Random Thoughts

From the Desk of John Rourke – August 21st, 2017

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A little bit of a rant….

It’s everyone’s right to have an opinion on everything. Something to consider is whether to express that opinion or not. If you arrived at that opinion due to a complete lack of thought and investigation on your own then maybe just keep it to yourself……

Much of this is from experience on FB and various internet forums I visit.

AR-15 Magazines Plastic versus Metal: Whatever you want to use. Come on folks let’s move on. Polymer magazines made by Lancer and Magpul are PROVEN. Numerous aluminum and steel mags are fantastically reliable – Brownells, D&H, and C-Products to name few. Buy whatever you want and stack it deep!

Tactical Abilities: I’ve never seen so many keyboard warriors profess tactical advice when the extent of their training is pulling triggers and loading magazines. Until you’ve engaged targets under pressure from varying factors such as intense heat, sweat, physical exhaustion, movement, and other conditions don’t act like some kind of Rambo. You’ve put holes in paper – it’s different.

AR Pistols: I have multiple AR Pistols and regardless of what “brace” you have and what the ATF has stated you absolutely can be questioned, AND arrested for said firearm. If the law enforcement who sees that firearm believes it’s illegal then he will arrest and then it will be a massive money pit involving lawyers. Guess what….you will win and you will be out thousands of dollars. Feel better?

Anderson Lowers: Holy crap. The questioning over an inexpensive lower versus an expensive lower. Either they work or they don’t. Anderson Lowers work. Period. Why don’t these same questions come up with uppers? Hmmmm…..

7.5″ AR pistols: While incredibly cool and compact the concussion is ridiculous and not conducive to combat effectiveness UNLESS something is done to reduce the concussion.

Nothing but Glock: The Glock line of firearms have proven to be a fantastic sidearm. There should be no dispute. However…..the notion that every other pistol is inferior to Glock is ridiculous. Get what you like and STACK IT DEEP!

Politics Have Nothing to Do With Preparedness: BS!!!!. The preparedness movement received a huge boost in 2008 and 2012 due to politics. Anyone who has a concern with economic collapse or EMP should be well versed in current events related to politics.

If You Haven’t Served: I have the up most respect for all that have served in the military. There are those who have served who very much take a “higher than thou” attitude and speak with a level above us mere mortals. With all due respect be my fellow American Patriot not my superior.

Enough for tonight.

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Hope everyone has a great week!!!

 

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18 Comments

  1. rcoh says:

    Well said JR! All good points! At my age I like too keep it simple. These younger ones seem to have a lot of opinions which is good but it isn’t all that difficult to have all the above and use common sense in doing so. Remember keep it KISS.

    Reply
  2. yooper says:

    Don`t pay any attention to people who think they are better than you because they served in the military. their not. The only thing different is they had combat training.

    Reply
  3. 3rdMan says:

    Plenty of Iraqi and Afghan war veterans out there who have zero combat experience. Anyone who serves should be honor including first responders who are out there everyday even in peacetime, but remember you’re a public servant. That means you have chosen to serve others not to be served!!!! Someone’s inability to service doesn’t mean they love this country any less. On the flip side, because someone serves doesn’t mean they’re serving for love of country. Too many only signed that dotted line for the promise of a free education!!!!!

    Reply
  5. Capt.Michaels says:

    Interesting. Seems like it is more of pro’s vs con’s vs preference issue. instead of people trying to come at you or what not. Some things are pretty much a sure bet. Like for example…the Yugo. What a big piece of junk and anyone going to argue they are good. Pffft, okay the person saying that can own that lie.

    Other things, there are some pretty standard basics that like minded group of people will agree on, but differ on preferences. For example, AK47 vs the AR15. The AK-47 is a lot more accurate than people make out to be and I have the targets at 200 yards to prove it. However….the AK47 is in No way as accurate, smooth, and/or as sexy as an AR15. It’s just the way it is. The AK47 in response has far more penetrating power and reliability than an AR15 over-all.

