Firearm User Network

Thoughts from the Marksmanship Managers

Marksmanship Classification vs. Qualification?

Posted by John Buol on September 8, 2010

When is an ‘Expert’ not an expert? What is the difference? The military, police and civilian shooters throw terms like “Sharpshooter” and “Expert” around and they do NOT always mean the same thing. Even within the NRA, Classification and Qualification are very different.

Posted in ConventionalShooter, MarksmanshipQualification, MilitaryMarksman | Leave a Comment »

NRA M16/AR15 Zero Error

Posted by John Buol on August 31, 2010

I used to show an episode of American Rifleman TV in my training classes just to illustrate improper technique.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | Leave a Comment »

Prepare for the New Year

Posted by John Buol on August 25, 2010

Imagine opening your local paper or tuning into the local radio station and regularly receiving positive coverage of shooting activities.

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Basic Swordsmanship

Posted by John Buol on August 18, 2010

Basic skill at arms form the foundation of training with whatever the current weapons and tactics of the day entail. Too often we forget the lessons history teach. Soldiers and Marines typically enter service as adults having never handled a firearm. A brief glimpse into the past shows the folly of this.

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USAR Rifle Team at the Nationals

Posted by John Buol on August 16, 2010

USAR Rifle Team at the Nationals

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USAR Pistol Team at the Nationals

Posted by John Buol on August 15, 2010

USAR Pistol Team at the Nationals

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USAR Rifle Team at Interservice Rifle Championship

Posted by John Buol on August 14, 2010

2010 Interservice Rifle Championship
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USAR Pistol team at the Interservice Championship

Posted by John Buol on August 13, 2010

2010 Interservice Pistol Championship

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Parachuting and Hunting

Posted by John Buol on August 11, 2010

Parachuting and Hunting: The Importance of Shooting Skills Afield

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 1 Comment »

The Ten Percent of Shooting

Posted by John Buol on August 4, 2010

The Ten Percent of Shooting

Complaints about trick gear found in organized target shooting are usually the refuge of the incompetent.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, Shooting | 3 Comments »

Skill Continuum for Gun Owners

Posted by John Buol on July 27, 2010

I devised a simple “skill continuum” that has proven very accurate.

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Posted in Shooting | 1 Comment »

Writing for Gun Magazines

Posted by John Buol on July 21, 2010

I found this on the web some time ago. It has served as my guide for publishing articles in various firearms periodicals (is that high-falutin’ enough for ya?)

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Posted in Shooting | 5 Comments »

Encouraging Shooting Activity

Posted by John Buol on July 14, 2010

Encouraging shooting activity will boost sales and help on the political front!

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Top Shot on the History Channel

Posted by John Buol on July 13, 2010

Top Shot on the History Channel

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, PowerPlinker, Promotion, SensibleShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Proper Benchrest Shooting Technique

Posted by John Buol on July 9, 2010

Proper Benchrest Shooting Technique

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Evolution of the Modern Technique of Pistolcraft

Posted by John Buol on July 7, 2010

Direct from Jeff Cooper himself:  The Evolution of the Modern Technique

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Competition Shooting Defends America

Posted by John Buol on June 30, 2010

How shooting competition defends the Red, White, and YOU!

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Carpenters and Plinkers

Posted by John Buol on June 23, 2010

Let’s say a fellow is a power tool enthusiast, presumably a carpenter.

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Posted in PowerPlinker, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting

Posted by John Buol on June 19, 2010

The biggest myth of point shooting is that sight shooting is slower.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, SensibleShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Henry David Thoreau on Shooting

Posted by John Buol on June 16, 2010

“We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun. He is no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.”

- Henry David Thoreau

Posted in Shooting | Leave a Comment »

Competition and the Average Gun Owner

Posted by John Buol on June 9, 2010

Considering the amount of fancy equipment now seen in competition, some readers have complained loudly that the ‘average guy’ does not have a chance. It might be pointed out that this average guy never has had a chance. Competition is held to determine what is best, not what is average. And if all the equipment were standardized, the man who won would still not be in any sense average.

- Jeff Cooper

Posted in Shooting | Leave a Comment »

Bullseye and Point Blank Range

Posted by John Buol on June 2, 2010

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Shooting Event Ideas

Posted by John Buol on May 27, 2010

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Tactical Shooting Study Groups

Posted by John Buol on May 26, 2010

The following is from Skip Gochenour, the guy behind the National Tactical Invitational.

