Tactical Pledge

[Skunkabilly]

I hereby pledge that I will spend more money on training than toys this year. Ouch. OK I did it. Y'all can try to hold me accountable now.

[Phyphor]

Considering Cali's bunk laws, you'd be better set to spend your cash on training, as toys just became one helluva lot harder to come by.

[Still Learning]

We would all be better off if we took the "Skunk Pledge" to spend more on training than on toys. It might even work to our advantage: "But honey, I took the Skunk Pledge. After buying the Steyr Scout I HAVE to go to Thunder Ranch for two weeks so I'm spending more on training than on toys."

I'll let you guys know how it works. ;)

[Phyphor]

Yea, I'm sure my owner...er. . I mean... OLD LADY would really buy THAT one. :D

[scottgun]

When I'm out and about I'll say "I want to be tactical as Skunk" - people look at me really funny. But can you ever be too tactical?

Also, do you ever have the problem of not being able to find your tactical gear when you need to. I'll have mine in a drawer or pile and can never find what I'm looking for because it all turns into a blended pile of black tactical undifferentiated gear. Any suggestions?

[Frohickey]

Spending more money in training than in new toys is difficult... especially when you have the Kalifornia legislature threatening to ban 50BMG rifles.

Of course, I could just splurge on a few Birdman Weapon Systems Jaded 50rifle. :scrutiny:

[Skunkabilly]

Also, do you ever have the problem of not being able to find your tactical gear when you need to. I'll have mine in a drawer or pile and can never find what I'm looking for because it all turns into a blended pile of black tactical undifferentiated gear. Any suggestions?


When not in use, put ALL your holsters and magpouches on the belt. Take them off as needed when heading to a class or a match.

I guess I should include 'match fees' in there, because the trigger time really does help my shooting....

[Citadel99]

Skunk,

For this year, spend that money you're going to spend on training and MOVE TO A GUN FRIENDLY STATE. There, I said it.

Mark

[Beer for my Horses]

You can never get enough professional training. . . . although many here might say you can never buy enough guns also. However, remember the old addage that the most dangerous man is not the one with a lot of guns, but the one who only owns one gun and is well trained in its use.

[sonoranjack]

Last May I took a training class at my local range. The instructor invited the class to participate in a fun shoot held at the range weekly. The fun shoot is desgined to give the shooter an idea of skills the shooter needs to practice. I haven't seen any other class member at the fun shoot or at the range since class. Last week I ran into 1 of the class memebers at the range. He bought a new pistol & said he was planning on re-taking the same training class w/ the new pistol. I asked this shooter if he practiced the skill learned from class. He said no. I try to practice those skills at each weekly range session. What good is training if the shooter wont practice skills learned?

[Fred]

Skunk,

What's been your training experience thus far?

TIA.

[Skunkabilly]

What's been your training experience thus far?

I went through underground demolitions training while I was on the teams, where I learned to HALO out of the space shuttle, wearing nothing but a Speedo. :p

Actually, I only have a hunter's safety course, about 35 hours of formal handgun instruction and 18 hours of shotgun instruction, and started doing some chop-sockey/wrestling stuff on weeknights where I found out I have the flexibility of a fat guy in a skinny guy's body.

I figure I need hand to hand skillz since the only thing I ccw are my running shoes.

A knife class would be nice considering I carry around my Emerson all the time.

I try to shoot matches on the weekends, not so much for tactics but for marksmanship.

[Fred]

about 35 hours of formal handgun instruction

If you'd like to add 12 free hours of low light training to your tactical tool bag, drop me a line on our web site.

The course will be held on Feb 2 & 9, 2003 from 3 - 9 PM. 6 hours per day on two consecutive Sundays for a total of twelve hours. We are based out of So. Cal. Sharpshooter in Torrance, Ca. 310 618-9971.

We offer a free slot every now and then to folks who are interested in training.

My co instructor was certified in low light operations by Sure Fire @ Gun Site a couple of years ago.

www.wct.4t.com

[Dave McCracken]

Gee, Skunkabilly, where have I heard that before?

