Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) announced this week that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will testify on Feb. 2 before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his role in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ now-infamous “Operation Fast and Furious.”

Issa, who is chairman of the House committee, and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have led an ongoing investigation into the role of Holder and the Department of Justice in the operation.

Rumor Alert: Veterans’ Health and “Sporting Purposes” Among the thousands of questions NRA-ILA answers every month by email, phone and letter are scores that begin “This guy told me he heard …” Unfortunately, all too often this is the telltale sign of one of the rampant rumors that circulate around campfires or gun store counters, and especially on the Internet. Three of the most recent top rumors involve veterans’ gun rights, the status of the “sporting purposes” test for firearms importation, and new restrictions on gun shows.

Record NICS Checks in 2011: In January, the FBI reported that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) performed a record number of background checks in 2011. Over 99 percent of NICS checks are firearm-related.

Obama to Congress: I’ll Decide What’s Constitutional: This week, NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox wrote a comprehensive op-ed for the Daily Caller regarding President Obama abusing executive privilege and seeking new ways to vilify gun owners and further his anti-gun agenda.

To read the piece, please click here.

Get Involved In This Year’s Elections: NRA, along with America’s gun owners and Second Amendment supporters, have long been anticipating the 2012 elections—discussing, planning, preparing to ensure that our nation heads in the right direction of protecting freedom and our Second Amendment rights. Now is the time to put those plans into action, and with the help of the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division, we are confident in victory for 2012!

GRASSROOTS NEWS MINUTE VIDEO: To view this week’s “Grassroots News Minute” video, please click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIYkRmi2Tj ESTATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week’s issue of the Grassroots Alert.)

For additional information, please click on the links provided.

NEVADA: Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association Hosting Fourth Annual CCW Forum
The Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association will be hosting its annual Concealed Carry Weapons forum in Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Grant Sawyer Government Building (room 4401) located on 555 East Washington Avenue in Las Vegas.  Your participation is key to the continued success of Nevada’s Right-to-Carry process, so please attend this important forum.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Pro-Gun Legislation Passes in State House
Despite fierce opposition from Governor John Lynch, House Bill 334 and House Bill 536 passed in the state House of Representatives and will now go to the state Senate for consideration. HB 334 would strengthen current statewide firearms preemption by further prohibiting local governments or state agencies from enacting ordinances or regulations for the use of firearms. HB 536 would repeal the existing law that requires a person to have a concealed firearm license in order to carry concealed.

NEW MEXICO: Pro-Second Amendment Companion Bill Pre-Filed for Short Session!Recently, state Senator Bill Payne (R-ABQ) pre-filed Senate Bill 26, the Senate companion measure to House Bill 32, which was introduced in December by state Representative Bill Rehm (R-ABQ) and previously reported here.  This legislation would repeal Section 30-7-9 of the New Mexico Criminal Code, which limits the purchase of rifles and shotguns by New Mexico residents to their home state and contiguous states.

ATAC TV FIREARMS, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, JIM FULLER, GLENN JUSTICE, JEFF HALL, NRA, HANDGUNS, RIFLES,

Start with unloading your handgun and to remove all ammo from the magazine and your pockets, we are going to do this dry. Even performing this without ammo, you must follow all the safety rules. Starting from your holster. These are the basic steps of the Presentation. If you need to SEE the steps, go to ATAC Firearms channel and view the 1911 or GLOCK Presentation, Grip and Stance, and / or Sequence of Shooting Programs. Doesn’t matter which handgun; the steps are basic to all.

(DRY PRACTICE DRILLS SHOULD BE AT ¼ TO ½ YOUR NORMAL PRESENTATION SPEED!)

• STEP 1 Eyes on TARGET, establish a firing grip on the handgun while in the holster, at the same time move support hand up to mid-line tight to your body as you focus on your target.

• STEP 2 Handgun is drawn straight up, trigger finger is straight along the frame, (not on the trigger) as elbow drops down, rotating the muzzle toward target, anchor the butt of the handgun in a rib near your pectoral muscle, support hand in mid line of chest tight to your body. Bring the gun as high as you can and is still comfortable for you. Eyes are still on target. (This could be a shooting position, if needed, more on this in the advanced programs)

• STEP 3 As Handgun is raised up toward your line of sight, support hand mates with firing hand, safety goes off if you have one, Handgun is raised higher into your line of sight, and pushing out toward target, trigger finger (firing hand index finger, if you haven’t figured this out yet?) starts to enter the trigger guard and the center of the first pad your index finger is placed in the center of the trigger and pulls the slack (free play of trigger) out. Now shift your focus from the target to the top of the front sight post AS the sights are brought on target.. This is one of the biggest faults many shooters do not practice and their ability can only go so high. Most often you cannot diagnose what is going wrong. You MUST practice shifting the focus from the target to the top of the front sight post. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Shift your focus to the front sight and STAY on the front sight post! DO NOT SHIFT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TARGET AND FRONT SIGHT!

