Wolves With Table Manners

 Why is the Mormon Church less violent than the general population?  I just read an article about why.  It is “A Peaceable People: Why Latter-day Saints Are Less Violent than the General Population” By C.D. Cunningham, March 31, 2025

 

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=f1ae0d7b4299083214edca1ee7ef6bbf5cb8e2504cd4d4950f686c81ab40fc4cJmltdHM9MTc4NDA3MzYwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=11f528e6-0686-6b2e-3675-3f7107846abc&psq=lds+church+violence&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9wdWJsaWNzcXVhcmVtYWcub3JnL3dwLWNvbnRlbnQvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDI1LzAzL01vcm1vbi1DcmltZS1SYXRlXy1UaGUtVHJ1dGgucGRm

 

In this article it is purported that Mormons are less violent and have a lower crime rate because of a few things.

1.      Theological Foundations

2.      Community Structures

3.      Economic Stability & Welfare

4.      Lifestyle Norms: Sobriety, Stability, and Self-Mastery

5.      Historical Memory

I would agree with all of these factors and the author mentions there is more.  I agree with that too.  Peaceable living abounds with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But from someone who grew up in a large LDS community, and having been an active member my entire life, I have a position that a “handful” of typical members have.  With that background I also have another perspective.  One that is born out of experiencing combat and teaching self-defense for a long time.  As I meet other LDS veterans and also those LDS 1^st responders (my son is an EMT), I hear stories of tragic violence that the average Mormon community has been spared from.  You people who are LDS but acquainted with violence understand what I’m about to say.  We belong to club.  We have a very unwanted membership in the violence club.  Unfortunately, we have experienced things that the average Church member hopefully will never experience.  I know, I’m a violence snob.  I’m not too much of a snob to understand that there are people who have not been exposed to violence who can understand it and are very much aware of it.  My concern is the average member.  One of the reasons I continue this blog is to get to the average American or average member.  It’s hard to understand evil or that crime exists when you have never had to deal with it.  One of the purposes of this blog is to inform and give tools to those who are less acquainted with violence and to add a dose of reality.  There is something called the Normalcy Bias.  It is a belief that it can’t happen here or to me.  It’s the deer in the headlights look!  Bad things DO happen to good people and it’s better to understand that and prepare.  This is why I constantly write these articles to try and help you, and I, to be more and better prepared.

Playing the “what if” game.

I prepare for the what if scenarios.  Having acute situational awareness can help in this preparation.  It’s actually part of it.  If you can see a problem before it happens then maybe it can be avoided.  When I teach tactical classes, I teach what I call ADD. Avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.  This is where your mind should be at all times when prepared for violence.  It may be inconvenient; it may take more time or resources but ADD is where we should all reside.  You can be what my wife calls me and my friends, Wolves with table manners. But what I’ve found is a trend in the Church.  Passivism.

Passivism is the enduring outlook or disposition characterized by submissiveness, a lack of personal initiative, and a tendency toward the acceptance of external control or authority without resistance or critical engagement.  Some guys were put into this state from doing all the things they were supposed to.  When they were boys they were good kids and if they were Scouts, they were Eagle Scouts.  They were Seminary class presidents and in Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Presidencies.  They served a mission and went to BYU.  They got a decent job and married a beautiful Mormon girl in the temple.  But they really never thought for themselves.  Some of them did but many just went along.  Now, I’m not saying they shouldn’t have done all those things, those were good decisions.  But many of these men just do what they do without thought or conviction.  They do it because that’s what good Mormon guys do.  When they finally come to themselves and start thinking, they leave their faith and sometimes their families.  Brethren, think!  But because they are passivists, they have never thought about violence and how it can, and in many instances, will, touch their lives.  They are not wimps, but they have never had to deal with violence so there has never been a need for preparation.

As Dylan said, “The times they are a changin’”  Men in the Church need to be peacemakers.  You can be a peacemaker and prepared for violence.  Be wolves with table manners.

Being less violent than others is a good thing. But when evil comes calling evil needs to know it will be met with wolf claws and fangs.

