Vol. 2, No. 1         1 January 1994

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The bright spot of `93 was our great Gunsite Reunion honoring Theodore Roosevelt's birthday at the Whittington Center in New Mexico. We already have plans for the next event in `94 and we hope that this will be the beginning of a great tradition.

It seems to be a principle of our modern industrial society to cease producing anything good as soon as it is discovered to be good. This may be the result of a general philosophy in sales to cause the consumer to grab whatever it is he likes at once before it is taken off the market. I can think of a dozen examples in the firearms field, and scores more throughout industry in general.

"If it is good, get it now. It won't be here tomorrow!"

"It turns out that the reflexive facilitation inhibition patterns of gait involve the muscles of the shoulder girdle and upper extremities as well as those of the lower, and that the precision with which one may use his muscles specific for stability, trigger and recoil control is position dependent."

"Big Brother is now here - and look, he is retarded!"

"Because the state can no longer protect us from crime, it wants to take away from us the means of protecting ourselves. This is the logic of gun control."

"In short, we - or our rulers, at any rate - now make law lawlessly. Bill Clinton wants to license all handguns in the United States. He affects not to know that the Second Amendment forbids the federal government to infringe our right to keep and bear arms. He doesn't ask, because he doesn't care, where the federal government gets the lawful power to require the licensing of guns. He thinks it has the actual political power to do it, and for him that is all that counts."

"So law-abiding citizens are left at a disadvantage - caught between a criminal class that disdains the law and a ruling class that disdains the Constitution."

"If you want to learn a trade, join the Army.
If you want a clean bunk every night, join the Navy.
If you want to fly, join the Air Force.
If you want to fight, join the Marines."

An increment may be termed inconsequential when it has no significant relationship to the purpose of the exercise. Of course if the purpose of the exercise is in itself inconsequential some may not think this to be foolish. A very distinguished general at Quantico once caused the sign to be placed over the exit door of every office asking, in brilliant scarlet and gold, "What are you trying to do?" There was a man who knew more about human nature than most.

His choice is therefore between the 30-06 220 and the 350 250 ("Fireplug.") Either will do very well in the hands of a master marksman, so there is really very little to discuss. However, if Larry scores in Africa with his Fireplug he will then rate a Fireplug pin with a blood-red center. On the other hand, if he scores with the 30-06, he will be in a position to promote conspicuous international amity by leaving his ammunition behind. Fireplug ammunition is useless in Africa, since there are no weapons there to take it, but that is certainly not true of 30-06, which has been world-standard since before I was born.

In either case Larry will rate the brassard of the Gunsite African Rifles, which really dresses up one's uniform.

"That circus in D.C. would be funny if it didn't hurt so much."

Maggie Sullivan

"When a rabbit raised in a zoo is suddenly kicked out into the wild, it is likely to be eaten."

His outfitter handed him a 375. Now this cartridge may be world standard and certainly has killed innumerable buffalo, but it is not a proper buffalo gun.

Mike's first shot was perfectly placed in the shoulder, but as is not uncommon, the buff took no notice of it and disappeared into thick thorn. Mike then proceeded to short-stroke his rifle and jam it up tight. The PH immediately swapped the jammed 375 for his 458. With the second shot the buff went down and the hunter proceeded to short-stroke that one. The buff then got up and Mike shot him twice more with the 375, concluding the action. The range was about 12 paces and both hunters well and truly had blood on their shoes.

Now this was very exciting, and turned out well, but it makes two points. One, work that bolt, in front of your televisor, for at least a month before you take off. And two, use enough gun for buffalo.

To complete his adventure, Mike went up to Vic Falls where he had a run-in with a bunch of baboons. The ape chieftain, feeling his band threatened by a man without a gun, started throwing rocks. I have always been under the impression that while apes can throw things, they cannot throw them accurately since their brains are not arranged that way. In this case, however, Mike said that a couple of rocks about the size of softballs flew by close aboard. Mike happened to be wearing a sheath knife, and when he drew it, it seemed to get the attention of the ape. He threatened with his teeth, but chose not to close to hand-to-hand distance.

I do not recount this to embarrass good old Mike, but only to point out that there are things to be learned about the African bush even today in the Age of the Wimp

"Let each man get what he deserves."