Posted in MilitaryMarksman, SensibleShooter, Shooting | Leave a Comment »

The Modern Technique of the Pistol

Posted by John Buol on May 25, 2010

The Modern Technique of the Pistol
Greg Boyce Morrison
Jeff Cooper, Editorial Advisor

reviewed by John M. Buol Jr.
http://SensibleShooter.com/

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Mandatory Skills for CCW (Concealed Carry)

Posted by John Buol on May 19, 2010

What do you consider to be mandatory skillsets for someone carrying a firearm in polite society?

Posted in SensibleShooter, Shooting | 4 Comments »

Training To Be a Better Shooter

Posted by John Buol on May 12, 2010

A great quote found randomly in the wasteland

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The Bench Rest: Monolith of Mediocre

Posted by John Buol on May 5, 2010

Finally, someone who gets it!

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Tips For Attending A Shooting Course

Posted by John Buol on April 28, 2010

James Yeager wrote a great article for TacticalGunFan.com on how to get maximum benefit from attending a class on shooting and marksmanship. Some key points:

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Posted in Shooting | 1 Comment »

Tactical Competition Shooting

Posted by John Buol on April 21, 2010

The very notion of competition shooting is questioned as to its effectiveness at training personnel and marksmanship instructors.

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Quotes for Shooters

Posted by John Buol on April 14, 2010

Some quotes worth remembering for all gun owners.

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On the Subject of Military Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on April 7, 2010

Darryl Davis – On the Subject of Marksmanship

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Shooting Skills for Hunters (.30-30 Drill)

Posted by John Buol on March 31, 2010

The effective range of the .30-30 is about 150-170 yards. Some of the wizzy new Magnums can outperform this by roughly 300 percent, at least on paper. But can the hunter outperform the .30-30? Can you?

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 3 Comments »

Measuring Shooting Skill

Posted by John Buol on March 24, 2010

One of the great problems in the shooting world, even worse then the lack of marksmanship skill, is the inability to understand what “good” is.

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A Shooting Quote Worth Repeating

Posted by John Buol on March 17, 2010

“A golf course is the willful and deliberate misuse of a perfectly good shooting range.”

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Does Competition Shooting Produce the Best Shooters?

Posted by John Buol on March 10, 2010

#> I’d be willing to bet their are more than some shooters that know something you don’t. Or even are better shots that you are, whether they know some trick, or are simply better than you are.

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Anti-Gun Sports

Posted by John Buol on March 3, 2010

Ball sports are anti-gun. With tongue-in-cheek, let’s look at some tidbits collected from various sources.

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Measuring Shooting Skill and Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on February 24, 2010

Words of wisdom on measuring shooting skill.

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Competition and the “Bannister Effect”

Posted by John Buol on February 17, 2010

The “Bannister Effect” will maximize your shooting skills!

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More On the Hunter’s Image

Posted by John Buol on February 10, 2010

We should be concerned with how others view us and most hunters interested in organized shooting events such as HunterShooter are interested in promoting the value of hunting and shooting.

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IPSC at the Olympics

Posted by John Buol on January 27, 2010

At one time, it appeared like it might happen! Read on.

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Ethics for Hunters

Posted by John Buol on January 20, 2010

Hunting Ethics is a very worthwhile topic of discussion for hunters. With the current state of turmoil in the hunting and shooting communities, it is essential that we act ethically. Improper behavior will only weaken our ranks, making us more vulnerable to the anti’s. The problem is, how do we define what is and isn’t ethical behavior?

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Competitive Shooting: Why Bother? Part Two

Posted by John Buol on January 13, 2010

We started last time by discussing why competitive shooting is valuable for all gun owners and the betterment of personal skills. Let’s look now at the positive effect on the whole community.

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Competitive Shooting: Why Bother? Part One

Posted by John Buol on January 6, 2010

While deliberating the merits of various shooting competitions and their usefulness for developing practical marksmanship skills, one commentator, whose opinion I hold in high regard, made the point that the true test of field marksmanship is in the field! He comments:

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The Local Shooting Match

Posted by John Buol on December 30, 2009

A common refrain sung by people who have never attended an organized shooting event is that organized shooting events, such as a match, offer no training value. Here’s why that is bunk.

