GOING GREEN
In the future, students need to bring a Thumb Drive of 64G or larger to class to download the class information. Instead of wasting money/time and resources on DVD’s and cases, I will have a multi-port USB attached to the classroom or shop computer that allows students to do a quick transfer to their USB.
THE CSAT WAY ON FACEBOOK AND PATREON
We continue to work on new video content for both the Patreon Operator and Patreon Instructor. As of 1 Jan 2022, we had 170 videos on the site.
We wanted to stock the pond so to speak for the first year. We will slow a bit in adding content as some of the videos will take more time and resources to develop. One will be a well-rounded gym workout series targeting strength and endurance without injury.
I want to add more instructor content and that will require extra live bodies to work with in shooting those videos. I look forward to the challenges.
You can visit “The CSAT Way” on FaceBook for video updates.
CSAT TARGETS HOME PAGE
NEW SIG BATTLE RIFLE
With limited information, I am already not a fan of the concept.
If you need a bigger bullet, the .308 can handle it. To bring in two different ammos, one for training and one for combat is dumb. I am thinking everything from zeros to logistics.
As a taxpayer, I look at it and just shake my head. Why not an AR10 type platform?
Money would be better spent with a common caliber such as .308 and enhanced training budgets.
Some of us asked for this after Somalia, but we had some wussy types in our bunch that were worried about recoil and weight. Guess what, you are getting both.
I have shot some short action AR type platforms in .30 caliber that I would much rather prefer to take to combat than this new platform.
I know there are some general officers who are going get a bullet on their OER or some that are retired who are going to pad their retirement with a defense job at the expense of the taxpayer.
I hope some special ops soldiers with common sense get input in this project and either bless it or give it the axe.
Testing options are simple. Buy 30 and give to a Ranger Platoon. Have them spend a month in the field.
First week, Desert training and live fire for the first week.
Second week, Jungle, say the Yellow River area in Florida. Again, live fire op lanes.
Fly them to Alaska for the third week and do Winter live fire.
Finally, send them to Bragg for a week with SF CQB school and see how they perform.
Do one night fire in each environment.
Do not sign an NDA with Sig and release how many malfunctions, issues, etc., occur.
Clean the guns in the field and keep round counts.
Do an accuracy test at the beginning of the test and after the month of training.
Let the soldiers have a say and not a bunch of lazy generals who don’t have a dog in the fight or will never be in the fight.
TRAINING
Irons and Optics on Rifle
I hear a lot of emotional thoughts on Irons vs. Optics on Rifles. We get a great deal of back and forth on the website. I look at the topic several different ways:
· Instructing
· Training
· Maintenance and Reliability
· Operational
· Low Light
· Cost
Instructing
As a longtime Instructor who learned on Irons and then transitioned to optics, I am in favor of this training approach.
What I see in the field of trainers are those people who want to be an instructor, but don’t want to invest the time in learning the fundamentals which apply to both irons and optics. Personally, I think if you invest the time in learning iron sighted shooting first, you will be a better shooter and Instructor.
If I am in the Military, I will have to know how to shoot irons should my optic go bad in the field. Next, if I work with another foreign military, I want my soldiers to know irons as that is what the host nation will likely be using.
Further, we get instructor students in that do know how to adjust sights on weapons, more specifically iron sights. We always have one or more in an instructor class that turns them the wrong way for a student and then has to turn them back.
Training
I believe a skilled Instructor can train you as fast on irons as optics. The hard part is teaching a student what to “see” in their sights. Again, knowing the fundamentals is crucial.
I can take students farther out faster with optics, because they can see better. Especially low powered optics.
Maintenance and Reliability
Just with battery powered cars and the issues they are now facing; optics went through the same learning curve. Many were not waterproof and permanently fogged. Adjustment screws stuck. Some mounts were better than others.
I have 3X optics I use that are extremely reliable and hold zero. The batteries are good and last a long time. I have used them in the military, hunting and training. So, I don’t have issues with many of the new quality optics. All mine have etched reticles should the battery fail.
Operational
Bad guys have been and will be put in the ground via iron sights for years to come. I used irons my times in combat because my weapon system (M203 and Shotgun) increased the weight and bulk of the platform I was using. I did not want to add more weight, bulk and complexity to the already heavy and overloaded platform. While it looks cool, carry and clear for 18-24 hours and let me know your thoughts on it.