Brad Ackman

Vol. 2, No. 2         31 January 1994

Shot Show Issue

I was able to discuss certain revisions in the presentation of "Cooper's Corner" in Guns & Ammo magazine with the new editor, Kevin Steele, and can look forward to broader coverage in the magazine, beginning with the May issue. I was able to talk at some length with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch and to arrange for various rifle qualifications at his facility prior to the Babamkulu expedition to Africa in May. I talked with the people from Brno about new production. It is possible that we may be getting something interesting from them in due course. Naturally I talked with Steyr-Mannlicher, but without notable success, on the prospects of the production Scout Rifle. I was able to foster a few plans with Jean-Pierre Denis, President of IPSC, and with the range officials at Prague concerning the forthcoming practical rifle conference to be held there in June. As you doubtless know, there are serious complications about the conduct of practical rifle competition on an international scale. We profoundly hope that they may be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

In addition to this sort of thing, we were able to look at a greater than usual number of new products of interest.

The tracer was very interesting, using as it does a thin axial cylinder of illumination material, rather than a chunk in the base as is now customary. This ammunition is now available in 38 Special and 9mm P and is intended primarily for police training. I am not sure that I understand its advantages in this activity, but I am willing to be convinced.

The new chronograph shows much promise, and I have ordered one for my own use since I no longer have access to the Gunsite materiel I acquired during my ownership.

The Light Magnum rifle ammunition purports to obtain significant velocity increases with no increase in pressure. Here again I remain to be convinced, and I will certainly run tests as soon as I receive both the ammunition and the chronograph. The claim is that this loading system will turn the 30-06 into a 300 Magnum, and the 308 into a 30-06. This sounds like something for nothing, but modern science is indeed wonderful.

Personally, I see no need to upgrade the power of the 30-06 by increasing its speed. I have long held that if you want more power than is available in the 30-06, you do not want more velocity, you want more bullet. Three cartridges that might really use additional velocity are the 308, the 350 RM, and the 458, since each of these is hampered by a case capacity too small for optimum ballistics. (John Gannaway can indeed achieve full velocity in the 350 RM, but only by loading up to the point where the cases are not re-usable.)

It has never been clear to me why increased magazine capacity in a defensive pistol is particularly choice. The bigger the magazine the bigger the gun, and the bigger the gun the harder it is to get hold of for people with small hands. And what, pray, does one need all those rounds for? How many lethal antagonists do you think you are going to be able to handle? Once when Bruce Nelson was asked by a suspect if the thirteen-round magazine in the P35 was not a big advantage, Bruce's answer was, "Well, yes, if you plan to miss a lot." The highest score I know of at this time achieved by one man against a group of armed adversaries was recorded in (of all places) the Ivory Coast! There, some years ago, a graduate student of mine laid out five goblins, with four dead and one totaled for the hospital. Of course there is the episode of Alvin York and his eight, but there is some dispute about that tale. (If you read it over very carefully you will see what I mean.) Be that as it may, I see no real need for a double column magazine. It is all the rage, of course, and like dual air bags, it is a popular current sales gimmick.

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do children of humans as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

Helen Keller, via Chuck Lyford

In all Blaser models the telescope is mounted on the barrel, which would lend itself well to Scoutscope system if the necessary ingredients were fabricated - which will not be for the present.

More dramatic than the straight-pull action, from the utilitarian standpoint, is a radical trigger release which I do not fully understand now, but which I will when my personal 93 arrives in April. This trigger employs the action of a vertical pedestal and is claimed to require no adjustment or tuning whatever. The release on the demonstration gun was superb, and that is something very rare in the industry today.

The R-93 is handicapped slightly by a small magazine capacity of three rounds. Current rifle magazines resemble the fuel tanks of current automobiles. Downsize, they do not hold enough. It is true that I have never shot a bolt-action rifle dry in action, but then I have never had occasion to use a life jacket either. The difference in the utility of high capacity magazines in rifles and pistols is the result of the different concept of the purpose of the weapon.

The Blaser R-93 is not a Scout rifle, but it is a fascinating technical forward step. Who knows what the future may bring?

Now, however, I must get serious. Regarding the example of Sir Richard Burton, who promised "The Book of the Sword" and then died before he got to the last two volumes, I cannot let that happen.

From John B. Hubbard of Bangor, Maine

"By my troth I care not. Man owes God a death, and come what way it will, he that dies this day is quit for the next."

"Consensus is the negation of leadership."

Margaret Thatcher, via Eric S.H. Ching

I have long preached that one should never be caught short in his personal armament, either in regard to the weapons or the ammunition. Keep up your supply, and do not neglect the 22 rimfire, which may well turn into the "ballistic wampum" I have spoken of the past.