I beseech LDS men to be prepared.  Martial arts, weapons use, and keeping your head in chaos.  These are the things we should be engaged in along with being superior priesthood holders and operating with the Spirit.  It’s possible but like any other worthy cause it takes work and determination.  I would challenge you, both men and women, to be ready for violence while preaching the word.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn  

Shooting An Automatic Weapon

 Automatic weapons, or machine guns, have been depicted as the weapon of choice for bad guys and heroes alike.  Movies, television, and the media think full autos are all over the place on the streets.  Most of this is complete fabrication.  Even if you could find a fully automatic rifle you would need some experience to use it effectively.  I taught military and law enforcement to shoot with these weapons for years.  They are not easy to use.  Sure, you could pick one up and start shooting, but without competent instruction, and some practice, you would only succeed at giving cover fire at the very best or shooting someone or something you don’t intend to at the worst.  These guns are useful in combat, or for keeping heads down, but not much use at all.  When I was in combat, I seldom had my weapon on “auto”.  If I wanted to be effective the most, I would fire 3 round bursts.  These guns tend to “ride” or have a muzzle rise that you must control.  Also know that squeezing and going “Rambo” is not that great for the gun.  No matter if it is a sub machine gun or a machine gun you’re bound to have this rise.  And barrels get hot fast!  With our M-60 we switched barrels quite often.

In 2014 in Arizona a 9-year-old girl was legally shooting a sub machine gun at a range when she lost control of the gun and ended up shooting her instructor.  The instructor was rushed to the hospital but died from the gun shot.

What’s the difference between a machine gun and a submachine gun?  A submachine gun shoots pistol caliber ammunition. Usually, these will have a lower recoil, have reduced ranges compared to rifle caliber machine guns, and require a better grip.   

One of the most important aspects of shooting full auto is grip. Your support hand (for right-handed shooters, this will be your left hand) should grip the gun and pull it back into your body. This allows the gun to sit firmly just inside your shoulder and acts as both a steerer of the gun and controls it. This is the most important part of the grip, as your support hand is doing most of the work.  Your strong hand will rest relaxed, but firm against the gun’s grip and that’s about it (in most cases).

The two major points to shooting auto are leaning into the gun, which will help to manage the amount of recoil you feel, and making sure you are balanced.   Your foot position can vary a bit depending on the types and calibers of gun you are shooting, as well as your body type.

Just as the different types of full autos are slightly different than one another, the shooter has to make slight adjustments for the platform they are firing.   The basics are the same, but a few minor changes will set you up for safe success. Submachine guns have more muzzle rise than most other auto platforms.   This can be due to rate of fire, with some guns that have the back end being heavier than the front, or simply because the gun is lighter than most.  

I recommend taking a small step forward with your support foot.   You then want to bend that front knee and sink your weight onto that leg, which will lean your weight into the gun.  Combine this with using your support hand to pull the rifle snugly into your shoulder, and you have set up a solid foundation for most rifle systems.

Do not try to learn from video games, TV shows, or movies.  They lie and promote disinformation.  They do it so naturally and off hand.  I was just watching a series from the 90’s called The Mentalist yesterday.  It’s basically a cop show.  They were talking about someone having a registered gun.  Most non-gun people (and some gun people!) think that guns are registered in this country.  I know a lot of law enforcement would like that because it would make their work much easier.  Like many things in law enforcement, if we didn’t have rights their job would be easier.  But we do have rights. I see law enforcement often try to trick people into giving up their rights just to do their work.  I think it’s disgusting.  Many have fought and died for those rights that someone who has sworn to uphold, yet they try and get around it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the U.S. law enforcement.  Most in law enforcement are honorable, good people.  There are some who ruin things for all of them.  It is unlawful to have a registry for guns.  In landmark cases District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) the Supreme Court has affirmed the individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense in the home. A federal firearms register can be seen as an infringement on this right in several ways:

·          Chilling Effect: Knowing their gun ownership is recorded and potentially accessible to the government can deter individuals from exercising their Second Amendment right. This self-censorship directly undermines the purpose of the amendment.