Congrats on your Satori....

[Skunkabilly]

What's a Satori?

[Average Guy]

started doing some chop-sockey/wrestling stuff on weeknights

Where, pray tell? I was kickboxing at Next Generation in Irvine until recently. Gotta get back--after all, they're still taking my money. (And I'll tell ya--the women in the office LOVE to see a man with a black eye. Strange but true.)

What's a Satori?

Isn't that a top o' the line Browning skeet gun? :D

[twoblink]

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and he might go hungry because he can't fish...

Give a man an M1A, and he might blow off his hand, train a man to use an M1A, he might get killed in time of need, because he blew all his money on training and so he couldn't afford to buy a gun afterwards..

:D

The "Skunk Pledge" really doesn't say anything more then "by the end of the year, the ratio of $$$ spent on "tactical training" will be higher then "tactical gear""

Go skunk go!!! Sell the USP and get some training!! (Preferably by a female Korean sniper)

[Mute]

Skunk,

Here's (http://www.shooters-edge.com) a good starting place to keep your pledge

[Fred]

Yep, Bruce runs a good program. I've trained with him a number of times and it's always been great.

On his web site photo section my ugly head is between the number 7 & 8 target markers. That picture was taken during an advanced handgun class with Louie. It rocked!

[10-Ring]

Hey, twoblink, give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and I'll show you a guy w/ an alcohol abuse problem! :D

Skunk, the pledge is null & void unless you had your strong hand on Nina & your weak hand on a stack of old G&A's ;) :evil:

[Schuey2002]

Skunk, a satori is "a state of intuitive illumination sought in Zen Buddhism".. :what:

I pledge to laugh at as many of Skunk's 'Tactical' posts as I can this year..:D

[twoblink]

When I go back for a little bit in April, Skunk is going to show me his Kung_Fuy choppy choppy wrestling skills. He's going to throw me clear across the floor...

I can't wait to see the results of the uber-tactical training he's been receiving.

[Mannlicher]

I pledge not to use the word 'tactical' unless I am making disparaging remarks about people that use the term.

Golly, that word is getting obnoxious...............

But you are certainly correct in saying more training is needed, it is money well spent to increase your level of competance.

[10-Ring]

that word is getting obnoxious

Hmmmm....I think I want to get me one of those OBNOXIOUS Kimbers :D Yeah, I see what ya mean :scrutiny: But you know, I don't see that word being engraved on a slide in the near future!

[twoblink]

that word is getting obnoxious

Yeah, until you start dating someone UN-tactical...

[Gunhead]

Hey Skunk, you should try my extremely untactical and cost effective training for untactical situations instead taking "courses" from so called "experts".

My current recipe is to take the P7 to the range for training and shoot the USP on the competitions. This way I always try to shoot the USP just as fast as the P7. Seems to be working, 'cos my % is around 10 points higher even with 4-5 mike's. :neener: :evil: :D

[Skunkabilly]

Gunhead, my tactical budget is pretty much dried up for the month :( I'm saving up for a class next week. Shot about 4 matches this month, first three were great but last week's was awful.

Refresher shoot tomorrow morning, my school drills at the free end of the month, but the range where they teach upped its fees :(

[CAP]

I like the Skunk Pledge, but I had already commited to spending more on AMMO this year than guns.

Storage is what I'm working on now. :D

[Gunhead]

Guess I must be lucky, because the guys who teached me (GM's, LE instructors, been-here-done-that old guys, etc) refused to take money... The book from Brian Enos also helped a lot. (From class "B" I jumped to "A" in IPSC pistol and carbine.)

Nowadays I think the best training is to shoot as many competitions (steel, IPSC, 3-gun, IDPA, bullseye, whatever) as you can.

Save some money or sell the gun you use the least (you lucky US guys can get another anytime), buy as many rounds as you can and go to every match in your area.

[VaughnT]

Great Idea, Skunk. There is nothing quite so thrilling as knowing how to live through bad times.

I see a lot of posts here, but I don't see a lot of people taking the same pledge. That's curious.