If you have any loading equipment, stock primers, which may constitute the weakest link in the chain.

"The entire modern deification of survival, per se, survival returning to its self, survival naked and abstract with the denial of any subsequent excellence in what survives except the capacity for more survival still, is surely the strangest intellectual stopping place ever proposed by one man to another."

William James, via Roy Traband

Vol. 2, No. 3         1 March 1994

Ides of March

Indian Country, 1994

Moral: Always carry a flashlight in Indian country.

Reno: "I come from a community where I was born and raised."

Napolitano: "With both my hands I want to jump into this program with both feet."

A youth commenting upon the way to prevent gang violence: "Teach them education."

Anyone who takes the trouble to investigate the matter will find out that in a cultural sense big game hunting has always been considered a high-brow activity. Hunting, rather than horse racing, is in truth "The Sport of Kings." We cannot, of course, expect the media to understand that.

Such items are available from Rossi and Baikal, though you may have to hunt around for them at gun shows. Usually they are very reasonable in price.

Via Christina Scott in "A Historian and His World"

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

"An armed gunman who tried to hold up tourists at gunpoint was beaten to death by his intended victims. It was the third lynching of a mugger in one week in Brazil."

"An unarmed citizenry is a top priority on the liberal agenda. The Brady Bill is just the first step."

Walter Williams, in Conservative Chronicle

"The board reached a conclusion that the only safeguard at close encounters is a well-directed rapid fire from nothing less than a 45-caliber weapon."

Thompson LeGarde Study, Department of the Army Ordnance Board

"What Clinton and his kind want to develop is a population which sees itself as a victim of violent crime, economic injustice, racial and sexual prejudice, and helpless to correct these wrongs without government assistance. People who see themselves as victims look to rescuers, look to those who will help, for a victim is one who is demonstrably incapable of doing things for himself. He wouldn't be a victim otherwise. And under no circumstances must a victim take action on his own to remedy the evil he suffers from. Never. He should call the government to help."

via Howard McCord in "The Coming Civil War in America."

Vol. 2, No. 4         22 March 1994

April Fool, 1994

Well, so be it. It was my blunder, and now I pay the price, along with my friends and followers. I have not entirely "plowed the sea," however. There are those who know, and they will continue to preach the word.

Note this from the Sixteenth American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, Section 177:

"The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, though having formed in nature of law, is in reality no law, but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose, since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment and not merely from the date of decision so branding it. An unconstitutional law in legal contemplation is as inoperative as if it had never been passed. Such a statute leaves the question that it purports to settle just as it would be had the statute not been enacted."

"Since an unconstitutional law is void, the general principles follow that it imposes no duties, confers no rights, creates no office, bestows no power or authority on anyone, affords no protection and justifies no acts performed under it."

"No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law and no courts are bound to enforce it."

The Guru

It is undignified to whimper. It is more undignified to whimper in print. And it is especially undignified to whimper in print when you are wrong. It is, of course, too much to expect dignified behavior in this age of sleaze.

Incidentally, Dr. David Kahn, inventor of the Keneyathlon, informs us that the Greek word for scout is proskopos - the one who looks before. Perhaps we should nickname the Scout rifle a "periscope."

The M99 Savage, like the M94 Winchester, is a tribute to American ingenuity and stands as a very superior, if unappreciated, sporting rifle. It was marketed over such a long period that variations in quality control and even design have made it inconsistent. The first thing to consider when acquiring a Model 99 is its trigger action, which is not always good, but the 99 with a good trigger is a gem. A friend of mine, who was left-handed, acquired one of these when we were at Stanford together. After I set it up for him with proper sights, loop sling, and a good trigger, I was most reluctant to give it back to him. On the range it shot up a storm, and I would like to think that it went on to a long and distinguished career as a venison fetcher.

I counseled the huntress to be happy with her M99 and to invite her two brothers over for dinner when she put her first venison on the table. I also pointed out that an excellent way to serve venison, if you are not familiar with cooking processes, is in fondue bourguinonne. (And I told her I would pay for the wine.)

"Under the administration of [Cecil] Rhodes there were the fewest laws, the widest freedom, the least crime, and the truest justice I have ever seen in any part of the world."

Howie was a great man, who served his country with distinction throughout two wars. He was also a distinguished pistol shot and a theoretician of marksmanship.

We now learn with deep sorrow of his death in February of this year. He was a good comrade. May he rest in peace!

"Country dwellers would not mind the withdrawal of policing from the countryside nearly so much if it were not also deliberate police policy to leave households unarmed and defenseless against criminals."