·         Potential for Abuse: Registration lists have historically been used for confiscation efforts. The mere existence of such a list presents the temptation for future abuse, whether through misguided policy or outright tyranny.

·         Facilitating Confiscation: A comprehensive register makes it significantly easier for the government to identify and potentially confiscate firearms, especially during emergencies or in response to perceived threats.

Understanding the historical context surrounding the Second Amendment is crucial. The Founding Fathers, deeply distrustful of centralized power and standing armies, enshrined the right to bear arms to ensure the people could resist potential government overreach. A federal firearms register, essentially providing the government with a detailed list of armed citizens, directly contradicts this foundational principle.

The fear of a standing army and the importance of an armed citizenry to prevent tyranny were paramount concerns for the framers. A registration scheme empowers the federal government with detailed knowledge of who possesses what arms, thereby diminishing the people’s ability to act as a check on potential governmental abuses of power.

So, there is no registry and it has the force of law behind it.  The closest thing is a semi-registry of guns used in crimes. 

Machine guns and sub-machine guns have been regulated since 1938.  The crime organizations of the 20’s and 30’s are what brought this law to be.  The St. Valentines Day massacre comes to mind.

Would you like to own a machine gun legally?  This is a portion of an article from The Gun Zone

https://thegunzone.com/how-to-buy-a-machine-gun-legally/

How to buy a machine gun legally

September 30, 2024, by William Taylor

 

Steps to Legal Acquisition

1.      Determine Eligibility: Federal law dictates who can own NFA firearms. You must:

·         Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

·         Be at least 21 years of age.

·         Reside in a state where machine gun ownership is legal. (Not all states permit private ownership of machine guns.)

·         Be legally eligible to possess a firearm, meaning you cannot have any felony convictions or other disqualifying conditions as outlined in federal and state law.

·         Not be prohibited under the provisions of the NFA.

2.      Research State and Local Laws: Even if federal law allows machine gun ownership in your state, your state and local laws may impose further restrictions or outright bans. Thoroughly research your local ordinances before proceeding.

3.      Find a Transferable Machine Gun: Because of the Hughes Amendment, you can only purchase machine guns that were registered with the ATF before May 19, 1986. These firearms are significantly more expensive due to their limited availability. Reputable Class 3 dealers (dealers licensed to sell NFA firearms) are your primary source for finding such firearms.

4.      Arrange the Transfer: Once you’ve found a suitable machine gun, the transfer process begins. This typically involves working with a Class 3 dealer who will initiate the necessary paperwork with the ATF.

5.      Complete ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm): This form is the cornerstone of the legal transfer process. You must provide detailed information about yourself, the firearm, and the seller. This form also requires your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) to be notified. The CLEO must sign the form; however, their signature only serves as a notification that you are seeking to acquire a regulated NFA item.

6.      Submit Fingerprint Cards and Photographs: The ATF requires fingerprint cards and passport-style photographs as part of the Form 4 application.

7.      Pay the Transfer Tax: A $200 transfer tax is levied on each transfer of a machine gun. This payment is submitted along with the Form 4 application.

8.      Wait for ATF Approval: This is the most time-consuming part of the process. The ATF conducts a background check and verifies the information provided on the Form 4. The approval process can take several months, and sometimes even longer.

9.      Receive Approved Form 4 and Take Possession: Once the ATF approves the Form 4, they will return it to the transferring dealer. The dealer can then legally transfer the machine gun to you. You must keep the approved Form 4 in your possession whenever you possess or transport the machine gun.

 

Thanks to The Gun Zone and William Taylor for giving us the steps of an NFA Firearms acquisition. 

As you can see, acquiring, owning, and even shooting an automatic weapon is not common or simple.  If you are so inclined, we wish you luck and remember:

“Happiness is a belt-fed weapon!”

 

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Gun Terms and Not Sounding Like A Idiot

 I am tired of this complaint.  It is probably a waste of time because “journalists” don’t seem to care.  At the risk of this turning into a rant let me speak of reporters, or anyone else, speaking or reporting on gun issues. If you want to be taken seriously, do your homework and speak intelligently.