    Just like you said..sometimes these keyboard commandos come at a person. Some people are so passionate about what they believe in. Intentionally or unintentionally want to convince you their point is valid or correct. As long as the respect is there re-direct to a new topic and move on. You know. Or is it, catch and release? No, it’s catch, tie, and shoot? No, catch, beat them to a pulp, and then release. Yeah, that will work 😉

    Reply
    1. Capt.Michaels says:

      Just reviewed my entry and realized there is a gun nicknamed the Yugo..Doh!. I was talking about the Yugo, Car that came out in the 80’s. Oopps. My bad.

      Reply
      1. goingray58 says:

        The Yugo gun owners association will be offended! Whatever will we do ?
        They may picket the white house .. all 3 of them.

        Reply
  6. goingray58 says:

    Me and everyone around either benefit or pay for my ability or inability. The arms and preps in general .. same thing. My shortcomings or superior preps either cost of benefit my group, or whomever can take it .. I am normally someone who can state my thoughts without too much “passion”. Many people MUST be right and if you differ.. they have to push it and make it adversarial. Which, gun, which lower, which bag, yada yada.. No tolerance for it. I enjoy other opinions, it’s how I learn, I consider and see what if any of it fits.. Grocery store approach .. don’t like pickles ? leave em on th eshelf.

    I thank everyone that serves .. some serve in the US Military.. Others serve in different capacities and are less obvious. I appreciate everyone that gives to others of our country, rather than users who expect they deserve our largess just because they are here. Our military brothers and sisters are special.. “Thank you for your service” .. Please continue to honor your oaths, we still need you and always will.

    well JR I will have in the next few days a 7.5 but with a KAK Industries can for muzzle blast redirection. I am anxious to see if it does redirect it enough. And whether it actually has more of an advantage for umm storage.
    GG58

    Reply
  7. goingray58 says:

    I forgot to mention .. we had a small group in the humid SouthEast .. Heat Index over 100. We had two two hour sessions.. I was nearly worthless at the end of the first. (keep in mind I trail regularly in and out of the gym). The fact that I am in way better shape than most of my peers means exactly ZIP! in the field.
    The second session I actually went Tango Uniform and had to lay down .. BP 90/50 and pulse 86. FYI .. that aint good. (98/56 5 hours later after much hydration.).
    Two things (hydration and calories) .. dieting is good .. but if you are going to be functional there is no substitute for massive hydration and having enough calories on board to support the work.
    Age and medications can really get in the way of HARD labor.. I’m not all THAT old .. but I’m not 25 either.. It woudl be best for everyone to go out every so often and experience that (not to the point of passing out)… “man’s gotta know his limitations” — Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood). And no I did not forget women .. it just isn’t part of the quote… same same ..
    Anyway it woudl be better to find out the inconvenient facts. before you need to know them. IMO of course.
    GG58

    Reply
  8. joyce says:

    Am appreciating the comments all…like GG58 said, “take what you want…leave the pickles (if you don’t prefer) on the shelf.” Much like shopping for sure, it is WONDERFUL to have a choice/selection! (i happen to be CRAZY for pickles 🙂 )

    Have just finished our viewing of the eclipse here in the Midwest. Mother nature crashed/trashed her own party with mostly cloudy skys though. Have always been a science junkie which can be helpful when making assessments of anything. Don’t know how many more i will be blessed to see and ponder in person at my age…time definitely WILL tell. Which, brings to mind what GG58 mentioned, namely that the choices i make will/might not benefit those i prepare for. It really does make one consider with a broader scope of thought what one chooses/does.