"The small town of Rothbury, in Northumberland, which was terrorized for the best part of three hours this week by five ruffians armed with crowbars, may feel annoyed that its police station is open only from nine to five on weekdays. This would not matter if law-breakers were like the rest of us, but criminals are so disrespectful of British habits that they are prepared to commit their burglaries out of office hours and without charging overtime."

"The villains spent two hours removing a post office safe while residents watched in terror. In America, of course, there would have been a short fusillade and all five thieves would be riddled with bullets, as every window in town bristled with sophisticated automatic weapons, not to mention the occasional bazooka."

"We do not wish to be too slavish in our imitation of this fine American culture, but it would be foolish to suppose we have nothing to learn from it. As we get poorer and less able to pay the huge demands of a police force which appears to have the country over a gun barrel, the least the Government can do is allow us to defend ourselves . ."

Auberon Waugh

Apparently the only thing that keeps the cops alive today is the fact that the crooks cannot shoot either. A horrible example of that sort of thing was revealed not long ago here in Arizona, where a particularly bad guy chose to get out of his car and shoot it out with the cops. The cops - and there were a lot of them - returned his fire with enthusiasm, if not precision. The whole episode was caught on someone's camcorder, and though it turned out all right in the end, the only one who was not embarrassed was the felon, because he was dead. He was hit seven times for thirty-three tries, as I hear it, at the range of a few paces.

We must note that these horrible examples are the ones that make it to the press. There must be plenty of cases where weapons are handled correctly, but they do not seem to make the news.

One reason why this matter of poor triggers is not as well appreciated as it might be is our preoccupation with the shooting bench, where a good trigger action is not nearly as important as it is in the field. The more stable the firing position is, the less the trigger matters, and most of our group-testing is done from the bench, which is the most stable position we can get. As the stability of the shooting position decreases, the delicacy of the trigger action becomes more important. It is less important, for example, from the prone position than it is on the snap shot. The "hitability" of a given rifle should always be tested in a field trial, to which few people have access. Thus we are stuck in most modern production with rifles that have many good features, but lack the most important one. (The exceptions to this general rule are Mauser, Mannlicher, and Blaser. Possibly these people are simply not as scared of law suits as the others.)

A good trigger should be light about 40 oz. will do nicely - but more important than weight is an imperceptible let-off. The surprise break of the rifleman must indeed sunrise him, and thus he must not be able to detect any movement at all in the trigger when it releases the striker. Such a trigger should come with the gun over the counter, but with few exceptions it does not, though it did at one time. I have a Model 70 Winchester (dating from 1937!) and its trigger, though never touched by a gunsmith, is perfect. Do not look for any such thing, however, on any of its descendants being produced today.

"As for myself, I have not achieved 'ace' yet in spite of taking every possible step in that quest (good things come to those who wait!). I did have the opportunity to study CQB and hostage rescue tactics with the Force Recon at Camp Pendleton. I was very impressed with their professionalism and skills. When we realized that most of us had been to Gunsite, the conversation stopped abruptly. Then one of the Marines carefully asked, 'Orange Gunsite or Grey Gunsite?' I've never been one to mince words. I proudly proclaimed, 'Orange Gunsite of course. Only a Democrat would want to learn shooting from a pill peddler!' This was met by cheers and laughter and the jovial conversation continued on course. I imagine that if I'd said 'grey', I'd have had to shoot my way out of there."

The essential difference is that the pistol is designed to solve totally unexpected problems, whereas the rifle is taken in hand when the problem is foreseeable. Thus instant readiness is the primary quality of the pistol. As has been well said, "You cannot make an appointment for an emergency." When you know there is going to be an emergency, you pick up your rifle. Now there are all sorts of curious circumstances which may pose specific exceptions to the foregoing principles, but the fact remains that the two instruments fill different tactical niches, and training and practice should be based upon that concept.

"Congratulations on your elevation to public enemy by the 'Physicians for a Violence-Free Society'! Despite my best efforts to annoy the liberals I fear I am not destined to achieve such prominence. Interesting how the name of this group instantly identified it as liberal, with its characteristically utopian aspirations. Why not stick with what they know, and form a 'Physicians for an Illness-Free Society'? They could have sub-chapters such as 'Psychiatrists for an Anxiety-Free Society'. If we wish to address violence, it makes more sense to have a 'Gun Owners for a Violence-Free Society' or we could associate ourselves with the 'Clear Thinkers for an Inanity-Free Society'."