I don’t know anything about giving a hair permanent. I’m sure a beautician can set me straight. The point is, if I am going to whine and complain about the smell of a permanent (which by the way is NOT permanent…) then I should have an idea about the proper terms. I do not know what I’m talking about, so I don’t think I should put in my 2 cents. I guess I could, we still have free speech in this country. But I shouldn’t be expected to be taken seriously by the beautician world if I don’t know the difference between a rod and a curler. (Which I don’t really..)
The gun world has some specific terms that someone trying to talk intelligently about, should learn.
Bullets and Cartridges
Ammunition, or cartridges, is what you shoot. Case, bullet, propellant, and primer. Often “bullet” is used when it’s intended as cartridge. In some circles it’s called a round. Don’t make that mistake if you want to be taken seriously. Those that do know will completely discount your opinion if you don’t speak, or write, like you know what you’re talking about. I know, it’s a real picky thing. I think it’s important though. Everyone can make a mistake but don’t scoff when the opposition corrects you. Get it right if you want to give an argument.
Magazines and Clips
Guns and the way they are fed are another issue. A magazine feeds a weapon, a clip feeds a magazine. I don’t really get all uptight if the wrong term is used, unless you are trying to speak or write with authority. Please don’t bother without at least giving an effort to correct verbiage.  I’ve seen gun people get this wrong!
Assault Rifle and Semi-automatic Rifle
Know that “assault rifle” is a vague and unofficial term. The term was used by the military occasionally in the 40’s and 50’s but then really was not used until the media decided all AK and AR variants were dubbed assault weapons. I carried an assault rifle in the military; it was a CAR-15. Often, they are referred to as automatic in the civilian world. Civilian versions of these guns will always be in semi-automatic. To own a fully automatic weapon you must purchase a $200 tax stamp for each weapon. The NFA (National Firearms Act) closed that registry in 1986 so if you wanted to buy an automatic weapon, you would have to go through a Class III Federal Firearm License (FFL). Because of this, automatic weapons are very high in price and can be bought only from a Class III dealer. Just remember, automatic and machine gun are terms that are the same. By the way, machine guns are legal in most states.
Other terms are:
Accuracy and Precision
Accuracy is a measurement of a person’s ability to hit where they are aiming consistently. Precision is how small those groups of shots are.
Suppressor and Silencer
Many experts believe that silencer has no correct usage. Suppressors moderate escaping gases, greatly reducing but not eliminating noise. Suppressors are legal to own if you go through the process. I don’t think that a silencer actually exists but the ATF uses the word.
Extractor and Ejector
This is not as common as some of those above, but it pops up every now and then. Just remember that an extractor extracts a spent case from the barrel. The next step is to get rid of (eject) the empty case. That would be the job of the ejector.
Cartridge and Case
The cartridge is a fully put together round. The case is a component of the cartridge. The case holds everything together. The bullet, the primer, and the propellant is in the case. Sometimes the case is called the shell. In shotgun shooting the cartridge is a shotshell, sometimes referred to as a shell, the whole cartridge. Shotshells consist of the case or hull, the primer, the propellant, the wad, and the shot or slug. This seems a little confusing because shotshells are often referred to as shotgun shells.
There are other gun terms that should be straight to not sound like an idiot.
The words “high caliber” doesn’t mean anything.  Those that no nothing about guns think the scary black rifles take a large caliber bullet.  They don't understand caliber.

