Category: Planning

Updates, in a Lot of Ways

On By Tom LindsayIn Planning

I know I say this a lot, but I haven’t been as vigilant in posting as I should be.

I mean, the point of this blog is to express how I feel about things, and engage with My Dear Readers. Lord knows, I spend a lot of my time around the how bombarding my beloved wife with most of these topics.

So, moving forward, I am going to post more often. And I will just leave it at that.

Having said that, a lot of what I need to do is update the links and posts of my referrals and such. One thing I have done is update the list of My Favorite Movies. The list includes my Level Zero, 1, 2, and 3 movies. Level Zero is a movie that, if I am flipping around and I see it is on, I stop and watch it. And again, my dear wife knows this list.

Thank you all for your understanding.

Match Prep 2.0

On By Tom LindsayIn Competition, GSSF, Planning, USPSA

Some time ago I wrote a concise piece on what I do to prepare for matches. Since then I have added a few things to my to-do list, and it occurred to me that I haven’t shared them.

First, I still do the same gun prep, including changing to connector, and lubricating. I also load magazines, only now, since I shoot Limited and not Production, I load to fully loaded, which with my magazine extensions, is 22 rounds per magazine. (Of course, if I am shooting GSSF, I only load to 11 rounds.)

One other thing I did was to create a Match Prep Checklist:

As you can see, this lets me be sure I am doing all the things I need to do. Basically there are four stages: Clean and inspect, Prepare, Pack, and Load. There are a few things on there that I didn’t do back in 2011, like adding an extra phone battery and USB cord. I print this 2 to a page, and complete it before every match.

This also gives me a chance to mention a couple of additions from the past few years, both in the Load section. First, I have a pair of football cleats that I take, as I have found they are very useful if I am shooting in the rain, or on a wet range.

The last is” Bourbon bottles,” which takes a little explaining. But I will leave that for another time.

Condition Orange

On By Tom LindsayIn Be Prepared, Gun Rights, Planning, RKBA1 Comment

In a state of emergency, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, things are already hectic and unpredictable, bordering on chaotic. In these times, one would think that the government would focus on helping citizens protect themselves, both from the stated dangers of the virus, and the dangers of those who would prey on the weak by taking advantage of the emergency.

Sadly, this is not the case.

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the police went door to door and seized firearms from legal owners, and held them, until forced to return them three years later, after settling a lawsuit brought by the NRA-ILA.

So what should we law abiding gun owners expect, now that the White House and many states and cities have declared states of emergency?

Well, as with many things, this depends on where you live.

First, know that the US Government cannot seize your guns – legally – because of a state of emergency. See 42 U.S. Code § 5207.

In Georgia, the law used to allow authorities to seize our guns, but thanks to GeorgiaCarry, the law was changed, and now, while we can’t buy new guns, we can still carry the ones we own.

Georgia law O.C.G.A. 38-3-51 says,:

(c) The Governor shall have and may exercise for such period as the state of emergency or disaster exists or continues the following additional emergency powers:
…..
(8) Suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, explosives, or combustibles; provided, however, that for purposes of this paragraph, the terms “explosives” and “combustibles” shall not include firearms or ammunition or any component thereof; and
(Emphasis added)

For a summary of laws from other states, see this post from Bigfoot Gunbelts.

So, what should we do?

First, know your rights in the state where you live. Do research. Contact your local state gun rights group.

Second, print out and keep a copy of the law with you, in case someone you encounter does not know the law. For those in Georgia, here is a copy.

Then, take action. For those of us in Georgia, buy ammo, if you can. Here in Kennesaw, 9mm was gone last week. But that’s why I lay in ammo any way.

But always, stay alert. Stay in Condition Orange. And stay safe.

++++

NOTE – Section 8 of the Georgia law had been updated to the current correct version.

EDC as a Lifestyle

On By Tom LindsayIn Be Prepared, Concealed Carry, Flashlights, Knife, Planning, Safety

I was reviewing my blog, and as it turns out, in the years I’ve been writing this, I’ve never done a post on my everyday carry. This seems strange to me, since most of it hasn’t changed in a long time.

To start with, I’ve carried a pocket knife for as long as I can remember. Starting in about the 7th grade, I carried a Boy Scout version Swiss Army knife, up until about the time I graduated from high school. Yes, in those days we could carry a knife with no comment from anyone at school. I even had a teacher borrow mine once or twice.

I changed knives in college, and then went back to the Swiss Army knife you see above, in 1992.

I added the Leatherman tool a few years ago after I received it as a gift. I particularly like it because it’s got tools I can use, like pliers and a file. But the thing I like best is that it doesn’t have a blade, so the TSA lets me take it on an airplane, and so when I travel without checking bags, I’ve got something, at least.

In the same vein, I’ve carried a flashlight for my whole career. As a chemical engineer, there are many times every day when I needed to be able to see something in a shadow or in the dark, and I started carrying an explosion proof flashlight. I still do, only this one is 200 lumens, and uses AA batteries. I keep about 6 rechargeable batteries in rotation, and when the last charged set of 2 go in, the other 4 go in the charger overnight. When I travel, I always carry a spare set of batteries, and I keep a set of 4 in the Get Home Bag.

Next is my wallet. All I carry in there is my various ID – driver’s license, Weapons Carry License, insurance cards, and the like – and my credit cards, and a few business cards. I haven’t carried cash in my wallet since I was in college, and when I do I carry it in a different pocket than the wallet. This has to do with avoiding pickpockets.

In fact, I always carry these things in certain pockets, for a reason. Here’s where:

Right front: cell phone, knives, car keys, cash, and a pen.

Left front: wallet, flashlight.

Left rear: a handkerchief.

Note I don’t carry my wallet in a back pocket, so I can avoid pickpockets. I also carry my wallet on the left side, so if I’m asked by a policeman for my ID, I’m not reaching on the same as my pistol.

I also carry my flashlight in my left pocket, so I can draw it and go to a Harries or other flashlight hold.

On a similar note, in my car I keep my insurance card and registration in a folder on the back of the driver’s side sun visor, since I can’t promise that I haven’t just been to the post office, which would mean my pistol is in the glove box. Again, no sense drawing attention to anything I don’t have to.

Now we get to the most recent addition – a pistol. In the summer I carry Liberty, my G19, IWB at 3 o’clock.

In the winter I mostly carry Bruce, my G17, on my belt OWB at 3 o’clock, with an open shirt or jacket or fleece vest over it.

Year round I carry a G17 magazine with a plus-2 extender on my left side at 3 o’clock.

So there you have it. Nothing that isn’t part of my life, for quite a while.

Having said that . . .

I will likely add a medical pack in the near future, now that Linoge has shown how to put it all in a cell phone case. Stay tuned.