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Posted in Promotion, Shooting | 1 Comment »

The Disconnect Between Combat and Competition Shooters

Posted by John Buol on December 23, 2009

It has been noted that a sharp disconnect can be seen between combat shooters, and competition shooters.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Teaching Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on December 9, 2009

Marksmanship is an odd practice in that it is theoretically quite simple, but difficult to master. The basics can be demonstrated in a few minutes but you can spend the rest of your life attempting to attain true mastery.

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Posted in Shooting | 2 Comments »

Owning Machine Guns

Posted by John Buol on December 2, 2009

If you’ve ever entertained the thought of acquiring a machine gun consider this first.

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Posted in Shooting | 2 Comments »

Promoting Shooting

Posted by John Buol on November 25, 2009

The Firearm User Network has been in a state of metamorphosis since its inception.

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Posted in Promotion, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Uniting Gun Owners Through Activity

Posted by John Buol on November 18, 2009

Pro-gun activists and lobbyists debate on the best approach to defeating anti-rights forces. Too bad their approach is usually wrong.

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Women and Shooting

Posted by John Buol on November 11, 2009

The “manly” art of marksmanship. Ha!

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Bore Yourself Into Shooting Better

Posted by John Buol on November 4, 2009

PRODUCTIVE PRACTICE (OR “HOW TO BORE MYSELF INTO BEING BETTER”)

Chapman Academy of Practical Shooting

http://chapmanacademy.com/

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Bench Rests and Hunting Rifles

Posted by John Buol on October 28, 2009

Ever since I’ve been away on active duty I’ve spent more time shooting on public ranges then at home. Seeing the general gun owning public, as opposed to organized event participants, has been, um, illuminating.

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Day-Night-Day Match

Posted by John Buol on October 21, 2009

This is one of the best match concepts I’ve heard in a while!

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A Hunter’s Image

Posted by John Buol on October 21, 2009

A Hunter’s Image

by Ward M. Clark

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Football Kills Kids

Posted by John Buol on October 14, 2009

Fatality Fumble: Football kills as many students as school shootings

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Is Shooting Boring?

Posted by John Buol on October 7, 2009

Anyone who owns a TV and a firearm realizes that shows about shooting are conspicuously absent.

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Posted in Promotion, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Women And Shooting

Posted by John Buol on September 30, 2009

I caught a newspaper article with the headline, “Woman Kicker Vies for Penn State Job.”

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Death of the Marine Marksman

Posted by John Buol on September 23, 2009

SSG Ethan Rocke was formally recognized by the Marine Corps for this telling editorial.

New rifle qualification aggregate scoring system elevates mediocre shooters, lowers Marine Corps standard

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Holster Qualification for CCW and Shooting Ranges

Posted by John Buol on September 21, 2009

I’m all for basic skill and qualification tests. Too many gun owners (to include those with military training!) have a low level of skill, sometimes to the point of being dangerous.

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Zero At Short Range

Posted by John Buol on September 16, 2009

>> Is there anywhere on the net I can go to find out that if a rifle is sighted at 25 yards dead on the bullseye, how far will it shoot before the bullets changes or drops?

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Downfall of American Gun Owners

Posted by John Buol on September 13, 2009

Watch UFC Welterweight champion Matt Hughes flinch.

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Rehashing the Rehashables

Posted by John Buol on September 9, 2009

Rehashing the Rehashables

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Posted in Shooting | 1 Comment »

Shooting Stupid Stuff

Posted by John Buol on September 2, 2009

by Hubert Townsend

That ad campaign whose slogan is “People do stupid things”, sure hits us all. Since the shooting sports has no tackling, checking or grabbing, its safety record is about perfect. But on the firing line people occasionally do stupid things. If there is a human involved, there will always be stupid stuff. As every teacher knows, there will always be a student who just doesn’t get the concept, misses the boat or any other number of out to lunch clichés.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 5 Comments »

Honor the Heroes Sporting Clays Benefit Shoot

Posted by John Buol on August 30, 2009

Operation Patriot, Inc. was founded in 2004, after learning of the needs of our aging Veterans living in State Veterans Nursing Homes.

