Photos from the 19th Defense & Sporting Arms Show (part deux)

Yep. I went shopping. 

The 2nd part of this year's gun show has come to a close. I had my usual good time. Always fun to see old friends from the IPSC competitive scene, especially the Range Officers who make all the good times possible.

Click on the photos to zoom in.

The Israeli TAR-21, how I dream of this all the time. If I sold my Benelli I'd probably afford the one in the middle. :-(

Shooters Arms Manufacturing, Inc. features a semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun that resembles the famous USAS-12 of South Korea.

The Rock Island Armory's MIG .22

As a whole, I feel that the Defense & Sporting Arms Show needs to step up its game for its 20th anniversary next year. It was a good exhibition but I feel that they need to break new ground. The big name companies are there like Jethro, Armscor, P.B. Dionisio, Trust Trade, Magnus, Twin Pines and more. However I think its time they choose a bigger convention center to feature a wider selection of vendors. 

Clockwise: The expensive but lovely SIG P238 .380 in rainbow finish, gold plated 20th Anniversary STI 1911, Ruger LCP vs Kel-Tec's P3AT, and the pink Taurus TCP.

I admire what the organizers have been doing over the years. The firearm safety and personal defense seminars are always top rate. If only we had more space, they could have way more speakers to tackle a lot of important topics. 

Knowledge is ammunition, and the organizers may be underestimating the potential attendance that could be generated from a more formidable lineup of speakers. From competitive sporting, safety, hunting, home defense, martial arts, celebrities, zombie killing, the sky is the limit. Putting these topics on the promotional poster and advertising campaigns will generate a lot of excitement. 

I'll send my suggestions to them alright. Looking forward to next year. Wohoo!

Stay vigilant!

Melee Weapons: Gerber APOCALYPSE KIT

Gerber is selling a limited quantity of its APOCALYPSE KIT. Its that nifty bunch of weapons that the kid found on season 2 of The Walking Dead. If you ask me, I'd grab the hatchet first, and then the Parang (machete) second. 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of this zombie-apocalypse marketing craze.

Its hard to separate the good stuff from the snake-oil gimmickry.

The good news is that I've had a lot of good times with Gerber products. Especially in my Boy Scout years. So if they wanna join the undead craze, fine with me.

The kit comes with the following goodies in a durable carry-bag thingy:

• Gator Machete
• Camp Axe II
• Gator Machete Pro
• Parang
• LMF II Infantry
• DMF Folder
• Epic (a small serrated knife)

              Price: $349

Thing is, with just $100 bucks I could buy whole family a bunch of axes from Ace Hardware or True Value, and still have a lot of dough for other survival essentials. Like food, ammo, grappling hook, toothpaste, etc.

• Will I buy the APOCALYPSE KIT? I'm on the fence because the price is a big factor.

• Will I use the APOCALYPSE KIT if I found it somewhere? YES! They make quality stuff.

I'm sure Gerber's goods won't let you down. If you can spare the dough, go for it. Don't mind me, I'm balancing my modest budget on a wider range of survival gear for my whole family. 'Coz I'm cool like that.

REMEMBER: The best zombie killing weapons can do the job with a single blow. Extra hits suck. Time is life. 

Stay vigilant!

Thanks to my brother for the heads up on this gear!

Huey's Gunsight - 5 Things you'll forget WTSHTF that could get you killed...

A friend of ours has a list of 5 things that you may forget when the Zombie Apocalypse hits that could get you killed.

Check it out over here at Huey's Gunsight.

I've been an avid reader of his since I started blogging and enjoy all of his articles. The cool part is he's a like-minded family man who's also preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.

After reading his really cool suggestion, I thought more about Firearms, ammunition and medicine. 

When to use firearms against zombies:

• I agree that sufficient ammunition is needed. Problem is that many folks don't realize how heavy a bunch of ammo could be. Not to mention bulky. Try putting 400 shotgun shells in your bug-out-bag. Its like carrying a cooler filled with ice.  

• Having ammo & guns is one thing. Using them at the right time is another. We should only use firearms when it is a matter of life and death. We should use weapons that don't use gunpowder for daily zombie destruction. Why? Because bullets will be scarce! 

• Save your guns for missions that require maximum speed or for critical defense. This means emergencies like rescue missions, escaping from your fortress/home that was broken into by zombies, buying time for your friends, defending against human bad guys (there will be a lot of these, all the movies prove this), etc. 

• Ammunition may become a form of currency in a post-apocalyptic world. Trading some of my home-made shotgun shells for uncle Don's squirrel pie seems like a fair trade.

Imagine a world dominated by millions of undead. Now imagine yourself with awesome biceps from killing dozens of them every day with your trusty axe. This is how the war will be won!

Stay tuned for the TZH Guide to Hand Axe Combat.

Medicine in a Post-Apocalyptic World:

Huey's Gunsight bring up a lot of important points here. A toothbrush is important. I have also been advocating Dental Care as an essential survival tool for the whole family. It is possible to produce makeshift toothbrushes with a few twigs and the right shrubs. There are also a lot of bushcraft resources for homebrew toothpaste. I will share them later on. 