And what the heck is "High capacity?"  If you bought a car that took 20 gallons of gas would that be considered high capacity?  A 30-round magazine takes 30 rounds.  If that's high capacity, then what's low capacity?  No one knows but certainly politicians and the media aren't the ones to decide.  They don't know the difference between a magazine and clip!
The NRA (National Rifle Association) is not the gun industry lobby. That would be the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
Ammunition in a burning building is no danger to firefighters. Without a chamber and barrel, a cartridge won’t go off and shoot anywhere.
Guns are not required to be registered in most jurisdictions. So, if a gun is unregistered, that makes about as much sense as an unregistered tire iron. But the ATF does have a firearm tracing system that supposedly complies with 18 U.S.C. 926(a). Almost all the guns in this database were recovered by law enforcement not from gun sales.
I have never known an ATF agent. I know FBI agents, Customs agents, Border Patrol agents, and even a Secret Service agent. From everything I have read about the ATF, I’ve never been impressed with the agency. I hope I am wrong.
To have an intelligent conversation about guns I believe you should understand some terms. Those that don’t bother to learn are doomed to reap the whirlwind. It’s too easy to label these lazy people as idiots and move on. If you want to put across an anti-gun point, you’d better know what you’re talking about, or you’ll look like an idiot.
I hope we can all keep our terms straight so we as gun owners or gun “experts” won’t also sound like idiots.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Training Value Part 4-Seeking Competent Instruction

 I have been a gun instructor for over 35 years.  I haven’t been active in 10 years professionally.  I don’t know if I count the many times at the range where I end up giving a “free” lesson or a friend or family member wants some instruction.  But I’ve been involved with some heavy instruction where I’ve trained military, DEA, ATF, CBP, Border Patrol, ICE, FBI, DOE, state, county, and local Police and Sheriff departments, and I taught a U.S. Marshall once. For some time, these agencies had nowhere to go but the military shooting range I was affiliated with.  That has since changed but for a while we were the only game in town.  It was interesting running these different courses of fire and qualifying these great responders.  I learned so much from each of them!  So, when I hear what some instructors teach, I take it just the way it is, for what it is.  It’s also an interesting term “expert”.  I prefer the word “experienced” because it’s difficult to be expert in anything.  I’ve had the great honor of learning from some of the greats, Jeff Cooper, Massad Ayoob, and Rob Pincus. I used to ride bikes with Rob Letham although he may not remember. We grew up a block from each other across the street from Lincoln elementary school, so that qualifies me at riding bikes! Maybe.  I’ve had several opportunities to rub shoulders and learn from some great shooters.  This doesn’t really mean anything except that you should seek out instruction where you can find it.  Be selective but also look for what you need.  Be realistic when assessing your own experience and skill.  But I’m here to say, just because you can shoot paper the first time in 2 years and can hit pretty well, it does not make you an advanced shooter.  Some think because they can hit a bull’s eye at 5 yards qualifies them.  It does not.  Shooting is a perishable skill that can only be kept up with practice.  If you can qualify with a course of fire consistently and can do well in a shoot house or force-on-force, then you are not a casual shooter.  In addition, I have noticed that my own skill has diminished the older I get.  Eyesight and arthritis in my hands have affected my shooting.  I’ve had to compensate.  If you shoot daily, or weekly, you can be considered adequate.  You don’t need to compete or be in combat to be advanced. 

Why do you shoot?  Is it recreation?  Competition?  Self-defense?  These are all very different reasons.  It is likely a combination.  But pinpoint your reason to shoot.  Then train accordingly.  I train for defense.  Having PTSD from combat I deal with a hyper-vigilance that I try to keep under control.  I don’t want to over-compensate or become over balanced in the area of defense.  But for me, defense means investing some time and money.  There is also a mix of recreation in there because I love to shoot.  It relaxes me and stems anger and frustration I have with all of you people!  I’m being facetious but I can get frustrated and intolerant with people just being people.  Shooting on a regular basis helps me in that control and makes me a better shooter.  I have a problem with people who carry a gun, shoot once or twice a year and think they are squared away to defend themselves and their families.  I guess that is better than nothing, but that is barely enough to be nothing.  Have they ever shot from one knee?  Ever shot from around an object?  Ever shot in low light?  Ever shot with a flashlight?  If their attacker is 15 yards from them with no one behind the target in daylight while a perfect stance and grip, with 2 hands then all is well.  But as we have learned, incidents don’t happen that way.  There are other things to learn.  Situational awareness, ballistics, caliber, movement. 

I can recommend only one place to get top notch training.  I’m sure there are others.