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Competition Shooting Trains Special Forces Operators

Posted by John Buol on August 26, 2009

The question comes up about the validity of competitive shooting and “real world” training.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, SensibleShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Crucial Field Shooting Skills Every Hunter Needs to Know

Posted by John Buol on August 19, 2009

In a recent magazine article, Craig Boddington discusses field marksmanship issues important to hunters. It’s always nice to read a big name author that “gets it” showing the need for effective field shooting programs like HunterShooter.

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Become A Better Hunter

Posted by John Buol on August 12, 2009

You do not become a better hunter by going hunting. Sounds counter-intuitive, but it is true.

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Predators, Shooting, Hunters

Posted by John Buol on August 5, 2009

“One does not hunt in order to kill. One hunts in order to have hunted.”
Ortega

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Save The Ranges

Posted by John Buol on July 29, 2009

A rusted, bullet-riddled refrigerator was left right in the middle of the private, county-zoned shooting range my local club uses for events. Not one, but two cars in similar condition were there as well. In the corner rotted a trash heap taller than a man and some 30 paces deep.

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Posted in Promotion, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Hunters, Go Back to School

Posted by John Buol on July 22, 2009

Back to School Special

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Tactical Training with Delta Force

Posted by John Buol on July 15, 2009

The question of how to conduct good training, and what constitutes effective use for tactical “real world” situations comes up often. How does the Special Operations community answer the question? Let’s ask them!

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Cost of Shooting

Posted by John Buol on July 8, 2009

Costs are up! The end is nigh! Or is this more a problem of perception?

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Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting: Use Of Sight Shooting In Close Quarters Gunfights

Posted by John Buol on July 1, 2009

Use Of Sight Shooting In Close Quarters Gunfights — Myth Or Fact?
An article by: John Veit

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, SensibleShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

The Bronze Award for Shooting

Posted by John Buol on June 24, 2009

Have you earned your Bronze Award for Shooting?

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Gun Gremlins

Posted by John Buol on June 17, 2009

Gun Gremlins

by Hubert Townsend

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Go For the Ink

Posted by John Buol on June 10, 2009

Alan Korwin, of Bloomfield Press, the “gun law guy”, has this to say about Tactics That Work:

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Practical Shooting with the .22 Rimfire

Posted by John Buol on June 3, 2009

Appleseed’s ‘Official’ Liberty Training Rifle (LTR/.22 sub-caliber trainer) statement

www.appleseedinfo.org

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Dummies Steal Dummy Rounds, Smart Shooters Use Them

Posted by John Buol on May 27, 2009

Dummies Steal Dummy Rounds, Smart Shooters Use Them

by Hubert Townsend

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Posted in HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Zero Any Rifle Right Away

Posted by John Buol on May 20, 2009

A competant rifleman with a decent rifle should be capable of establishing a fairly good zero after firing only one or two rounds and does not need a bench rest. Here’s how.

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The Truth About Assault Rifles

Posted by John Buol on May 13, 2009

Why do militaries around the world issue assault rifles?

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Follow Up for Better Hunting

Posted by John Buol on May 6, 2009

Most hunters rarely hit their animal perfectly and kill it instantly on the first shot. You need to Follow Up!

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Posted in HunterShooter, Shooting | 3 Comments »

Let’s Hear it Old Timers!

Posted by John Buol on April 29, 2009

A common thread is how everything was so much better back in the “good ol’ days.” However, in some ways, things are better today!

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Stop Wasting Ammo!

Posted by John Buol on April 22, 2009

In terms of increased marksmanship proficiency most ammunition expended by civilian and military folks is largely wasted.

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Posted in Shooting | 1 Comment »

Why We Do NOT Need New Military Rifles, Part Three

Posted by John Buol on April 15, 2009

Well, that struck a nerve!

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The Death of Machine Gun Gunnery

Posted by John Buol on April 13, 2009

The Death of Machine Gun Gunnery

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Is Your Practical Shooting Sensible?

Posted by John Buol on April 8, 2009

Is Your Practical Shooting Sensible?

From the book Perfect Practice by Saul Kirsch

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Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting – The Handgun Training Problem

Posted by John Buol on April 1, 2009

HAS YOUR HANDGUN TRAINING SET YOU UP TO BE KILLED?

by John Veit

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Posted in SensibleShooter, Shooting | 5 Comments »

Shooting Skill and Talent

Posted by John Buol on March 25, 2009

Random gun owners often have odd opinions on shooting. Here is one example.