"Now we are entering the opening engagements of a great civil war, testing whether this nation, or any nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that free men bear arms, can long endure."

Vol. 2, No. 5         May 1994

Maytime, 1994

Act on this at once. If you have not got a 1911, get one. If you have not got an 03, get one. If you have not got an Ml, get one. (If you can possibly afford it, get two.)

Much as we enjoy handling all sorts of firearms, we try to examine them with some sort of reference to their essential usefulness. I have not yet wrung out the Korth, and while I am willing to admit that it is probably a beautiful piece of ordnance, I am not sure of its "tactical niche." It doubtless shoots very well indeed, but then so does the Smith, Colt or Ruger. For those who enjoy "conspicuous consumption for prestige" it has a distinct appeal, but as far as I can tell, the shooters who go for this sort of thing are almost entirely shotgunners. Long observation suggests that shotgunners tend to be rich, whereas riflemen tend to be broke, and pistoleros tend to be more like riflemen than shotgunners.

There are plenty of people who will buy cars for no reason other than that they are expensive. This is true of shotguns as well. It may also be true of clothing in certain circles. Whether it is true of pistols is a matter to be explored. I have not yet held a Korth in my hand nor fired it. Possibly the chance will come in Europe this summer.

I hope to be appearing with some regularity at Thunder Ranch, teaching both rifle and pistol classes. That Texas hill country is a nice part of the world, and there are interesting things down there in addition to the school. For example I would like to line up a nilgai for next winter.

"Battle is the sensation of life. A human being is never so alive as he is in combat. He may feel terror or he may not, but the prospect of losing his life makes it surge and flare within him. At no other time do his senses more acutely perceive the world. At no other time does his nerve fire with such spark. Never again will he weld as tight an emotional bond to others around him."

Philip Edwards, in SOF Magazine

In the larger sense, however, the personal ownership of firearms is only secondarily a matter of defense against the criminal. Note the following from Thomas Jefferson:

"The strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny of government."

When I make observations of this sort about new equipment, I am accused of Ludditeism, a generally fuddyduddy tendency to disdain the new and stick by the old. I admit being conservative in matters of weaponry, but I resent being packed into a package, in view of all the innovations which I have personally created. I might accuse the people who refuse to produce a production scout or a really good telescope sight of fuddyduddyism, but I won't. Ideas and innovations should be examined on their individual merit and not on their current fashion.

"We act as if comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to be happy is something to be enthusiastic about."

"Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist."

Edmund Burke

"Customer at a one-person Brisbane suburban post office last week passed a note over the counter demanding the contents of the cash drawer. Quick thinking postie said she'd just banked the day's takings and the drawer was empty. Bloke grumbled a bit, but said that while he was there he might as well pay his telephone account, which he did, handing over his bill and the cash. Cops say their job is made so much easier when a crook leaves his name and address at the scene of the crime."

"I don't know about you, but if you hear that Williams' guns have been taken, you will know that Williams is dead."

"Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth at once. In late December `93, the Federal Gov't approved the massive (approaching $100M) sale of U.S. made "pump" shotguns and shells to Russia. Almost simultaneously, the Treasury Sec. announced domestic gun control restrictions on three types of semi-automatic shotguns. Could the good Sec. please explain why one is less dangerous than the other?"

"Commerce justifies the exports to Russia by saying they are for home defense and hunting. Whoops . . . Seems like the Russian gov't isn't doing too well lately in providing food and protection for its citizens. And now, of all things, the common Russian wants to be able to feed his family and personally protect them from criminals. Sounds like a standard anti-gun control defense to me! Alive & well in Russia of all places."

"Oh well. . . we should be used to this type of inconsistent behavior from Washington. All this from a gov't that attempts (among other things) to tax cigarette sales to pay for socialized health care and ban smoking in public places while simultaneously subsidizing the growers of tobacco."

Vol. 2, No. 6         25 April 1994

Maytime Supplement

"Don't bury your guns, shoot them!"

"If Vince Foster had had a gun he would be alive today."

Secondly, the manufacturers make a big issue of width of field, which, considering the various increments involved, is a trivial consideration. When the telescope is used properly, the left eye picks up the target while the right eye picks up the reticle. One does not need a wide field as long as the vision is clear at the center.

