Cats, Guns, and National Security

A new official caliber, of course, will impact 2A civilian Militia preparations. (At least it should, unless one is a libertarian or a fool... Remember, not all fools are libertarians.) The civilian analog is apparently the .277 SIG FURY , currently available in the SIG CROSS, a bolt-action "military-style" rifle. A semi-auto version of the SIG MXC SPEAR in the caliber is also planned. Funny from this fudd's perspective, though, is how many people invested in the 6.8x43mm SPC caliber, who now find themselves 8 millimeters short and NOT in possession of a military-caliber arm. May these people learn a lesson about departing from common and standard calibers. Nonetheless, TDF 17 discussed the coming time when, under Heller, government arms will outclass and be inaccessible to civilians. It's possible this new round may mark the start of this. (NOTE: This seems less likely than before, but it is something to follow.) CAVEAT: Things are still in development, and the 5.5...

From my comment on Military Arms Channel's video,  Goody bye M16! Military Adopts the M5 rifle and 6.8x51. Are they crazy? - YouTube Hold off on going 6.8x51 till it's confirmed by testing and deployment. It indeed will be several years. There were NG units still using Garands as late as the 1970s (Kent State). Think of all the folks who departed from common North American and NATO-standard calibers by investing in 6.8 SPC. * suppresses laugh* I do wonder how many of the naysayers are just mad they got caught holding that bag. But presuming it happens, learn from past overreaches: Keep things simple. Don't go for the 2A hobbyists' approach of maxing everything out. Don't go for the CA folks' approach of trying to skirt every AW law, and thus encourage more such laws. (Remember, most Americans support gun rights, but disagree with the purists on some points. You can say that's contradictory, but the political reality--and in some cases judicial precedent...

MY COMMENT :  6.8 SIG ammo is lighter due to composite construction, mitigating any necessity for reducing ammo carry. U.S. tactics long ago moved away from a lot of full-auto by riflemen, mitigating recoil and lower mag capacity. Longer range is good even without the scope against an area target. And the power goes to penetrating armor. 6.8 does itself split a difference--between 5.56 and 7.62, that is. The funny part of the 6.8 SIG, though: All those people who jumped the gun, departed from NATO standard and common North American calibers, and invested in 6.8 SPC are left holding the bag. TDF INDEX:  Cats, Guns, and National Security: THE DAILY FUDD index.    https://catsgunsandnationalsecurity.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-daily-fudd-index.html

The recent mass shooting in Texas points up again the "assaultive" advantages of certain "military-style" arms. And thus, it brings to mind the "Homeland Defense," or "Militia" rifle." A larger-caliber weapon potentially reduces these traits , while actually  enhancing effectiveness in situations more likely to happen for civilian 2A Militia (see below). Of note now, though, is the recent adoption of the 6.8x51mm round . Being more like a "battle rifle" caliber than it is the 5.56mm, less ammunition is expected to be carried, and more recoil is demonstrated to be felt . In one sense, it's seemingly a move TOWARD the "battle rifle" basis of the HDR, which lends credence to the idea that higher-powered calibers in regular infantry rifles still have military value , and makes the HDR concept (probably in that caliber) more appealing to the 2A community . G iven that it will take a few years to implement the switch to ...

A 2039 "Neo-Armalite"? Alternative-history writer Harry Turtledove's (of "The Guns of the South" fame) "The Road Not Taken" is discussed HERE . It is recommended that the reader at least glance at it for a full context of this post. In the story, set in still-future mid-21st century, Turtledove references soldiers using "clips" to reload their Army rifles. Of course, with the current craze of pouncing on the "magazine"-versus-"clip" definition distinction , a young YouTuber addressed it in his reading of the story, and commenters picked up on it. Again, see HERE . In an ongoing discussion, yours truly, in perhaps a certain fudd mood and in simple defense of the writer's use of the 1980s terminology convention, suggested in defense of Turtledove's use that perhaps the rifles did indeed use mere clips--ammunition-holding racks with no feed mechanism within themselves. The excerpted conversation from the comment thre...

Please pardon the formatting issues. Since I'm just a regular guy more focused on ideas than form, I do my best, but this platform gives fits. CAUTIONARY NOTE TO COMMON GUNNERS:   Please, folks, be sophisticated in your reading of material like this.  As we recently saw in the lead-up to the consummation of the 2020 Election Steal, and as noted by such great minds as Victor Davis Hanson,  it can be difficult to discuss worst-case scenarios and responses to them without sounding as though one is resigned to them or even supportive of them.  Sometimes it's necessary to take things arguendo just to discuss the whole matter. So when reading this or other things in TDF and elsewhere on maintaining baseline RKBA, keep in mind that often this is not an endorsement of a position, but rather a practical tool.  There are cases where I am very literally definitive in my analyses--e.g., on  full-auto  or the distinction in Anglo-American Common Law and jurispruden...