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Levels of Competence in Shooting

Posted by John Buol on March 18, 2009

Levels of Competence in Shooting

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History of Sniping Marksmanship Skills

Posted by John Buol on March 11, 2009

There is a good five-part series of videos on the history of sniping and marksmanship skills for snipers entitled “Sniper – One Shot, One Kill” available for free on YouTube.

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The Reality of Hunting World Records

Posted by John Buol on March 4, 2009

The Reality of Hunting World Records

In the past I’ve discussed my SHOT Show observations and how the gun industry is failing to promote itself, as witnessed by what programs the big players are (and are not) putting emphasis on. If you missed it, here’s a one-sentence synopsis:

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Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting – The RAND Report

Posted by John Buol on February 25, 2009

UNSAFE AT ANY DISTANCE – THE FAILURE OF POLICE HANDGUN TRAINING – by John Veit

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, SensibleShooter, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting

Posted by John Buol on February 18, 2009

Point Shooting or  Sight Shooting. Which one is better?

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Posted in SensibleShooter | 1 Comment »

Why We Do NOT Need New Military Rifles, Part Two

Posted by John Buol on February 11, 2009

Should we get rid of the M-16/AR-15 rifle from military service and replace it? Or should we keep it?

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 1 Comment »

“Target Shooting” and Ball Sports

Posted by John Buol on February 4, 2009

Imagine walking into a sporting goods store and approaching a salesperson with this:

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Red and Orange Dots on Targets

Posted by John Buol on January 21, 2009

What is the deal with orange and red dots on bullseye-type targets sold at sporting goods stores?

To the competitors here: What do the rules say about placing red dots on your official NRA target’s bulls eye? Is this OK, or is it an infraction of the rules?

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A Look In The Mirror

Posted by John Buol on January 14, 2009

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR

I’d like you to to think about your shooting activities and consider the following.

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Posted in Shooting | 1 Comment »

Trigger Control Happy Place

Posted by John Buol on January 7, 2009

by Hubert Townsend

Readers will recall that I used Yogi Berra’s interesting phrase to describe what action is needed for a marksmanship coach — “You can observe a lot by watching,” as long as you know what to look for.

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Moron Cleaning Guns (Just Maintain Them, Please!)

Posted by John Buol on December 31, 2008

Most military-issued firearms are worn out or damaged by excessive and/or improper cleaning. We should stop using the word “clean” and start using “maintain.” A properly maintained firearm is NOT white glove clean.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Masters and Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on December 24, 2008

I have seen one hundred men who would call themselves Masters yet if you took all their skills added together, you would not have the makings of three good students, let alone one Master…of this art there are few Masters in the world”
- Master Fiore dei Liberi, Flos Duellatorum, 1410

The quote above is 600 years old and is about swordsmanship. Unfortunately, not much has changed. In the field of marksmanship it has worsened.

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Posted in Shooting | 2 Comments »

Practice Shooting at Short Range

Posted by John Buol on December 10, 2008

Myth – “Scaled Ranges at 10 and 25 meter ranges don’t provide good training.”

Fact – Short range shooting can provide just as much feedback in training fundamentals.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | Leave a Comment »

Cleaning Guns

Posted by John Buol on December 3, 2008

Myth – “Firearms must be thoroughly cleaned every time they’re fired and must never be stored dirty.”

Fact – Basic maintenance is simple and quick requiring little more than a wipe down and light lubrication.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 2 Comments »

In Memoriam – Brent Lantagne

Posted by John Buol on December 1, 2008

In Memoriam – Brent Lantagne

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Gun Magazines and Shooting Promotion

Posted by John Buol on November 26, 2008

I still thumb through the slicks because they are one of the first conduits of info for the new gun owner. Let’s face it, most newbies don’t start their shooting “career” by attending a $1000, four or five day class at a top-notch shooting school. If they’re anything like every gun owner I’ve ever met, these folks are just testing the waters to see what’s out there. A few dollars invested at a newsstand on a magazine that catches their eye is a cheap and safe way to start.

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Shooting as a Mainstream Sport

Posted by John Buol on November 19, 2008

Hunting and shooting is every bit as challenging as mainstream ball sports. If raw numbers of participants and equipment owners are any indication, hunting and shooting is the mainstream. Unfortunately, this isn’t how it plays out in the media.