Gunsite Academy in Arizona.

https://www.gunsite.com/gunsite-class-list/

21 Pistol courses, 10 Carbine courses, 9 Rifle courses, 6 Shotgun courses, 4+ Specialty courses, 5 Situational courses, 4 Special weapons courses, 11 Tactical courses, and more.

That’s at least 70 courses.  And their courses change from time to time.  They add courses all the time.  Check it out.  I had the good fortune of being taught by Jeff Cooper himself back in my military days.

Rob Pincus developed I.C.E. Integrity, consistency, and efficiency training center that offers several courses with a large variety of defensive subjects.  I’ve never trained there but it is highly recommended.

 https://icetraining.us/

The Massad Ayoob Group offers many different courses in various locations.

https://massadayoobgroup.com/

I took the Use of Deadly Force Instructor Course several years ago and enjoyed Mass’s style of teaching and sense of humor.

Regardless of where you receive instruction ensure that you take the things that you learn and put them into your training program.  If you don’t have a training program develop one.  I have developed 5 different “work outs” that I rotate and will modify from time to time with new or different drills.  Variety keeps you sharp.

I have not taken a shooting course in 10 years.  But when I was an active instructor I would try to take a class annually.  Some that I took I will never recommend and will never take again.  But most I gleaned something that I could use.  I believe you can learn even from someone you may not agree with.  If you pay attention and put off your bias, you can enrich your knowledge or learn something new.

When starting down this path of being taught by instructors, make sure you do your homework and choose wisely.  Look at the instructor’s background and read reviews.  Find the most experienced and competent that you can afford.  Take notes and practice what you’ve been taught.

This is a great force multiplier in this country.  Take every opportunity to learn in your search to become deadly and smart.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Guns that Shaped the Church and the West

 (This is a repost from 2015.  There has been some information added to this post) 

There are five guns that weave their way through Church and Western History. They helped shape Church history and had significant roles in taming the West.

1.Robert LeRoy Parker’s (Butch Cassidy) Army Colt
(Butch Cassidy was born in Utah and was the son of stalwart members)
In 1873, Colt submitted a new pistol to the U.S. Army. It utilized an improved single-action mechanism coupled with a greatly improved frame design. It was chambered for the newly-designed .45 Long Colt cartridge. The Army promptly adopted the new revolver as the new standard-issue sidearm. Colt also offered the pistol on the civilian market.
This was a very popular gun of the time.
In 1895–96, the Government returned 2000 SAA (Single action Army) revolvers to Colt to be refurbished; 800 were issued to the New York Militia with the 7 ½” barrel and 1200 were altered to a barrel length of 5½". In 1898, 900 of the SAA revolvers were altered the same way by Springfield Armory. The original records of the War Department do refer to these revolvers with the shortened barrel as the “Altered Revolver”. The name “Artillery” is actually a misnomer, which, it’s speculated, may have originated because the Light Artillery happened to have the first units armed with the altered revolver.
After serving 18 months in prison for horse theft in 1896, Cassidy re-armed himself with a Colt .45 from a hardware store in Vernal, Utah.   In October 1899, Cassidy turned the Colt over to Sheriff Parley Christison in Utah, hoping to secure amnesty for his crimes. Christison arranged a meeting with the Utah governor, but the attempt failed.  In September–October 2012, the Colt was sold at a California Auctioneers & Appraisers Wild West auction in Casitas Springs for $175,000.

2. Orrin Porter Rockwell’s Navy Colt and Hawken Rifle
The first-generation Colt single action Navy revolvers were produced in 1851. The most popular chambering was .45 but Port seemed to like the .36 maybe because it was smaller and not as heavy. He often wore two Colts in his belt for some open carry action.
The cylinder of this revolver is engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche on May 16, 1843.
He also carried the Hawken rifle. This was a .50 to .53 caliber (sometimes .68 caliber) black powder rifle. The Hawken brothers, Jacob and Samuel, were from St. Lewis, Missouri. They started to make guns together about 1825 to service the fur trade. This gun weighed on average 10 ½ pounds, had a 33 to 36 inch octagonal barrel with a hooked breech system. The Hawken was known as an extremely accurate weapon and was used by Indians and settlers alike.

