Gun-Safe Maintenance

07 Nov 07

Gun-safe maintenance, from a student:

"I just found out the hard way that gun-safes are not maintenance-free! Sunday, I went to my fifteen-year-old Liberty Gun-safe, with its S&G dial-combination lock, to retrieve several items. It wouldn't open! The dial turned normally, but no longer had a 'hard stop.' I called the retailer where I had purchased it. He put me in touch with the factory. They were helpful, but after trying thirty alternate combinations they supplied, I still had no joy!

I finally called a locksmith. He managed to restore the dial to normal function by striking it several times with a hammer. Whacking was free. Knowing where to whack cost me a hundred dollars! Thank heaven it was not necessary to drill it.

Tuesday, he installed a new, electronic-keypad lock.

He explained that S&G dial-combination locks need to be serviced every five years. I had no idea! I'm just thankful this little problem didn't rear its ugly head in the middle of an emergency.

We live and learn!"

Comment: I find electronic-keypad locks easier to use than dial combinations, but they are not trouble-free either. And, an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) produced by a nuclear detonation may well fry electronic locks instantly.

All that secured firepower will be of little use when you can't get your safe open!

/John

SIG Customer Service

07 Nov 07

Good marks for SIG. This from a friend in CA:

"In October, I sent my P239, which I bought used, to SIGARMS for new night-sights, all under the SIG Service Plan, which has turned out to be a good deal!

I received my pistol back in exactly one week. Imagine my pleasant surprise when, upon checking the enclosed service order, I discovered that they had reconditioned/overhauled the entire pistol, replacing numerous parts, among which was the slide itself ('breech-face damaged')!

My pistol, with new night-sights, is now better than new. That is customer service!

SIG has some friends here!"

Comment: The importance of competent customer service cannot be overemphasized. Shallow-thinking marketers concern themselves only with"making sales." Smart management devotes itself to "making customers!" The disappointment of poor customer service will muddle one's perception of a companylong after the glitter of low price has faded!

/John

Quota-Based Training

07 Nov 07

At what point does quota-based "training" become incompetent? From an LEO trainer and colleague in SA:

"We presented our Course to a group of new officers, among whom wasa female who had never touched an autoloading pistol before that day. We're rushed here, and we have only a short time to teach as much as we can. This forces us to drop items from our curriculum that should be included, especially for first-time shooters.

For example, we leave out explaining, in detail, mechanical workings of the autoloading pistol (cycle of operation), as we naively believed this becomes clear with practical work. When we got to the range, our female officer was well prepared and did just fine with her dry-fire drills. However, when we went live, upon firing her first shot, the ejected case went straight backand hit her shooting glasses, making a characteristic "tick" sound upon impact.

Her glasses protected her eye, of course, but she immediately displayed a confused expression and started to turn around. I grabbed her arm, preventing the weapon from pointing down the line.

We got her pistol holstered, and I asked her if she was okay. Still befuddled, she told me that there must be something wrong with the gun, as the bullet had come out from the side! That explanation may sound juvenile to the mechanically-minded and firearms-knowledgeable, but, to this student, things were not so clear.

A short break, where weapon mechanics were belatedly explained, quickly sorted out the confusion. Our officer went on to be the best shot in the Course, consistently outperforming all her fellow students, both male and female!"

Comment: We trainers are forced to follow arbitrary whims of politics, while simultaneously compelled to push quotas instead of quality training. But, how many details can we leave out before our program becomes genuinely inadequate?

I fully realize that some items that will have to be sacrificed in order that others remain in the program. However, professional trainers working in these conditions have to remain constantly aware of the pitfalls this creates and at what point the entire curriculum degenerates into incompetence.

At that point, we have to have the personal courage to put our foot down, hard!

/John

Rule of "R"

07 Nov 07

This is from a colleague here in CO. Good way to remember what to do when the shooting stops.

"Rule of "R:"

Re-locate Re-orient Re-load Re-cover Re-acquire Re-apply

Just because the VCAs is/are down or has/have run away does not mean he/they no longer represent a threat. Your lateral movement will disorient and confuse them. Get off the "X!"

Tunnel/magnification vision is common when you're compelled defend yourself with gunfire. Restore normal perspective while simultaneously checking out all angles. This is done by turning your head. Look to the sides and behind you.

Locate and analyze ongoing threats. Point your gun in the direction of the most pernicious threat. Don't relax too soon. The fight may be just getting started!

Reload when you want to, not when you have to!

When cover is available, move to and use it to your best advantage.

Resume shooting the instant it becomes necessary. Be precise and thorough."

Comment: Trainers are always looks for clever ways of packaging and presenting vital material. Who find the foregoing helpful should use it!

/John