As for optics, they require maintenance of mounts, batteries and treatment and cleaning of the glass. I know of one officer locally that pulled his optic topped rifle out of his air-conditioned patrol car and it took one and half minutes to defog. The gun was a paperweight for that time.
Low Light
This is the only area that I see optics as having an edge. The key is that you have to have a white light in the Law Enforcement and Civilian world to discriminate. The Mil, not so much. With NVG’s and Thermals coming on line, they add to the weight and bulk. Many civilian hunters have day guns and night guns with the appropriate optics attached.
Cost
Law Enforcement as always, spends more money on gadgets, rather than training. Many would rather cut all training time out and just do qualifications. This is why many go to optics. The major problem they face is the cost per unit. Some larger agencies have 1,000 plus patrol rifles and adds to the cost and the maintenance.
Conclusion
When you had a piece of equipment to someone that does not have a grasp of the basics and does not know what Blue Loctite is, how often to change batteries, how to zero, you are setting them up for operational failure.
When management steals training time and expects an officer to perform flawlessly with a piece of equipment that is not maintenance free, again, you set them up for failure.
In the end, I shoot optics on a rifle and not a pistol. I don’t see the need on pistols and have watched many an instructor student and their targets and I am not impressed for the additional training time and cost. As for rifles, I shoot a fixed 3X and that is my choice after looking at a great deal of situations and battlefields over my years.
In the end, I believe in training Irons first and then Optics. In my experience it builds a better shooter and Instructor. That is my goal, to build a better shooter. Finally, I would not feel outclassed using irons against an opponent with a RDS or optic on their pistol.
THE LEFT
POSITIVE
2ND AMENDMENT
Gun Control
So now Americans are lectured on gun control by a political party who armed the Taliban and support a country (Ukraine) who issues automatic weapons to their citizens.
Unfortunately, a realism that came out of Uvalde were law enforcement who arrested and restrained parents from rescuing their kids who were under fire from an active shooter. This is the government at its worst.
The Uvalde Officers and leadership are not representative of the good law enforcement that is predominant in our country.
Democrats simply want control over others without having the self-discipline to self-manage their own lives. They live in a fantasy land. They have no issue killing babies and would not have any issues terminating adults that don’t agree with their left-wing hate.
Reliance on the government for self-protection is ignorant at best. Study history and you will see failure after failure.
Maybe political parties should focus mental illness, school security and other important issues. School districts here have said that they don’t want to know if they have security issues as they will have to fix them. Some are lazy and would gamble with the safety of their students.
You have an economy that is a train wreck and you want to focus on taking guns away from good Americans. Start with Chicago and let me know how it works out for you. 10 plus are killed each weekend there. That can be your test case for gun control.
When do you stop being “refined” and start taking civic action?
Some scratches are from “refined” people who did not fight, let alone raise their voice in protest.
They walked in willingly and died scratching a wall on top of a pile of humanity in Auschwitz.
When you think yourself refined, remember, it has happened once and can happen again. Look around and choose wisely when you vote and quietly prepare for what Democrats have in store for Americans.
THE HEAT
The weather is changing and in May, summer has come to Texas. With that, a couple of pointers.
First, when you train, measure your water in gallons. Get a one-gallon jug from the quick stop and refill it. This will help you measure your intake.
Next, we have use Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) for the past year or two with students and they seem to help out by preventing heat issues. I would suggest buying one for each day of training either pre-load it or take it at mid-day.
KNIVES/HAWKS
“Be sure to check in at csattss.com for our line of Tomahawks and limited-edition blades.”
REGIMENT BLADES
Simple, solid, easy to use tools.
CLASS UPDATES:
The Fall schedule has been a challenge. Law Enforcement classes are making a comeback along with School Guardian classes. I am going to change the Rifle/Pistol AIT until the January timeframe so we have adequate low light (darkness) to perform the drills. I am also waiting to see how the time change is implemented.
RANGES
Mowing is all there is to report….
HUNTING
All quiet…..
The CSAT WAY Book
IN CLOSING
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on the range.
Paul R. Howe