The first recorded sale of a Hawken rifle was in 1831. The fixed price for a traditional Hawken rifle was $22.50 - $25.00. Several of the fine engraved Hawken rifles sold for $38 between 1837-1842. A .70 caliber Hawken rifle, the largest caliber example known, that was once owned by Theodore Roosevelt was set for auction in May 2024 with an estimated auction value of US$55,000 to US$85,000.

3. Joseph Smith’s Pepperbox
This is the gun that Joseph was given for self-defense at his martyrdom. June of 1844. Also, Orson Pratt was sent to purchase $400 worth of these guns for the Saints as they started west. (See blog “Joseph’s Pepperbox 6/14/2014)
Initially Ethan Allen's firm manufactured single-shot pistols and rifles but eventually moved on to early revolvers. The Allen & Thurber Pepper-box (or pepper-pot), known as the "Gun that won the East", was the most common repeating handgun of its day.
This type of firearm was popular in North America from 1830 until the American Civil War, but the concept was introduced much earlier. In the 15th century, Ribauldequin, a version of the volley gun, had several single shot barrels attached to a stock, being fired individually by means of a match. Around 1790, pepperboxes were built on the basis of flintlock systems, notably by Nock in England and "Segallas" in Belgium. Building on the success of the earlier two-barrel turnover pistols, they were fitted with three, four or seven barrels. The early pepperboxes were hand rotated.  These antiques are selling for $1500-$2500 currently.

 

4. The Browning 1911
(John Browning was born in Ogden, Utah. He served a mission to Georgia and was an active member)  In 1910 the final prototype for the Model 1911 pistol, incorporating the addition of the manual safety lever, was put through an exhaustive test regimen. At one point, six thousand rounds were fired through a single pistol without a single jam or failure. On May 5, 1911, the Colt pistol was officially accepted as the “Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, Model of 1911. Following its adoption by the Army, M1911 was also accepted by the Navy and the Marines. It was also adopted by Norway, for use by their armed forces. Supplemental production capacity was set up at Springfield Armory, in order to meet the heavy demand for the pistol. When the United States entered World War I, demand for the pistol was so great that contracts were let out to several other manufacturers. Only Remington/U.M.C. actually went into production, however, before the war ended, resulting in the abrupt cancellation of all outstanding contracts.
In service, the pistol was widely used as a side arm by officers and non-coms, as well as by such specialized units as the Military Police. It won a reputation for ruggedness, reliability and effectiveness, but a few more improvements were still to follow.