• STEP 4 HANDGUN COMES TO REST AT FULL EXTENSION, Focus has moved from the target to your sights, front sight level with the rear sight with equal light passing on the right and left sides of the front sight post, (aligning your sights and eye focus SHOULD be happening between Step 3 and 4) closing your non-dominate eye and establish 100% focus on that front sight post. You are ready to shoot!

At this stage, start your trigger press until the trigger “breaks”. (It should surprise you) With 100% focus on the FS post, it should NOT move when trigger breaks! Trap the trigger to the rear, simulating a “reset” while focusing on the front sight (follow-through) trigger finger goes straight along the frame, lower the handgun to about 45* as if following your target to the ground, and perform appropriate After-Action-Responses.
Handgun is in the ready position (In both hands, pointed low, about 45* angle) RESET your trigger by racking the slide and releasing it.
Return to holster in the reverse order, from the ready position, move through STEP 3 to STEP 2, and PAUSE. Look around to make sure you are ready to re-holster. The muzzle should be point straight out, down range towards your target.
Move from STEP 2 to STEP 1 (re-holster carefully)
DO AS MANY REPETITIONS THAT YOU CAN WHILE REMAINING 100% FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING. IF NOT, STOP! Dry Practice only when you can focus 100% on the exercise and stop when interrupted or tired. Do not ingrain bad habits by getting SLOPPY. Do it perfectly on each reputation to ingrain it into muscle memory. It will PAY huge dividends in your skill level.

Next is adding movement, see you after a few thousand dry presentations. and a thousand live rounds for validation. Example, dry practice 30 presentations 5 days week, the shoot 50 rounds. Immediately after the 30-5o rounds end it with 30 more dry presentations. Rest 7th day. Start all over the next week. After 5 months of this, then move onto the advanced programs. If you want to learn faster do more sooner. Do two- a days, 30 in the am and 30 in the pm and 60-100 rounds on the 6th day. The in 2.5 months you will be ready to move on.

* REMEMBER, it is OK to cheat in a fight, we actually applaud you for it. But NEVER cheat yourself in training or practice. DRY PRACTICE IS THE SKILL BUILDER!

ATAC TV FIREARMS, FOUNDER TOM CLARKE, LENNY BOLTON, GLENN JUSTICE, JEFF HALL, JIM FULLER, MARK FLINN, ROGER FLORES, VENOM TACTICAL, RIFLE DYNAMICS, FORCE OPTIONS

About Jeff Hall

ATAC TV Law Enforcement & Military Channels’ Jeff Hall

Owner and lead instructor Jeff Hall is a retired lieutenant from the Alaska State Troopers, with over 25 years of combined military and law enforcement experience. While a Trooper, Jeff spent nineteen years on the pistol team and twelve on the S.W.A.T. team; he has used all of the techniques taught by Force Options in combat and also on ATAC TV LEO/Military Channel
Jeff Hall is one of the only US police officers to win an air-to-ground firefight against an armed criminal. This occurred on 5/19/84 at Manley Hot Springs, Alaska; it was recently featured on the History Channel’s Sniper: Deadliest Missions.
Helo-Gunners was founded by two air-to-ground combat survivors, Jeff Hall and Chris Hayes. All Helo-Gunner Instructors are LE and/or military combat veterans.
Based on actual police air-to-ground combat, aerial gunnery is designed for the police or military group using helicopters for patrol, insertion, or interdiction. This class teaches the operator to effectively engage targets from a moving helicopter. This class is a must for any organization that puts armed officers into helicopters!

Jeff is a Handgun Combat Master and holds black belts in five arts, ranging from 3rd through 10th Dan. He is an NRA certified instructor in handgun, shotgun, submachine gun, carbine, and precision rifle; an NRA Adjunct Staff Instructor; and certified Police Master Instructor. All Force Options instructors are similarly qualified.
Jeff is currently training for the Four Weapon Combat Master test, and to become the second ever to pass the Handgun Combat Master test with a revolver.
In 2005 Jeff was inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and in 2007 into the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He was named Grandmaster, promoted to 10th dan, and named “soke”, or founder, of the art of Hojutsu, the Art of Shooting.

Jeff has wrote many articles for magazines such as; S.W.A.T. Magazine, Police One, Gun Buyer’s Annual, Tactical Weapons, Black Belt. Additionally many firearm training manuals over the years.