Furthermore, the manufacturers do not seem to realize that the big problems with telescope sights are fragility and dishonesty. A telescope sight is fragile if it breaks, and it does. It is dishonest when it does not make the adjustments indicated on the dials. It is infuriating to apply a left hand correction and wind up with a change in elevation. It is infuriating to apply a six-inch correction and wind up with 12 inches. The way to avoid this is to make a telescope with no moving parts whatsoever, but the makers insist that such an instrument would never sell - and sales, rather than excellence, are what the manufacturer must place foremost.

I am taking a Schmidt & Bender telescope to Africa - a very expensive instrument. I cannot properly evaluate its structural strength, but I can attest its honesty. We will see.

[Note: This error was corrected in the internet version - Barry.]

It turns out that this gunny had married happily (he thought) and became the proud father of two children, whereupon his wife left him - on the grounds that as a sniper he had become "a killer." We have not heard the girl's story - perhaps something else was involved - but it is impossible to believe that any woman would not understand that a Marine is essentially a killing machine, and he was a Marine when she married him. Apparently this girl was so completely ignorant that she had never heard of Joshua or David or Julius Caesar or Hannibal or King Arthur - to say nothing of George Washington, Mad Anthony Wayne, Sam Houston, Stonewall Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Douglas MacArthur or George Patton. She had no conception of what an honor it was to be the wife of a hero. If she is truly that ignorant, it is just as well that she left him. He is better off without her.

"We have tried to reward overall self-sensitive and self-controlled performance with a sportsman's trophy. To sophisticated folk's way of thinking, this prize, given to the entrant who best used his equipment and best exercised his judgment, is the most important categorical award of all. That riflist may not have a notably high score, but he will see everything, he will shoot at nothing he should not, and he will not miss. That riflist is truly a hunter in the greatest sense."

Dr. David N. Kahn, speaking of the Keneyathlon

One of these events occurred to a bear hunter, who advanced upon a bear that he thought was dead, but which rolled over with its last breath and caught the hunter back-handed across the face, breaking his nose. This man was horrified. He swore he would never hunt again and sold his rifle at ten cents on the dollar to his partner.

In the other instance the hunter socked a lion pretty well in the center of the shoulder with his 375 whereupon it turned and ran right up the gun. In working the bolt he flipped that three-position safety to mid-point, failed to get a round off, and was saved by his PH at arm's length. He, too, was horrified to find that dangerous game is dangerous.

Now what do you suppose we have here? The whole point of hunting dangerous game is that the beast may jolly well kill you if you do not conduct yourself properly. That is the idea. The hunting of dangerous game is rarely as hard on the constitution of the hunter as the hunting of mountain sheep, but that is its charm for those of us who are no longer in Olympic condition. Only those in peak athletic condition may know of the joys of hunting the crags, but those of us who may be past our physical prime can still know the thrill of tangling with something deadly at short range. I find it difficult to believe that there are people who do not know that, but there are a lot of things I find it difficult to believe.

When one raises the issue of the free status of Lon Horiuchi, the murderer of Vickie Weaver, the surprisingly common answer is, "Nothing can be done to him because he is a federal agent!" So now, in their own eyes, federal agents are above the law. Several periodicals have pointed out recently that we are on our way to a police state. From this point it appears we have already arrived.

Here in Arizona recently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (properly termed a rogue organization in various periodicals) called a meeting of senior state law enforcement officials for the purpose of instructing them in their duties and responsibilities toward Big Brother. They presented a twenty-two page letter informing the local police as to how they were to act as servants of the feds in the performance of their duties. Having done that, they walked out of the meeting, not waiting around to listen to any questions about what right they had to give orders to local law enforcement. This, of course, did not sit well with the local people, and it does cast a shadow of what may be coming down the road. The schism between federal and local law enforcement may, if worse comes to worst, be the hope of the republic.

Vol. 2, No. 7         3 June 1994

The Golden Joys, 1994

This is not to say that one cannot do another African adventure, but only that one cannot step into the same river twice, and what one builds up in his memories may possibly never be approached again.

Most members of our gang kept a journal, and I will be enchanted to read as many of them as I can see, since what impresses "A" does not necessarily impress "B." Atop my own recollections, for example, stand the little kIipspringer "Bokkie" who delighted in head-banging with the guests, the baby rhino who wanted to adopt us, the platoon of wild dogs enjoying the comfort of the day-warmed asphalt with no fear of man, the mamba heaving one-third of himself erect as he went to Condition Red, the stately beauty of the mighty kudu, the quite unbelievable giraffe, and the joy of watching our grandchild distinguish herself both by her superb marksmanship and her astonishing physical stamina. I must not forget to mention the evil serenade of the hyena at our bush braai. "Hear me! Out in the dark blond the fire, I wait. Hear me! You will all come to me - in the end." Almost you get up and walk out to meet him. Almost.