3. Mormon Battalion Harper’s Ferry Musket
Battalion members carried the US Model 1816 Flintlock Smoothbore Musket manufactured by Harpers Ferry Arsenal in 1827. The 1816 musket model was produced from 1816 until 1844 by Harpers Ferry, Springfield Armory and various other contractors. The 9-1/2-pound musket had the highest production of any US Flintlock musket and was the last flintlock martial arm to be produced. In total, all US government productions of the M1816 were 325,000 muskets produced at Springfield, Massachusetts and 350,000 muskets produced at Harper's Ferry in addition to 146,000 produced by other contractors. It served the US Army for over 50 years and in two major armed conflicts. It saw service in the Mexican war in its flintlock version and in the US Civil War in both flintlock and percussion versions.
The flintlock ignition system employed a piece of flint clamped into the top of the musket hammer. When fired, the hammer fell forward, causing the flint to strike a spring-held vertical piece of steel called a Frizzen. As the steel snapped back, the resulting sparks were forced downward to a priming charge of gunpowder. The ignition of this powder passed fire through a pin-sized hole and ignited the powder charge. The advent of the small brass percussion cap in the 1830s, with its self-contained explosive charge, eliminated the need for flint, steel, and priming powder and would eventually make flintlock arms obsolete.
It had a one-piece full stock of walnut. The furniture and barrel were left in the white or browned depending on manufacturer and lot. The barrel was 42" long with a .69 caliber smoothbore (no rifling). The casehardened lock plate was marked with an eagle over "US" and dated 1816 on the tail. The1816 had no front or rear sight. The bayonet lug was on top of the barrel at the muzzle. The three steel barrel bands were retained with barrel band retaining springs. A steel ramrod with button shaped head was stored under the barrel. The musket was converted from flintlock to percussion between about 1840-1860.
The earliest models of the 1816, including those dubbed the "Type I" musket, usually dated around 1817, featured a flat beveled lock plate and steel pan. There seems to be some variations between the placement of the bayonet lugs on the barrel, with some being produced for the 1812 bayonet and others for the 1816.
The next change of the 1816, the "Type II" muskets, produced 1822-31, are often referred to as the "National Armory Brown". It was called thus because of the browned finish on all metal parts except the lock and the sling swivel on trigger guard. These are often mistaken for "M1822" or "M1822" muskets.
The "Type III" muskets, produced 1831-44, are referred to as the "National Army Bright" models. Differences included a strengthened sling swivel and a bright finish on all metal parts.
A good deal is known about the Model 1816 flintlock muskets that were issued to the Mormon Battalion in August 1846 at Fort Leavenworth thanks to surviving weapons maintained by the LDS Museum of Church History and Art. These weapons have been authenticated by Battalion experts and are periodically displayed for the public by museum curators. All of the surviving Mormon Battalion Model 1816's in the LDS Museum collection are Type II weapons, stamped “Harpers Ferry” on their casehardened lock plates and dated “1827.”
Some US Model 1804 Rifles manufactured by Harpers Ferry Arsenal were also issued to the Battalion.

There you have it. Five guns that helped shape the history of the Church and the West.

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

3 Low Round Drills to Train and Not Break the Bank

 3 Low round drills require less ammo, and more bang for your buck.

Dot torture

Required: a handgun, two magazines, 50 rounds of ammo, a holster, a spare magazine carrier, and a free printable target.  

Distance and time constraints are up to each shooter, but I suggest starting at 3-yards and working your way outwards.

Dot Torture utilizes a target made up of 10 circles measuring 2-inches.

Each circle offers a specific assignment, from shooting slow fire to drawing to one-handed shooting, reloads, and more.

Dot Torture works a little bit of everything and requires a single box of pistol ammunition.

Targets:  targets4free.com

Required: nine rounds per run, a free printable target, and a handgun, of course. The target comprises six small circles, and you’ll use three circles for each run.

This is modified Hackathorn headshot standards for an indoor range and requires a single target, no drawing, and a lot of simplicity.

Start at 5-yards, set a par time for three seconds, and obtain a standard ready position.

• String 1 – At the beep, fire one round in each circle, going from left to right in three seconds.
• String 2 – At the beep, fire one round in each circle, going from right to left in three seconds.
• String 3 – At the beep, fire one round in each circle, starting with the center dot. Then the shooter chooses the order to shoot the left and right dots in three seconds.

·         A passing score is seven out of nine. Anything fired after the three seconds counts as a miss.

·         This simple drill is quite fun and challenging, plus it’s allowed at most ranges.

·         It trains trigger control, sight alignment, accuracy, and your ability to transition targets, all under the stress of a timer.

Targets:  Tacticalhyve.com

 

The 10-10-10 drill acts as both a test of skill and a drill to improve.

Shooters will fire 10 shots at 10-yards in 10 seconds at a B8 target. All shots must land in the black of the B8 target.

If you are unfamiliar, the black of a B8 target is the 9, 10, and X rings.

You can also do this drill at an indoor range with strict rules because it doesn’t require movement, drawing, or any other unapproved movements.

It’s a challenge to achieve. And as a drill provides every metric, you need to measure performance — range, round count, specific target, and time limit.

If you do get a little too good at it, try shortening the par time, or if allowable, add a movement, a draw, or something similar.

But if it’s too hard, decrease the distance at first, then slowly increase the distance as you get better.

Targets: www.bigtexordnance.com

Current economy and ammo costs dictates finding ways to train but remain on a budget.  Using these low round drills can maximize your ammo bill and still be able to maintain a high rate of training.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn