Cc: ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted@progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Have you ever shot an El Presidente before? There’s not much treachery possible there.


 


-joe-


 


From: Ahab 
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:26 PM
To: Joe Huffman
Cc: Say Uncle; Sebastian; Bitter Bitch; Deleted@progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Fair enough, I’ve only shot one el presidente in my time, so if you’ve shot 10 or 12 that would count under the “treachery” category.  🙂

But no, I am totally game for an El Pres as the deciding factor.


 


From: Sebastian
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:29 PM
To: Ahab
Cc: Joe Huffman; Say Uncle; Bitter Bitch; Deleted@progunprogressive.com
Subject: Re: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Sorry Caleb, but I’d put my money on Joe 😉


 


From: Joe Huffman
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:49 PM
To: ‘Ahab’
Cc: ‘Say Uncle’; Sebastian; ‘Bitter Bitch’; Deleted@progunprogressive.com’
Subject: RE: My dad can beat up your dad


 


Ø  I am totally game for an El Pres as the deciding factor.


 


With all applicable USPSA rules applying (http://www.uspsa.org/rules/2008HandgunRulesindexed.pdf)?


 


-joe-


I can’t find any further email on it but I think it was in comments on some blog post we did agreed to the contest as being the USPSA El Presidente classifier with all USPSA rules applying. The stakes will probably end up being 250 rounds of 180 grain FMJ .40 S&W ammo. That’s higher stakes that I would really think are appropriate but we arrived at that after I suggested a case (typically 1000 rounds) was too much. [shrug] I can handle the pain of losing my first bet in 30 years and if Caleb is okay with taking that risk then I guess that settles it.


Just a couple more items of potential interest:




  1. You will notice Caleb (Ahab) said ” experience and treachery defeat youthful enthusiasm”. Which was a nice way of saying old age and treachery.


  2. Last night on the show I said I accepted the bet mostly because of his attitude. I have never seen him shoot (I have seen Say Uncle shoot and I’m pretty sure I can “take” him). I met Caleb last May and he had a slight attitude that was completely lacking in every shooter that I personal know and I know can beat me. Just a little too cocksure of himself. I explained this last night and in an email after the show he said, “that was the nicest way in which I’ve ever been called an arrogant bastard”. That’s me. Always the diplomat*.



* Diplomat: One skilled in the art of saying “Nice doggy” until he can find the right sized stick.

On the air

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Well, not really “on the air” in the traditional sense.


Tomorrow night Rob Allen and I will be guests on http://blogtalkradio.com/gunnuts hosted by Caleb and Squeaky. The topic will be the Para sponsored training with Todd Jarrett at Blackwater this weekend. Caleb, Robb, and I (along with a bunch of others) will be participating. Caleb also wants to talk about our bet.


Listeners are welcome to call in so in addition to listening you should consider calling to tell me how silly it was of me to accept a shooting bet with someone I have never seen shoot.

Quote of the day–Squeaky Wheel

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Blowing shit up with rifles?  Come ON!  A MESS OF AWESOME AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.  LITERALLY.


Squeaky Wheel
August 17, 2008
I’m certified to build things that can blow other things up.
[It makes me happy to make others happy. Derek seems pretty happy for the same reason. There will be another batch of happy people later, it was just that I sent Squeaky and Derek’s forms in at the same time as my Type 20 (license to manufacture high explosives) renewal. Forms from other people came in later.


I think Boomershoot 2009 is going to make me more happy than usual.–Joe]

Competition versus reality

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Last week Michael Bane put up a post on competition versus real world shooting. This is pretty much “old territory”. It’s sort of like the classic debate between Glock owners and 1911 advocates. Or what is the best cartridge or bullet? I’m pulling some of my previously published data on this rather than contributing much in the way of new material.


In my collection of quotes I have one from Greg Hamilton which is essentially +1 on what Bane says:



As for the “I don’t shoot that kind of game because I don’t want to learn bad tactics” crowd, I think that is an over used excuse by people that can’t win. Shooting IPSC or IDPA won’t make you a bad tactician. Being a bad tactician will make you one! Most of the people that complain about tactics wouldn’t know a tactic if it hit them in the ass.


Tactics are making the most out of the situation with the resources at hand. Every time you “game” a stage you are engaging in tactical thinking. They just might not be the right tactics for a gunfight.


Greg Hamilton
11/11/2001
Insights Training Email List


The following is only partially on target for the topic at hand but it is still worthy of bringing up:



From: Joseph K. Huffman
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 1998 11:21 PM
To: ipsc mailing list
Subject: RE: New target…


[…stuff deleted…]


‘Classic Target’ makes me think of George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and ‘Animal Farm’ books. To me IPSC is about shooting ‘bad guys’. It is about using a gun to defend self, family, and country. If someone were to ask me if IPSC was training people to shoot other people I would reply with an enthusiastic “YES!”. There are some people that need to be shot. And if the time comes that they need to be shot and I’m the one that must do the shooting my speed, accuracy, and power will be some of the critical items in deciding who walks away from the encounter and who leaves on a stretcher. For some government, or some naive group of people with political clout, to claim a moral high ground and demand that I stop practicing shooting at people is ludicrous. Self defense is a right all species on this planet have claimed for all time. For someone to deny me the opportunity to practice it is as alien to me as anything I can imagine. It causes an internal reaction of outrage in me that I find difficult to express accurately. If the world IPSC organization wants to add another target to achieve political advantage in some country or to gain entrance to the Olympics, fine. If necessary, as a first step, shoot with single shot air guns. Do what you have to in those areas where shooting real guns at (somewhat) realistic targets is not viable. But don’t take away the fundamental principles of this ‘game’ from everyone — shooting ‘bad guys’, fast, accurately, and with ‘stopping power’.


-joe-


The point I like to make is, “How many class B and above IPSC shooters have lost a real world gun fight?” As far as I know the answer is zero. IMHO any time you get someone to the range and they put in some “trigger time” shooting fast and accurately they are improving their “real world” gun skills. Show me the data that suggests otherwise and then we can talk more but until then we just have opinions.

Racking up the victories

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With the Heller decision we successfully landed on the beach and are now advancing.


The Apex of the Triangle of Death reports on the latest victory in Morton Grove Illinois where they surrendered without firing a shot.

Gun selection for our mercenary training

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The top ten gun bloggers (it was a rigged election–I know it must be because I won) are going to Blackwater USA next month for some training with Todd Jarrett all sponsored by Para.


We aren’t being trained as mercs but I figure it’s a good story to tell people and I love the shock value.


Para is supplying the guns and has asked each of us what caliber we want. I asked for .40 because that is the pistol caliber I most frequently reload. Sorry, that wasn’t an option. My options were 9mm and .45. I have all the components and equipment for 9mm so I initially asked for that. Then a minute or so later I asked what the capacity on that gun was. It is 9 + 1. Arghh! 9mm and it’s not even a reasonably high capacity? I carry 18 + 1 in my .40! Okay, so if I’m going to be stuck with a low capacity gun I might as well go with the larger caliber. So it’s the .45. It’s a 1911 style gun and I can use it in the Single Stack division (I currently shoot Limited) for USPSA competition.


Now I find out that this isn’t exactly a 1911 style as I think of it. It’s a “Light Double Action” trigger instead of a single action trigger! The 9mm they offered has a single action trigger. Hmmmm… It’s looking like we’re talking the lesser of two evils here.


Okay. I’ll give them chance. I’ll still go with the .45 but this might be putting me at a disadvantage with the bet I have with Caleb. He’s going with the 9mm and he is spending a lot of time practicing.


Uncle is doing a survey to resolve his similar quandary.


Rob is going with the .45.

We have a winner!

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Don Gwinn of The Armed School Teacher has just announced he got the 11th position at the Gun Blogger Summer Camp. Congratulations Don!


I’ll see you in a few weeks.