And that just scratches the surface!

As it has been well put, "The first rule of gun-fighting is to have a gun." Most of the disasters we read about happen to people who did not understand this principle.

It is all there in the books, of course, but we, as rifleman, found many little details which caused us to reflect that chroniclers are rarely warriors, and often get the details of war fairly well mixed up. The matter of range, especially, is the weakest part of any battle account, and yet, in a rifleman's war, range is absolutely critical. We were fortunately able to walk the ground and measure the ranges for ourselves.

As to the water, our problem was that many of our people drank too much of it. It is my view that overindulgence in water can cause water-on-the-knee, water-on-the-brain, floating kidneys, and rusty pipes. South Africa is wine country, and to drink water there is to go against the advice of Saint Paul. In addition I think that over-much water interferes with proper eye-to-hand coordination. I am glad to report that I had no trouble of this sort.

In the actual hunting, Danie and Karin van Graan, who own and operate Engonyameni Safaris hunting concession, were complete marvels of efficiency and tact. We wanted for nothing, every need was met without asking, the game was plentiful, and our accommodations were lush. To my considerable delight, I discovered that Danie has built a bar adjoining our quarters under the trees out over the water, which he has officially labeled "Cooper's Corner." As I sat there on the terrace, lacing up my boots in the cold, grey light of dawn, listening to the "Christmas Tree birds," I reflected that life cannot get any better than this.

The crowning glory, from the standpoint of the Countess and myself, was granddaughter Amy's rifle performance. Elmon, her Swazi tracker, told Danie flatly that Amy was the best shot he had ever seen - and he is no chicken, being the progenitor of various grandchildren. This was rather as if the coach of a major professional football team were to watch his grandson, playing on his team, win the Most Valuable Player award in the Super Bowl.

To the current Big Five might well be added the hippopotamus - when taken on dry land. I have known a couple professional outfitters who claim that this sort of thing is too dangerous and they will not attempt it. So if confrontation is your kick, you might give that a thought. It is difficult to find a place where hippo can be legally taken and then to find an outfitter who will lead you to a dry land shot, but I have it in mind and it may indeed be possible. Note that Mozambique is collapsing into old-fashioned disorganization and contains many hippos.

Now then, I have considered the matter at some length and I propose a further Big Six for the collector, based upon the particularly choice nature of the trophy. This Big Six would include the Walia ibex, the mountain nyala, the bongo, the giant eland, the giant sable, and the situtunga. The man who can show prime examples of these six on his trophy wall is as yet unknown. For those who enjoy a really hard challenge, there is one.

Only a little practice was necessary to demonstrate that once you have spotted on target with your coaxial machine-gun, the proper way to use the 20 is with a series of quick single shots delivered about half a second apart. In this mode it is easy to place all direct hits on the Sherman chassis we were using as target, whereas if bursts were used the result was some hits and some misses, with attendant wastage of ammunition. As with all vehicles of this sort, reloading ammunition is a tedious process and the gunner is well-advised to avoid wastage.

Curiously, this same principal applies to the use of hand-held automatic fire - an easy point to prove on the range, though not at all easy to get across to our legislators and commentators.

It is true that the ANC platform calls for a number of steps which will be very difficult to enforce and would be better off left abandoned - such as one firearm per family. Mandela and Slovo must, to a certain extent, maintain their proper Marxist position in order to pacify the young activists on their team, and if lip service to Marxism is all that they really intend, the situation may show some promise. The people we talked to suggest that the new batch of legislators and officials are more easily bribable than the old, and thus may be kept in line by simply paying them off. Would that things were that simple in the U.S.!

"Men who are looking for a safe thing should stay away from Africa."

Major Frederick Russell Burnham, in Scouting on Two Continents

"Three goblins gain entry to house and ask maid, at pistol point, where child is. Maid says that she doesn't know. Mother walks into room. Goblins ask mother. Mother tells them same. Second maid sees goblins and screams. Crowd gathers to see what's happening. Goblins fire to scare crowd away. Big mistake - most neighbors are military or security types. Goblins retreat into house and attempt escape across roof and out into street. First goblin is shot in leg and promptly beaten to death. Second goblin is shot in leg, beaten, and left for dead. (Made it alive to hospital; unknown if he lived.) Third goblin manages to make it to police where he falls on knees and begs officers to arrest him. Neighbors unhappy about arrest since it ruined their scores on goblin catching."