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New Cartridges for Shooting (Magnum of the Month)

Posted by John Buol on November 12, 2008

A voice of reason boomed:

“It’s got to where writers and gunmakers have to invent a niche to justify making another chambering … This plague of “Magnums” has got shooters trying shots beyond their ability and flinching while doing it.”

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Posted in HunterShooter, Promotion, Shooting | 4 Comments »

Proper Target for Hunters

Posted by John Buol on November 5, 2008

A target records the shooter’s efforts at marksmanship. It catches an arrow or leaves a bullet hole showing you the results. There are many targets on the market for the hunter-shooter to use and we’ll take a look at them here.

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Five Stages Of Hunters

Posted by John Buol on October 29, 2008

Outdoor Writer Denny Vasquez penned an article entitled “The Five Stages Of A Sport Hunter.” Many of the topics he discusses can be effectively addressed if organized events for hunters, such as HunterShooter format, were more widely utilized. I’ve added some comments

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The Killer of Kids

Posted by John Buol on October 22, 2008

Unregulated Access
By Erich Pratt

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Hunting Guns and Gear

Posted by John Buol on October 15, 2008

Is your hunting equipment adequate?

You may be wondering if your equipment is up for the hunt. Is it good enough? Is it accurate enough?

In a word, Yes!

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Wisdom of a Professional Hunting Guide

Posted by John Buol on October 8, 2008

How relevant is organized range training to the hunting field? Can matches and classes and other HunterShooter events really help you become a better hunter?

The following was sent to me by a retired professional big game guide.

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Shoot, You’re On TV!

Posted by John Buol on October 1, 2008

Can shooting get televised coverage? How much spectator interest can shooting possibly generate?

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Why We Do NOT Need New Military Rifles

Posted by John Buol on September 24, 2008

The levels of foolishness reached a new high when I found this gem, written in complete seriousness by a self-important commentator:

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 6 Comments »

Remember the Basics (USPSA, IDPA, IPSC)

Posted by John Buol on September 17, 2008

Practical shooting is terrific fun. We get to run around with guns and shoot fast. With all the noise, smoke and flying brass who couldn’t enjoy it? Plus, practical shooting is one of the most directly useful formats available. The problem is, as great and useful as this can be, it is a poor way to begin your shooting career.

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Posted in SensibleShooter, Shooting | 2 Comments »

The Hunter’s Guide to Accurate Shooting

Posted by John Buol on September 10, 2008

The Hunter’s Guide to Accurate Shooting
How to Hit what You’re Aiming At in Any Situation

by Wayne Van Zwoll

Review by John M. Buol Jr.

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Proper Practice and Shooting

Posted by John Buol on September 3, 2008

Myth – “Practice makes perfect”

Fact – Practice makes permanent

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Dry Practice and Shoot Better

Posted by John Buol on August 27, 2008

Myth – “Dry fire is a poor substitute for shooting live ammo.”

Fact – Dry practice is superior training for almost every facet of shooting and gun handling.

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Finger Placement on the Trigger while Shooting

Posted by John Buol on August 20, 2008

Myth – “To shoot well you have to use the tip of your trigger finger.”

Fact – The only factor is can the shooter consistently press straight to the rear without disturbing alignment.

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Single Mom Shoots at Home, Makes Olympics

Posted by John Buol on August 15, 2008

Next time some gun owner complains about the expense or time commitment to shoot, slap him upside the head with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/sports/olympics/10shinn.html

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Shooting a Rifle Zeroed by Another Shooter

Posted by John Buol on August 13, 2008

Myth – “Someone else zeroed this rifle but I still have to completely rezero because shooters look at the sights differently.”

Fact – Assuming both shooters are competent, the difference in zero will be small.

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Olympic Shooting 2008

Posted by John Buol on August 9, 2008

Olympic Shooting

Olympic Shooting

The 2008 Olympics are upon us!

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Marksmanship Television

Posted by John Buol on August 6, 2008

Here is a classic from the late Jeff Cooper.

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Transferring a Zero to Another Rifle

Posted by John Buol on July 30, 2008

Myth – “Once I determine my zero from mechanical zero I can apply that dope to any rifle.”