H/T to Tam (who will also be attending) for the link to Gwinn’s announcement post.

Quote of the day–Caleb of Call Me Ahab

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I have had a tendency in my young life to occasionally run my mouth with abandon (my wife is shaking her head at that); however I have been fortunate in the majority of this situations to be able to back up my mouth with skill or plain old dumb luck.


The more I read Joe’s archives, the more I realize I’m going to need a lot of the latter to win our friendly wager.


Caleb of Call Me Ahab
July 15, 2008
Pride goeth…
[Caleb will be at Gun Blogger Summer Camp with me next month. In a long email thread among some of the bloggers with the subject “My dad can beat up your dad” Caleb ended up challenging me to a bet on our shooting abilities. I can only recall accepting two bets in the last 35 years (I won both). I just don’t bet unless I’m pretty close to certain that I’m going to win. This was the most risky bet I have accepted in the last 35 years. Based on the cards face up on the table I’ve got a better hand but one never knows until all the cards are turned over. That will occur on August 24th.–Joe]

Summer camp

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While some of the gun bloggers are off sweating at a summer camp in the North Carolina heat you should not feel sorry for yourselves. You should go to your own summer camp on the opposite coast during some of those same days (August 23 – 31):



This course will encompass how to patrol, recon, ambush, and raid, and will involve individual and small unit tactics, leadership, planning, operations orders, warning orders, and rehearsals.

One of the ultimate expressions of this was done during the Vietnam War and was know as MACV-RECONDO school . This school was set up by Project Delta (yes, the guys who later founded Delta Force) and then turned over to 5th SFG. This was the basis for LRRP/Ranger type operations in Vietnam. This course will be modeled after that school but with a modern backdrop and modern planning procedures.

There will be instructors from the actual Vietnam Recondo school along with modern experienced Rangers and Special Forces personnel. Outside of the military nothing like this has ever been offered before. Others have done fantasy camps, no one has run the real deal. Most active duty infantrymen never get a chance for this level of training!

This course will be a 24/7 immersion conducted out of a “fire-base” with large military tents and cots, in a training area of more than 800 acres. Food will be provided. The missions will go from very small unit recons, to two-element ambushes, to multi-element raids, with QRF or “hatchet force” operations as well. Basically, 5-6 man to full-class operations. All students will be involved in leadership and planning. This class is not just about tactics-the leadership and planning portions are as important as tactics, as is working as a team. Stress will be induced through the rapid pace: this is a learning tool for leadership and teamwork that cannot be overemphasized.


Do it now before a new administration declares this sort of thing to be a domestic terrorist training camp or some such thing.

Gun nuts pod-cast on Para/Blackwater summer camp

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Caleb and Squeaky will be pod-casting tomorrow night on the summer camp some of us are attending:



Talking about the recently released results of ParaUSA’s blogshoot contest, where 10 bloggers and one lucky reader will get to go to Blackwater’s state of the art training facility in North Carolina for a weekend of shooting with Todd Jarret.


Assuming I’m not on the road (I’ll be traveling back to the Seattle area tomorrow afternoon/evening) I’ll be listening.

I’m going to Gun Blogger Summer Camp

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I just got a call from Kerby Smith from Para USA, Inc. They congratulated me on being one of the top ten bloggers in their contest. Other winners include:



There should be three others as well. I expected Sebastian and Kevin but Sebastian says he hasn’t been notified and Kevin hasn’t posted anything about it the last time I looked.


Michael Bane (Update: with Bitter and Sebastian) will be attending as a video photographer, plus there will be some lucky voter that will attend as well.


In other news, Kerby said they just announced their new tactical rifle and they are opening up shop in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Quote of the day–Kerby Smith

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Dear Joe,


Congratulations, you were one of the top ten bloggers in the Para Gun Bloggers Contest.


Kerby Smith
Email sent Monday, July 07, 2008 12:24 PM
[Whooo hooo!!! I’m going to Virginia to train with Todd Jarrett! Thank you everyone! I really appreciate all the votes.–Joe]