ATAC TV™ Firearm Reply and Answer:

Banana clip is an old slang term for a magazine that is curved.  ATAC TV’s Tom Clarke and Jim Fuller with ATAC TV™ Firearms Channel discuss the origin and reasons this term came about.  It all started with high capacity magazines designed for newer weapons systems to increase the firepower of the individual soldier. The most distinctive Banana clip is from the AK weapons platform.

One of the most common curved magazines was designed for the AK-47 / AK-74 series of firearms and is one of the most prolific small arms ever produced. Some say that more than 130 million have been produced since this platform was first released. This rifle with the curved magazine has been in the public eye since the rifles were fielded in the late forties. Like a banana, the magazine hangs out of the rifle in a very sharp curve forward, hence, the “Banana Clip”.

Curved magazines are this shape for a reason.  To design and build a high capacity magazine must be based on the cartridge.  Most Combloc weapon systems employ a taper case to aid in extraction from the chamber.  As an example, lets use the 7.62X39 cartridge for reference. This “taper” must be accommodated when designing a reliable magazine for a firearm system.  If you lay out a row of cartridges, notice that 5 or 10 of the cartridges create a “curve” when touching each other.  Small capacity magazines have the curve but are not long enough to show the pronounced curve of what a lot of people call a “Banana clip”. Read Complete Blog Here

Many other cartridges from various countries and designers are a straight wall casing with little taper, such as the AR /M-16 platform in .223 / 5.56X45.  This cartridge has very little taper and when contained in a large capacity magazine, does not produce as much of a radical forward curve as the AK-47 style.

A “clip” is a retainer for cartridges, used in some rifles such as the M1 Garand.  Most firearms use a “magazine” to feed ammunition into the action of the gun. A magazine is simply a device to store and dispense additional cartridges for a weapon platform.  Magazines consist of a number of components that make up the cartridge-feeding device.  Parts of the magazine include the magazines body with feed lips, follower, spring, and base plate.  Watch the video linked below as ATAC TV’s Tom Clarke and Jim Fuller explain the origin of the slang “Banana Clip” and more information about magazines. Read Complete Blog Here

Watch Now: What is a Banana Clip?

ATAC TV Firearm Viewer Question: What is the difference between an AK-47 and an AK-74?

Welcome to “Ask the ATAC Guys” question and answer programs. ATAC TV Firearm Channel’s Tom Clarke and Jim Fuller give the viewers their expertise on the AK platform. This one is fairly easy, and most are surprised by the simple answer.

The Russian Army adopted the AK-47 in 1947, and the AK-74 was fielded in 1974.  Well, there are some reasons for the progression and development of these Combloc firearms. Read on to learn the major differences between these two rifles. Watch the video hosted by ATACTV’s Tom Clarke and Jim Fuller to learn even more information on these great fighting firearms.

The original design of the AK series was an alternative to the heavier rifle cartridges and firearms that were standard prior to 1947. The army had submachine guns (chambered in pistol cartridges) or full sized rifle or machine guns for the individual soldiers. To lighten the load carried by each man, the intermediate cartridge (7.62X39) allowed more ammunition to be carried, increasing the firepower of the individual, group or squad of Read Complete ATAC TV Blog HERE

• The AK-47 shoots a much heavier bullet and has better penetration

• The AK-74 shoots a lighter bullet that performs well on fleshy targets.
  
• The rifles are very similar in fit and function with some notable differences besides the caliber.
• The AK-74 has a muzzle brake and a combination gas block/front sight.
• Because the AK-47 has a highly tapered casing, the magazines are curved more than the AK-74 magazines.

There are a few more small deviations on the AK-74 vs. the AK-47 but they do not affect the primary function of the rifles.

Watch the Q&A Video HERE:  The difference between an AK-47 and an AK-74?

Nov. 11-13th 2011

Sonny Puzikas former Russian Spetznaz operator, and one of the Worlds foremost trainers in fighting with the AK is teaming up with Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics to bring you 3 days of AK specific training.

Day one will be the AK armorers class with Jim Fuller and Billy Cho of Rifle Dynamics.

Read more here on Rifle Dynamics

Booking and Pricing

We redesigned an Arsenal 106 F with our custom front end, tuned the trigger group, bolt/bolt carrier, dehorned and finished in Norrells OD Moly resin.

This 5.56 AK offers reliability and compactness that you’re not likely to get in the M-4 platform without paying twice as much. In today’s economy budgets are tight and the 5.56 AK is a very effective/affordable alternative to the high priced finicky M-4’s available today.

Read more on RifleDynamics.com

It was springtime in the Arizona desert just North of Phoenix when I met the deadliest Cottonmouth a man had ever laid his eyes upon. I came upon the masterfully camouflaged serpent basking in the stifling sun. Forty-two inches in length with a striking distance of well beyond 1200 YDs. The snake I speak of is not the creature you worry of in the swamp; it is one bad piece of iron from Venom Tactical.