Fact – A zero setting on one rifle applies only to that specific rifle.

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Shooting and the Fragile Ego

Posted by John Buol on July 23, 2008

by Hubert Townsend

We had finished our fundamentals of marksmanship lecture/demonstrations and were preparing to move from the bleachers to the firing line to group and zero the soldiers’ M16 rifles.

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Mechanical Zero

Posted by John Buol on July 16, 2008

Myth – “You must always go to mechanical zero before zeroing.”

Fact – You’re almost always better off starting with the dope already on the gun.

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Gender and Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on July 9, 2008

Myth – “Shooting is a man’s game.”

Fact – Gender has no factor on marksmanship skill.

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Posted in HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Promotion, Shooting | 3 Comments »

How and When to Adjust Your Rifle Zero

Posted by John Buol on July 2, 2008

Myth – “Even though the group isn’t centered I don’t want to adjust the sights because I already have a zero.”

Fact – A zero is only as good as the placement of each correctly called shot.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Dry Firing Guns

Posted by John Buol on June 25, 2008

Myth – “Dry firing guns can damage them or wear them out.”

Fact – Dry fire exerts virtually no wear on most firearms.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Breath Control and Shooting

Posted by John Buol on June 18, 2008

Myth – “Breath Control is the critical component of marksmanship fundamentals.”

Fact – Shot placement is determined where the barrel points, as indicated by the aligned sights, when the trigger is pressed.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, PowerPlinker, Shooting | 4 Comments »

Good Marksmanship Training

Posted by John Buol on June 11, 2008

Myth – “Our unit/department shot the qual course a bunch of extra times. It was good training.”

Fact – Shooters improve by focusing on core fundamentals and maximizing feedback.

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Shooting with the Magazine on the Ground

Posted by John Buol on June 6, 2008

Myth – “Touching the magazine on the ground will induce a stoppage.”

Fact – Touching the magazine of a many firearms, especially AR-15/M16/M4 –series rifles, has no adverse effect on functioning and has been PROVEN to be reliable and stable for decades.

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Posted in MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Reality of Hunting World Records

Posted by John Buol on June 2, 2008

The Reality of Hunting World Records

In the past I’ve discussed my SHOT Show observations and how the gun industry is failing to promote itself, as witnessed by what programs the big players are (and are not) putting emphasis on. If you missed it, here’s a one-sentence synopsis: The folks who work with actual end users (i.e. rank-and-file gun owners and hunters) realize the way to recruit, retain, and develop a positive community presence is by hosting and promoting quality events but big companies would rather focus on the gizmos that they sell, even though this will have no effect for successfully promoting shooting, or successfully marketing their products in the long run.

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Posted in HunterShooter, Promotion, Shooting | 2 Comments »

Unskilled and Unaware

Posted by John Buol on May 30, 2008

“People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it.”

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Posted in Shooting | 2 Comments »

Competition Shooting is Great Training

Posted by John Buol on May 28, 2008

Myth – “Competitive shooting isn’t ‘real’ shooting.”

Fact – Weapons only put projectiles where and how their pointed and don’t care what they’re pointed at.
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Joint Electronics Type Designation System

Posted by John Buol on May 26, 2008

PEQ-2, PAQ-4, PAS-13, PRC-119 (SINCGARS), PRC-77


Ever wonder why some military hardware has these funny names?

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Army Times: Weapons Training and Qualification Overhauled

Posted by John Buol on May 25, 2008

Army Times recently reported about an attempt at improving current Army rifle qualification lead by a new organization staffed by former special operations personnel calling themselves the Asymmetric Warfare Group.

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Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting Debates

Posted by John Buol on May 25, 2008

Point Shooting vs. Sight Shooting Debates
By: Robin Brown with John Veit

Discussions on Sight Shooting Vs Point Shooting surface now and again on the Internet. And as soon as they do, they often become loud and noisy affairs that turn into verbal arguments.

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Posted in SensibleShooter, Shooting | 4 Comments »

Gun Owner Letter Campaign

Posted by John Buol on May 17, 2008

Enough well-written letters can change public policy.

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Firearms in Circulation

Posted by John Buol on May 16, 2008

There was a “shocking” report about how only “10% of Americans own 80% of the guns in circulation”.

I saw this broadcast and the only thing I could think was, “so what?” Pareto’s Law would suggest something like that. Why are they surprised? It’s a normal distribution.