    We, DH and myself, had not given much consideration to preparing for viewing the eclipse. IT DIDN’T SEEM IMPORTANT TO US…you know, just living life is busy enough. Our son, with a family, however, thought to plan months ago so it would be a memorable last outing of the summer before school started. He invited his siblings and their families, his parents (us) and in-laws to join in on a trek south a few hundred miles to make a weekend of it together. He found a good destination, (lodging) purchased good viewing glasses for all and laid the plan out in an invitation sent to everyone. Of three siblings and the two parental units, only one sibling/family joined in the event. There were as many reasons to not join in as parties opting out, some pretty strong reasons. (One out of five….is this close to the positive response we experience to our invitation to others to prepare for possible crisis? Actually, it is probably a lower percentage for preparing. )So….the week before the eclipse arrives and NOW, glasses are pretty much sold out across the nation, FORGET lodging!…fabulous son that he is, he delivered some of the glasses to one sibling (not going) who lives an hour away from his location….who THEN passed a couple pairs on to her parents (us) when we were over her way after delivery, she’s an hour away from us. But, the four families that had not prepared now realize that the event will be experienced differently than they might have since we all made the choice to NOT prepare. Oh, and one of OUR two pairs of glasses were shared with the family next door today when we found they had none. (As the event continued, we saw THEY had gotten the word out THEY had a pair of viewing glasses so now even MORE people were at the neighbor’s benefiting from one person’s preparing for said event. ONE is none, two is one takes on a whole new look when considered in this light….prep like you mean it indeed.

    This truly is the long way around to a different view of what we are trying to do to prepare, I know. Please realize what we are EXPECTING/assuming will happen is probably not what we will experience…just too many variables for ME to nail down. So i say again- i AM SO GRATEFUL for everyone’s input in this community. If you think what you have to say is probably not essential, reconsider and DO join the conversation here, it is possibly a perspective no one else sees.

    Onward…stop to rest but don’t quit….

    Reply
  10. Fred C says:

    GG58 mentioned heat and the ability to survive in it so thought I would share my recent experience. Spent a couple of days at my BO land in the heat doing physical things and turned into a ball of sweat. I did hydrate (a lot) and did not suffer the same problems as GG58 but it did get me to thinking what it would be like during a SHTF situation where there was no air conditioning. It would be miserable. Wish I could afford SOLAR but can’t so trying to come up with other things. Sleeping in the heat is a problem for me, not sure how to overcome that. There is a small creek so staying around it in the shade would help at least. Heat is definitely a factor here in the south.

    Reply
    1. goingray58 says:

      Figured out my issue as it was so far beneath my threshold last summer.. waring medications.. with me being the loser. That I can resolve I think. we’ll see.
      Yeah on the heat thing .. I probably WILL be able to accomplish Solar soon.. and maybe that will help.

      But you know we had this heat back in the day when I was a kid my grandfather in his 60’s worked through it. My wife’s folks didn’t have AC even when I was in my 20s. So maybe we can take a page from the depression years, and the old timers..
      They of course were conditioned to the heat over years ..
      Part of the conditioning is getting out in it in the spring like a farmer woudl do and gradually building up a tolerance as the weather warms.
      The other part a farmer does is works around the weather.. active work was done early and late when hot, and midday when cold. less active work woudl be on off times and night.. All in all they were just closer to the land and weather conditions. I should not that they reveled in the First AirConditioner they could afford.. as well as heaters that were not a stove in the kitchen. (in the early part of the mid 1900’s they burned down a house with one of those. My grandfather carried the scars of getting his kids out all his life. For which I am thankful since my mother was one of them.)
      As many have said.. there is nothing wrong with modern convenience that lets you do more faster IMO .. as long as it is not your only option and you work the other side (the old ways too).

      I rented a home in Atlanta that had NO AC and the old ways heat.. You will get tired enough to sleep in sweat.. it just will not be fun and you will not be rested well until fall again.. and I did NOT like getting up in real cold temps to get heat going .. however id did make me realize the benefit and weakness of AC “conditioning” .. I almost couldn’t walk in an office with AC .. it was too cold once I was conditioned to heat. Same in the winter with heat..
      I am much less tolerant now that i am 30 years older though .. I plan to push this a little and see what my limitations are for planning and maybe toughen up a bit.

      just some thoughts.. and rambling
      GG58

      Reply

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