"Big difference in reactions between Americans and Guatemalans."

Thomas K. Graziano,
April 18, 1994,
Guatemala City, Guatemala

The Guru

27 June 1994

Casualty Report

All this does not lighten my literary load, and must delay my output at a time when I am already behind, but not to worry! We will be out for shakedown later this week and expect to meet all commitments - God Willing!

Sumer is icumen in
Down with whiskey,
Up with Gin!

Vol. 2, No. 8         11 July 1994

July, 1994

The conference at Rosas Bay was intended to set guidelines for policy control over international practical rifle competition. The conference was in no position to dictate policy to IPSC, but we had hoped to find a consensus which we could present to the assembly at the next general meeting in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately we did not have a quorum and several important members of the confederation did not send delegates, especially including the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa. The result was that a rather strongly divergent view of the principles of practical rifle shooting was advanced at some length. At issue was the separation of objectives between the general purpose bolt-action rifle and the semi-automatic battle rifle. The question, of course, is whether these two types of weapons can be placed in competition with each other without giving a distinct advantage to one or the other. It was my hope to establish a single-class policy for the future, but it does not appear that this is going to work. There seems to be a sentiment that battle rifles and general purpose rifles should compete in separate categories, although on the same courses of fire. I do not think that this is a sound proposition, but it seems to be the opinion of the majority in attendance at the Rosas Bay Conference.

It seems clear that the appearance of battle rifles in international competition will cause certain doubts in the minds of those who would disarm the people. In view of the fact that courses of fire can be easily designed which give no advantage to a semi-automatic battle rifle, I would prefer that we put all of our weapons in one category, especially considering that battle rifles, as such, are forbidden in both the United Kingdom and South Africa - and may well be in the United States before long. Still we will get by with what we must, and the situation is not wholly disheartening.

One point that was established was the recommendation that general purpose rifles be limited to a weight ceiling of 3.5 kgs. This, of course, is to obviate the appearance of special rifles designed for special competition under special circumstances, which has become the curse of pistol competition as now practiced.

We ask all concerned to consider these matters carefully and be prepared to have an opinion when the matter comes to a head in October.

"Most of America's assault rifles are in the attics, basements, and closets of patriotic Americans who never fire them and to whom war against their own government would be an unthinkable nightmare."

"The problem is that millions of such weapons are now being stored in the homes of ordinary Americans, especially in the Western United States. Assault rifles have a military appearance and contribute in a subtle, psychological way to growing resistance to government oppression. Most farmers, ranchers, and loggers who see their lives and families entirely destroyed by Babbitt and retainers will never fire a shot. The existence of these weapons, however, makes resistance, even legal resistance, more thinkable to these victims."

"The bureaucrats and politicians do not fear armed criminals or armed political zealots so much as they fear peaceful Americans who will probably never use their assault rifles - but whose mental toughness may be enhanced by possession of military weapons."

"The gun controllers are not deterred by the facts about guns and crime, because their primary fear is not of criminals. They fear ordinary Americans whose lives and freedom their policies are destroying. In this fear and in their world, they are on target."

Arthur B. Robinson, Ph.D. Access to Energy, July 1994, Vol. 21, no. 11

"Slavery in the modern world implies the absolute deprivation of the individual's liberty, while possession of weapons and mastery of their use are means to the individual's liberation. We do not perceive how a man may be armed and at the same time bereft of his freedom."

John Keegan, in "The Face of Battle"

The 458 and the 350 Remington Short Magnum could indeed do with a bit of enhancement, but the prospect seems unlikely since there is no demand for the 458 and the 350 Short Magnum is essentially obsolete.

More important is the matter of bullet design. We have concluded over decades now that impact performance by the bullet is more significant than flight characteristics. We can hardly point to a case of power inadequacy, but we know of numerous examples of failure in bullet performance.

"When Goldstein opened fire with the Galil he used a technique virtually unknown to soldiers in conventional armies, but taught by the Special Operations groups of the U.S. and Russia. Instead of firing at random with bursts of three to five shots in full-automatic mode, Goldstein fired very fast single shots with the weapon set to semi-automatic, releasing one shot every time that the trigger was squeezed. Goldstein is reputed to have fired at 90 shots per minute. Kill rates are much higher using this special high speed, semi-automatic technique, but only if the assassin has received extensive training. As a medical doctor from the nearby Kiryat Arba settlement, it is reasonable to ask where Goldstein gained his high level of special operations expertise."