Newest Addition: Gallery Gun

I have always liked gallery guns, but they're kind of hard to find. To me, those .22 caliber pumps represent the apex of plinking fun.

For the past couple of years, I've visited our local pawn shop occasionally, and I've always checked to see if they had any gallery guns. Then, a few weeks ago, BINGO!

Short version, I now own a Savage Model 29, chambered for .22 short, long and long rifle. The original bluing has long since worn off, and a pleasant patina has taken its place. It has some miles on it, but so does its new owner.

 It did concern me that its previous owner might have shot a lot of shorts in it, which can erode the chamber. Long rifle cases could then expand into the depression and be difficult to eject. However, when I tested it the next day, it performed flawlessly, and the action works smoothly, like licking an ice cream cone on a hot day.

I did some research online, and I found that a the octagonal barrel on my Model 29 pushes its origin to before World War II. The low serial number (52xx) makes me wonder if it dates back to the first year or so of manufacture.

The pawn shop had a gunsmith repair and refinish the stock. This photo does not do justice to the nice finish he put on it. In the lower right, you can see the line where the stock was broken.

Gunshot First Aid

Here's the link to an article I ran across that I thought was informative: Gunshot First Aid for Preppers.

This is an area where I really don't have experience. I'd be interested in hearing from readers with firsthand experience. (I'm looking for people with experience, not just opinions.)

Hanky-zilla: My Shemagh

Military types have long-since adopted the shemagh, due to its utility. I've included one in my every day carry (EDC), and when I forgot it this past Sunday, I felt almost as though I were going to church naked.

You may be asking, "So, whats a shemagh?" In short, it's a super-sized bandanna. It's a square that usually measures 42" on a side.

Okay, what's it good for?  Here are a few suggestions from an ad I received:

• Dust Protection. Cover your face on motorcycles, truck beds, and tops of chicken buses.
• Sun Protection. Great for when you’re stranded in mid-day heat without shade nearby.
• Towel. Small, lightweight, fast drying, but thick enough get the job done. Perfect for the beach.
• Warmth. Wrap it around your neck as a scarf on the top of a mountain.
• Bag. Lay it out, put stuff in middle, tie four corners together. Instant hobo sack.
• Sarong. While shorter than a normal one, it can still be wrapped around your waist.
• Sweat Rag. Great for hiking, running, or other sweat-inducing activities.
• Arm Sling. Sprain a wrist or break an arm? Perfect for temporary immobilization.
• Emergency Bandage. Help stop bleeding and protect the wound until you get to a hospital.
• Pillow. Thick & soft enough to ball up and sleep with on bus rides or camping trips.
• Weapon. Twist a big rock up in the middle, and you have an instant self-defense tool!
• Concealment. Breaks up head silhouette.  Covers gun.
• Rope. Long enough to be rolled up to tie things together.
• Water Filter. Fold up multiple times and filter debris out of water before boiling.
• Keeping Cool. Soak in cold water and wrap around your neck.
• Signal Flag. Large enough to wave and get someone’s attention.
• Blanket. Good for covering your upper or lower body..
• Pot Holder. Take that boiling water you just filtered off the fire.
• Eye Mask. Sleep during the day or in a hostel when lights are on.
• Poop wiper, nose rag, etc.  The list goes on and on.
• 
  

When I ordered mine from Amazon (Click here to see), it cost me $9.99 with free shipping.

Power Signals, Posture and the Christian Martialist, 3

Continued from "Power Signals, Posture and the Christian Martialist, 2"

In the previous post I established that the Bible links physical posture to inner moods and attitudes. In the next post, I want to tell a little bit about how I use the power poses in my own training.

First, though, let's look at some of the poses I use. I'll call on two of my favorites, Doc Savage and The Phantom to illustrate.

Above, you can see both Doc and The Phantom taking up space, a classic characteristic of power posing. To me, this pose signifies ready for anything.

Dr. Cuddy calls this "the Wonder Woman pose". In reality, almost every comic book hero assumes this posture often.

Usually, folded arms connote weakness, but not here. The Phantom has not hunched his shoulders, his chin is up, and he has assumed a wide stance. This pose virtually screams, "I'm in charge, here.".

Doc Savage projects power with arms upraised. The upper image reminds me of what I call the strongman pose.

It's difficult to find comic book heroes using the victory pose. When I use it, the word "exultant" comes to mind.

Both Doc and The Phantom project authority, even when seated. For this one, you need the biggest armchair you can find, then spread out to fill the space..

Power Signals, Posture and the Christian Martialist, 2

Continued from "Power Signals, Posture and the Christian Martialist"

In the previous post, I presented the principle that how you position your body affects your own inner attitude. When you are in a hostile environment, you want to project confidence and power to yourself as well as to potential adversaries.

The Christian Martialist, however, must ask himself the question: "Does this principle represent some fad in pop psychology, or does it arise out God's built-in design? Of course, the Word of God holds the ultimate answer to the validity of power poses.

I did a study on where the Bible associates physical posture with inner moods and attitudes. I also checked some commentaries that help to confirm and explain those connections.

Posture, Mood & Attitude

Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Commentary:

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? - Margin, bowed down. The Hebrew word means to bow down, to incline oneself; then, usually, to prostrate oneself as in public worship; and then, to sink down under the weight of sorrow; to be depressed and sad. The Septuagint renders it, “Why art thou grieved?” - περίλυπος (Barnes)

Psalm 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Commentary:

And now shall mine head - Now shall I be exalted. So we say that in affliction a person bows down his head; in prosperity he lifts it up. This verse expresses the confident expectation that he would be enabled to triumph over all his foes, and a firm purpose on his part, as the result of this, to offer sacrifices of praise to his great Deliverer. (Barnes)

Psalm 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Commentary:

Therefore shall he lift up the head - Therefore shall he triumph, or be successful. The head falls when we are faint and exhausted, when we are disappointed and are ashamed, when we are conscious of guilt. It is lifted up in conscious rectitude, in success and triumph, in the exuberance of hope. (Barnes)

Psalm 119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Commentary:

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments ... - As an expression of delight or rejoicing, as people lift up their hands with their voice when they give expression to joy. It denotes a high state of joy, such as leads to an outward expression; not merely that which exists in calm contemplation, but where the heart is full, and when it finds outward expression. (Barnes)

Psalm 134:1 A Song of degrees. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.

Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.

Psalm 134:3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

Commentary:

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary - Margin, In holiness. The Hebrew word properly means holiness, but it may be applied to a holy place. See Psalm_20:2. The lifting up of the hands is properly expressive of prayer, but the phrase may be used to denote praise or worship in general. (Barnes)

Lam 3:41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Commentary:

Lift up the hands which hang down - As if from weariness and exhaustion. Renew your courage; make a new effort to bear them. The hands fall by the side when we are exhausted with toil, or worn down by disease; see the notes on Isa_35:3, from which place this exhortation is taken. (Barnes)

Isa 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Commentary:

The weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees - Strength resides mainly in the arms, and in the lower limbs, or the knees. If these are feeble, the whole frame is feeble. Fear relaxes the strength of the arms, and the firmness of the knees; and the expressions ‘weak hands,’ and ‘feeble knees,’ become synonymous with saying, of a timid, fearful, and desponding frame of mind. (Barnes)

Job 22:6 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Commentary:

And shalt lift up thy face unto God - An emblem of prosperity, happiness, and conscious innocence. We hang our face down when we are conscious of guilt; we bow the head in adversity. When conscious of uprightness; when blessed with prosperity, and when we have evidence that we are the children of God, we look up toward heaven. This was the natural condition of human beings - made to look upward, while all other animals look grovelling on the earth. (Barnes)

Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Eze 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

Eze 2:2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

Jos 7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Jos 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

Jos 7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies,

Pro 28:12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

Rejoice:

‛âlats

aw-lats'

A primitive root; to jump for joy, that is, exult: - be joyful, rejoice, triumph. (Strong)

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Subdue:

kâbash

kaw-bash'

A primitive root; to tread down; hence negatively to disregard; positively to conquer, subjugate, violate: - bring into bondage, force, keep under, subdue, bring into subjection. (Strong)

I read a commentary that said this word’s usage stemmed from the practice of kings in the ancient Near East to place a foot upon the neck of a conquered foe, denoting total and absolute subjugation. (C.M.)

Power Signals, Posture and the Christian Martialist

The following helpful paragraph came from an ad:

There are three groups of power signals, each group or range communicates a personality or character quality.

• Alpha Signals: Leadership, Dominance, Control. An Alpha will initiate action and take up space.
• Beta Signals: Competence, Credibility, Intelligence, Confidence. A person with Beta characteristics interacts and shares space.
• Gamma Signals: Friendliness, Likeability, Interpersonal Attractiveness. A Gamma will respond and give up space.

The ad goes on to say that each serves an appropriate role, depending on the social context. 

I've written previously about how when you project confidence (as opposed to cockiness or bravado), predators tend to steer away from you and look for easier prey. I was also interested to find out that your posture not only affects how others see you, it affects your own confidence levels -- how you feel about yourself.

Power posture -- I like to refer to this as my superhero poses -- has been shown to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. This will serve as one more tool in your kit to control adrenaline in emergency situations. The health benefits that result from regular practice of power poses come as an added bonus.

View the video below for the whole story, and it would not hurt to have your women folk watch it, as well. This could save them from an attack they will never know was imminent.

Fitness and the Warrior Fallen Ill

You train in order to be ready to meet the unannounced threat. But what do you do about training when you're down with a cold, or even something more debilitating? 

The infographic below by Dr. John Berardi addresses when, how and why you should exercise when you're ill. If you have trouble reading it here on the blog, you can access it at THIS LINK.