I had the pleasure of teaching Lenny Bolton owner of Venom Tactical. Lenny attended the sniper course with Mark Flinn a long time friend of his. Who had the exact same Cottonmouth rifle as Lenny did as they were both built identical and at the same time. The only difference between the two shooter’s equipment was their bullet weight. Lenny shooting HSM 175gr .308 and Mark utilizing Fed 168gr .308. The interesting fact was even though the shooters were using completely different brands and grains of ammunition both of them held the same exact DOPE out to 1375yds. Now the DOPE they had dialed at 1200yds without the use of a holdover was 60 MOA with a 20 inch barrel, typically with a REM 700 with a 24inch barrel the DOPE averages 75 MOA, if you have that on the top end to dial. So the ability to shoot that far without a use of a holdover and keep the center crosshair on target is an additional asset the Cottonmouth brings to the table. A technical facet to the Cottonmouth is the proprietary procedure in which the barrel and action are threaded and torqued to make cold bore shots a thing of the past .

Having personally seen and performed these actions with the Cottonmouth makes me a true believer that there are still some rifle builders out there who continue to focus on attention to detail, and quality craftsmanship.

Rob Pettorsson

Scout/Sniper USMC

Chief Instructor - Sniper Innovations

VENOM TACTICAL - COTTONMOUTH CUSTOM SNIPER RIFLE

Jim Fuller, ATAC TV Firearms Staff and Owner of Rifle Dynamics, Inc. writes of an experience after attending an advance training class last weekend in Arizona.  The guys at ATAC are always looking at any new techniques and ideologies that others are willing to share, just as we share ATAC’s collective insights in firearms, knife, survival, outdoor preparedness fighting/training and electronic arenas.  We continue non-stop to explore, learn and train in many different arts to expand our knowledge and skills. Instructor.  Yes, but always a student!

Suarez International hosted “The Russian Spetsnaz Combat Week” featuring former Spetsnaz operator, Sonny Puzikas as the lead instructor. Below is an interesting class critique of Jim’s experience last weekend with Sonny Puzikas and Gabe Suarez.
I met Sonny several years ago.  Many may have seen Sonny recently on The Deadliest Warrior TV show where he was matched against US Special Forces.  Sonny also has a new training DVD out called “Beyond The Firearm 2.  Sonny’s accomplishments are many, he has a long record of successful work/operations and IMO should be a model for how an Immigrant can come to America and not only embrace the American Dream but also be very successful in doing it.  There is a lot to be learned from this talented man.
I wish I could have been there for the entire 4-day event, but I run a tight schedule lately building AK’s at Rifle Dynamics and the filming/staff duties at ATAC TV really keep a guy busy!  Unfortunately I was only able to attend day 3 of this class.  This was NOT a shooting class.  The main focus of the training was physical conditioning and psychological concepts.  Spetsnaz training is not for the meek or inexperienced.
Day 1 started with choke techniques for all the students and instructions to apply this knowledge on an adversary.  Sonny was heard to say;  “A man should not only know how to do choke someone out but what it’s like to have it done to you”.  Sonny demonstrated more techniques with the possibilities of actually “breaking” the neck, if required by the situation.
Day 3 was all about ground fighting exercises, variations of firearm retention / disarms and shooting the adversary while “in the clinch”.  One of the more interesting demonstrations showed how to survive being executed as a prisoner.  He demonstrated this by having a student hold a gun (air soft pistol) to his forehead while he was on his knees about to be executed.  Sonny rolled off the muzzle, took the executioner down, took his gun and simulated shooting him in the chest all in about 1.5 seconds.  The student playing the executioner was told to press the trigger as soon as he started to move.  The student was unable to get a hit at point blank range each time.  He simply rolled off the muzzle and went for the take down.  After an hour of training and drills all students were able to avoid being shot doing this exercise.  It was not only a good exercise it was a great example of never letting your mindset fail you, even in the worst situations.
The students were LE, Military, and civilian with the average age being around 30.  Some were in better physical condition than others but all performed well and left with a lot of good skills to practice.  If you are over weight, out of shape or bruise easily I don’t recommend this class but at the same time you don’t have to be a 25-year-old MMA fighter to get something from this training.  Our motto is “always a student” at ATAC.
This is down and very dirty fighting for the individual who wants to be a well rounded fighter.  Spetsnaz training is yet another example of how small a part the gun plays in real life encounters with bad people.  The fight is always more than just the gun and his classes are very much based in this mindset.
A must for the modern warrior!!
Jim Fuller, ATAC Staff
Rifle Dynamics, Inc.