I was a pretty snazzy chemist back in grade-school and could whip up my own batch of soap. Don't neglect personal hygiene! 

Let's not forget medication. If your mom needs Lipitor, you may need to stock up or update your survival map. Identify potential pharmaceutical resources that you can loot for whatever ails your family.

Make new friends
Sharing survival ideas is awesome! Being a zombie survivalist does not have to be so darn lonely. None of us have all the answers, and you'll be amazed from what you could learn.




Stay vigilant!

Headshot Training: SF Archery Recurve Bow

Its taken about two weeks for me shoot at stuff without embarrassing myself. The good part about it is that I can do this in my own back yard! 

At least 3x a week,  I pull out a double-layered rubber mat target and hang it on our laundry clothesline. I then pull out my SF Archery take-down recurve bow from my bug-out-bag. My archery range is pretty safe, there's a deserted grassy fiend behind my home.

Killing Zeds

We all know that head shots are the only way to dispatch the living dead. Easier said than done. Lower shots to the face may only go through the mouth and throat. Those won't do. 

Is the upper half of the head you need to aim for. Now try that on an undead person you may have known who is now shambling towards you. It will be quite disturbing.

Warning: broadhead arrows will damage rubber mat targets. 

I'll save them for a Smashing Coconut Test (TM).

Method

• Targets are set 15 meters or 49 feet away.
• The head area should be close to the actual size. Smaller is better if you have space limitations.
• The clothesline could be pulled up and down for added difficulty. 
• In the future I'll design it in a way that we can pull the target towards the shooter.
• Nighttime archery is very important training. Too bad the videos of these were too dark

Observe archery safety at all times:

1. A bow is not a toy
2. Do not hold your bow if someone is downrange
3. Be aware of your surroundings, even behind the shooting line 
4. Do not point the bow at something you are willing to destroy or eat 

Note: I eat whatever I catch. I frown on wasteful hunting and poaching.

This is how 49 feet looks like. 

Aim between the eyes.

Its best to use drawings or print-outs of zombies to shoot at. Full-color if your could afford it. 

Remember: they need to be menacing and creepy. You must be mentally prepared to take them out when the time comes.

Here's a short video of my session on a fine sunny afternoon.

best viewed on youtube

Archery rocks man. Survivalists will love its versatility. Feed your family, improve your physique, kill zeds. Its a quiver full of win!

Stay vigilant!

19th Defense & Sporting Arms Show 2011, Part II

Its that time of the year again. The second part of this year's Gun Show will be held at the same happy place this November 17-21 at Megatrade Hall 1 & 2 at building B of the SM Megamall.  

Incidentally, this is the worst sort of shopping mall to get caught in WTSHTF, but I digress...

I'm looking forward to the big discounts they put on all items here for hunting, competition, defense, cleaning supplies, exotic ammo, and more.

The gun show is also known for its defense-themed seminars.

Last time they had a Krav Maga martial arts instructor teach the basics of combat for women. This was a lot of fun because ladies of various ages gave it a try. I think the Jason Bourne lookalike instructor had a lot to do with it.

The next show will be around July 2012, a really long wait if you miss this one.

UPDATE: New photos could be found here.

Stay vigilant!

The Recurve Bow VS Zombies

I. Bows & Arrows

Archery has been one of mankind's primary tools for hunting, warfare and sport for the past seven thousand years. It can serve us well WTSHTF.

The zombie apocalypse will potentially last years or even decades. There won't be a shortage of ingenuity & craftsmen, only the raw materials.  Ammunition will be scarce, and maintaining guns will be increasingly difficult. On the other hand, wood and a little metal are needed to construct bows & arrows. 

Numerous resources are available for a variety of bow types (like the US Army Survival Manual), and the ones you find online are only the tip of the iceberg.

II. Training

I've recently gotten into archery and have been taking lessons with my family. It is quite satisfying to put your arrows where you want them to! I get the same buzz from putting lead on steel plates at 20 meters. Both disciplines require the same amount of skill and dedication. This is a life long thing, and I'm looking forward to every minute of shooting stuff.

For a pistolero like me, it was really cool that I could retrieve my ammunition and re-use them on the spot. No reloading required! I can do this in my back yard too.

It is not noiseless as some may think, but definitely quieter than most suppressed weapons. And a more accessible one at that. 

All in all, the bow is an effective weapon and a wonderful sporting activity for the whole family.

I chose the recurve bow for the following reasons in no particular order:

• anything that is an Olympic sport is a worthwhile activity
• ease of maintenance: dissasembly / assembly takes only a minute without specialized tools
• easy to stow away, compact
• components are durable, can last many years with proper use
• an excellent choice for zombie-killing covert missions & clearing operations
• can help you hunt for food: bowfishing, birds, deer, & other nice things

I've also made a SMASHING COCONUT TEST to see how it would fare against a zombie skull.

When the last bullet is shot, arrows will fly.

Stay vigilant!

Happy Halloween!

To celebrate, here's what went down at the Run For Your Lives 5K obstacle race at Baltimore. I really wish I could have made it to this one!

And here are some cool folks who volunteered to play the opposing force for the day. Hats off to the runners and zombies!

Stay vigilant!