If you don't mind, Skunk, I'll step up to the plate and stand with you. More training, less toys.

[El Tejon]

By golly, Vaugh's right (again). I join with you, Skunk, by placing my right hand on a Thai cookbook and plegding to go to more skuls.

[Skunkabilly]

El Tejon...deep down...do you REALLY think pad thai is superior to bulgogi?

Of course, this doesn't count the toys I'm getting with the money from selling my .45s and my rifle....

[El Tejon]

Skunk, hmmm, I going with YES!

[Gomez]

It's interesting how many people have looked at this thread, how many have posted and how few have taken the pledge, as Vaugh noted.

I herby and officially take the Skunkabilly Tactical Pledge.

I've done three days of formal training so far this year, have an informal group that meets every Monday evening and have about six other training classes scheduled for this year. The only gun purchase that I'm planning is a $300 AK, so I guess I'm ahead of the curve.

[Fred]

It's interesting how many people have looked at this thread, how many have posted and how few have taken the pledge

No kidding. Anyone can post about training on the Internet, but real training may lead one to self realizations that not everyone is prepared to face.

I've had five training days so far this year. A level IIIA with Scotty Reitz at ITTS, and a four day Handgun Master Perp course at Front Sight. I try to train around twenty days a year at various shooting schools.

[cold]

OK - OK,
I'm signing up for Jim Keating's Riddle of Steel blade training in October, if I make the cut (pun). Should be a lifetime event. Training with JAK and jet boating the Snake River for four days. Hey, what's better than that?

Also, just received the Dog Brothers six tape set on stick fighting. Their slogan is "Higher consciousness through harder contact." Those bro's mean what they say.

Mike

[VaughnT]

I'll bump this one back up so more folks have a chance to swear the Oath of Education.

For the record, I'm out about $700 to Ted Yost for what basically amounts to a 1* package (should be here by the end of next month). Now I have to really bust some hump to beat that with training time.

Mr. Gomez, drop me a PM/EM with the OPS schedule. I'll be heading to Ronin Int'l for some classtime, too.

Everybody sign on!!!

[Gomez]

Vaughn,

Greetins. Sorry for the lag. Message sent.

[FPrice]

"Also, do you ever have the problem of not being able to find your tactical gear when you need to. I'll have mine in a drawer or pile and can never find what I'm looking for because it all turns into a blended pile of black tactical undifferentiated gear. Any suggestions?"

You mean, you actually TAKE your tactical gear...OFF???

What a concept!

:what:

[FPrice]

"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and he might go hungry because he can't fish..."

The CORRECT adage is...

"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and he will buy funny hats and his family will never see him on weekends.".

[Skunkabilly]

Well it's the 2nd quarter now and I somehow am managing not to break it...only because I'm still in California :D

I actually spent more on food than gun stuff so far... :o

[VaughnT]

Q2 Report: I just got my Colt back from Ted Yost and he did a fantastic job fixing the buggering done by the guy before him. That welder he has is a magician and the customer service is beyond description.

Training hasn't happened as of yet. I'm a horrible procrastinator and a penny-pincher, but I'm trying to work through that. I'm hoping that a decent duty rig will come to mind (very hard finding the type of gear I want) and I'll have something to train with. Until then, it's dryfire and static range work.

If I can't spend more on training than I have in this gun, at least I'll make an honest effort to come close.:o

[El Tejon]

El Tejon's 2d Q report, status: mild state of pique, too much to do and not enough time, phone will not stop ringing, everyone wants me to work, no one wants to pay.

Now, on to gun skul. On April 4th, fly to Tejas to attend General Purpose Rifle at Thunder Ranch with Doc SWAT (already pre-positioned in Saint Tony's giving lectures for Lilly). Will learn a bunch, but will not go ReeHaw! and wear silly hats and pointy elf boots, but will not reconquer the South. I only go so far as I'm a Yankee.

In addition, had Signal 8 with Lone Ranger. Hackathorn in May in Michigun where Lone is and he is hanging at Fashionable Bachelor Pad for Awerbuck classes in August. Sent money in last week for this.