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Gun Writer Gems

Posted by John Buol on May 7, 2008

Any of you fine people who actually take the time to read what I have to say (and I thank every one of you!) know that I’m not so enamored with some of the material published by and for the gun industry.

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Vision and Shooting

Posted by John Buol on May 3, 2008

Myth – “I used to be able to shoot good, but now my eyes are bad.” and/or “I wear glasses so I can’t learn to shoot well.”

Fact – Anyone who can see well enough to read and safely drive an automobile can see well enough to shoot good scores.

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M16/AR15 Tips

Posted by John Buol on April 26, 2008

Here some tips about M16 and AR-15 rifles. These have been proven by the USAR Shooting Team and written about by SFC Hubert Townsend.

Most issue, rack grade M16/M4s are two or three minute of angle (MOA) guns. That means that at 100 yards they shoot a group covering a circle of two or three inches diameter, four to six inches at 200 yards, etc. That is normal but can’t always be assumed. I was once issued a rifle that turned out to be only five MOA and didn’t discover it until shooting a five inch group at 100 yards on a paper target. No wonder I had trouble at the 300 yard line with it!

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Shooting Clubs

Posted by John Buol on April 24, 2008

Every shooting organization encourages new participants. It is the only way they can survive.

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Jack Weaver failed to invent the Weaver Stance (almost)

Posted by John Buol on April 15, 2008

American Handgunner interviewed Jack Weaver about the beginnings of practical shooting and how he developed the stance that bears his name. There are several important revelations to be gleaned here.

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Lessons Learned of Hunter Education

Posted by John Buol on March 25, 2008

The Department of Natural Resources of Wisconsin sends all certified hunter education instructors a compiled list of statistics from the previous season’s hunt. Being one of the top ten states for deer hunter participation, this makes an interesting and accurate case study. Let’s go over the lessons learned from the compiled numbers and see what we can discover about trends in field shooting and safety skills of hunters.

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All Army Matches – Promoting Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on March 18, 2008

The fifth annual All Army matches, hosted at Fort Benning by the Army Marksmanship Unit is now history.

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The Strength of 1000 Men

Posted by John Buol on March 2, 2008

It is commonly held that one well written letter represents 1000 voters, subscribers, or viewers. One letter sent in probably represents 999 other people who feel the same way but haven’t bothered to speak out.

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Tactical Shooter Defeated by Dummy Rounds (flinch)

Posted by John Buol on February 24, 2008

It is day one and a new group of shooters are ready to take the line. Their backgrounds make for impressive resume items and range from battles in big city dark alleys to foreign countries.

Armed with full tacticool regalia, pistol at Sul and a menacing scowl they take the line. First drill: Slow fire groups with dummy rounds mixed in the magazine. On Bullseye targets.

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Levels of Marksmanship

Posted by John Buol on February 20, 2008

Some words of wisdom from a friendly Highpower shooter. Starting with the lowest skill level and working our way up:

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Ranging the Range

Posted by John Buol on January 27, 2008

By Hubert Townsend

Since hunting season is closed and the prairie rats are in semi-hibernation, this is an excellent time to improve one’s ability to determine the distance to a target.

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Posted in HunterShooter, MilitaryMarksman, Shooting | 1 Comment »

Camp Perry Centennial National Matches on Shooting USA

Posted by John Buol on January 11, 2008

Shooting USA covered the rifle matches at Camp Perry 2007. This event marked 100 years of organized Conventional Shooting at that facility.

The first forms of organized shooting were the Conventional (“bullseye”) disciplines. These events are the purest test of marksmanship fundamentals and form the core of all other types of shooting. And they’ve been around forever! As amazing as a Centennial is, events at Sea Girt and Creedmoor pre-date Perry.

We have had the answers all along. Now we need to better promote them.

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Development continues

Posted by John Buol on January 7, 2008

We’re continuing to build our service. Screen shots and feature lists will be posted soon!

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Shooting Practice

Posted by John Buol on September 8, 2010

Patrick Flanigan, shotgun exhibition shooter, had this to say about practicing.

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Posted in ConventionalShooter, HunterShooter, MarksmanshipQualification, MilitaryMarksman, PowerPlinker, SensibleShooter, Shooting | Leave a Comment »