When back from Tejas will be lecturing at couple NRA seminars here in Lafayette and then in Indy. Not very tactical for me, but helps others.

Glock-o-matic wants me to do "Advanced Handgun Skills", aka "Shoot till you Puke." Depends on what people in black dresses tell me.

GWR in the fall.

[Daniel Flory]

I will take that pledge. But I probably won't even have the chance to do any training until mid-summer or in the fall. I really don't even have any firearm purchases in mind all the way up until graduation.

[Skunkabilly]

I really don't even have any firearm purchases in mind all the way up until graduation.


Because of your bling bling ride? :D

[Daniel Flory]

Skunk- Yeah yeah...at least daddy didn't buy my Benz! Which is more than I can say about a lot of people on campus...

Anyway, I might get a G19 since that and the 1911 are the front runners for my platform of choice. But other than that, I want to take some REAL classes this fall instead of classes like my commie international relations class.

[Skunkabilly]

I should have checked to see if I could have used Gunsite or TR as class credit.

After all I was in the school of 'Social Ecology' (whatever that means :barf: )

Cleaning up society :D

[coonan357]

I would take the pledge but I am trying to get the guns I own back to the house But I do pledge tro try to get and keep a job ..

[Average Guy]

Oh, alright--I'll take the pledge. In fact, tomorrow I'll be trying the live-fire video simulator at The Gun Store in Vegas, baby. And renting an MP5, just for kicks (we PRKers don't get the good stuff, y'know).

Well, dry practice doesn't cost anything...

a four day Handgun Master Perp course at Front Sight.
That typo has an interesting resonance these days, Fred. :D

[Fred]

four day Handgun Master Perp course at Front Sight.

Yikes!

Ah, Duh, that'd be Master Prep.

LOL, I see your point though.

Thanks.

[Double Naught Spy]

So if you have a 'pledge' now that I am fairly certain must go along with a secret tactical society handshake and what not, can we expect to see "Tactical Scout Cookies" being sold at the entrances to malls, grocery stores, and Wal-Marts by mall ninja members?

How much will a box of Tactical Scout Cookies go for? No doubt there will be Tactical Dark Chocolate Cookies and Camo Cookies. What will your other selections be?

[Skunkabilly]

From last year's price list:

1. Chocolate Chip Desert Camo -- The original chocolate chip energy cookie!
2. Night Operations Chocolate Chip -- A rich fudge brownie cookie with dark chocolate.
3. Arctic Camo Chocolate Chip -- White chocolate and macadamias.
4. Tea Stain Desert Camo Cinnamon -- A cookie with desert camo patterns of brown cinnamon and sugar!
5. Tactical Slimline Mints -- Thin mint cookies at a reduced profile for higher capacity. (Not approved for sale in California.)
6. Pacific Theater Tiger Stripes -- Chocolate tiger stripe cookies with shredded coconut sprinkles to break up the cookie's silhouette.

[Skunkabilly]

Year end report.

I did it, but it's a little embarassing.

Spent about $500 more on hardware (guns, magpouches, knives, lights, packs) than I did on gasoline.

Spent about the same amount on software (match fees, training courses, range fees, ammunition) as I did on car payments :eek:

[VaughnT]

Good going, Skunk. I didn't do as much as I wanted, trainingwise, but that was mostly due to a suckbutt work schedule and a car that won't stay fixed.

Overall, my training consisted of one formal class (recertification) in NC and about a half-dozen IDPA/IPSC comps at the local club. Total expenditure under five bills.

Ammo costs ran similarly. I bought a new case of .45 at the second to last gunshow, and filled out my carry ammo with a fresh 100 rounds at the last show. My .22lr ammo didn't get burned up like I might have liked, but I'm looking into a Marvel conversion unit to remedy that situation.

On the H2H angle, I did join a gym and that set me back about $250 for the last half of the year.

I did not buy any new guns or knives, but I did pick up two surefire lights.

Next year I'm doing at least one class with Gabe Suarez. That's gonna get done. More matches and maybe another recert in NC if I don't find a new job.