We’re just over a month away from the next Team Leader Class on May 8, offered through my business VonSteuben Training & Consulting. For those of you who missed the previous announcements, I’ll briefly summarize what I teach in the class. Additionally, WWes wrote a pretty good course review from the test run of the class back in February, so you can check that out as well.
If you’re reading American Partisan, it’s probably safe to assume that your mind’s already in the right place as far as training goes. You may even have a group of like-minded friends in your local area that you plan to rely on should SHTF, and if you do that’s awesome. However, it can be hard to motivate all of your friends to spend the time, money, and ammo to go to courses, so how can you get them the training they need for you all to be effective? The answer is simple; YOU have to train them
This is where the Team Leader Class comes in. My goal is for you to leave my class with the ability to train your friends back at home effectively and efficiently, and at as low a cost as possible. You will have the knowledge and confidence necessary to plan, lead, and conduct training with your buddies to forge them from a “group” into a cohesive “team”.
Now that the mission statement is in the clear, I’ll go over the details of the class itself. The TL class is 1 full day of training, starting at 9am and ending around 4-5pm depending on class size. I will teach you how to effectively organize a group into fire teams and squads and how to utilize any special weapons you may have or come across. We will cover how to use progressive team-based training to mold a handful of volunteers into a lethal fighting force. Finally, throughout the day you will lead a team of fellow students in a series of battle drills, learning the dynamics of a gunfight and getting the experience you need to apply what you’ve learned on your own.
Full disclaimer, there is some physical activity involved in this class for the battle drills. Expect to run short distances, getting up and down a lot to kneel/lie behind cover. You will probably get muddy/dirty too, so dress accordingly. I’m not going to slay your body, but you will get a bit of a workout in. Combat is physical, training should be too.
The gear list is posted here on my website. There is zero, I say again ZERO ammo requirement for this class. The reason for this is twofold. First, given the current ammo shortage, I want to lower the barrier for you to get the training that you need. Second, I want to show you that you can train your teams without burning anyone’s precious rounds that you might need in the not-so-distant future.
The location is in Eastern NC in the New Bern area. The class registration fee is $100 per student, paid up front. If you have to cancel after paying the registration fee, I will grant you a slot in a future class. This is to ensure that I do not waste your time driving out to a team-based class where everyone else backs out last minute. To register or get more information email me at vonsteubentraining@protonmail.com. If you want to attend a future class, I have dates in July and September posted on my training schedule. I look forward to training with you.
Semper Paratus, Semper Discens, Semper Fidelis.
-Mike
The Automatic Rifle Part I
Originally posted on American Partisan, revised December 2022.
There’s a reason every 4-man fire team in the US military has an automatic rifle; it’s a potent force multiplier. And while we as civilians don’t have common access to full-auto weaponry, it is possible to use a semi-auto weapon to fill the role of a full-auto one. Today I will cover why automatic rifles are useful and what you should look for when choosing/building a semi-auto version of one.
I would like to first point out that I’m not the first one to introduce the topic of automatic rifles, or at least the nearest semi-auto equivalent. Hawkeye made a pretty good article in 2018 about what he called the Area Denial Weapon, which is essentially the same concept.
Suppressing Fire
Automatic rifles and machine guns are designed to lay down heavy volumes of fire to suppress or inflict heavy casualties on enemy troops. There’s a lot of misconceptions about “suppressing fire” floating around, so I’ll start by describing how suppression and fire superiority work.
The first thing that you do in a gunfight is attempt to establish fire superiority and suppress your opponent. An enemy is “suppressed” when he is too scared by your gunfire to stick up his head and place well-aimed fire on you. Once that is accomplished, you can maneuver freely and impose your will on him. On the other hand, if YOU are suppressed, the enemy can maneuver on you and your team. Fire superiority, once lost, is difficult to regain, so it is the responsibility of the team/squad leader to control rates of fire to maintain fire superiority throughout the engagement.
Suppression relies on two things: accuracy and volume. Accuracy is the most important because inaccurate fire does not suppress well. You are much more likely to duck back behind your cover if bullets are kicking up dust in front of you, chipping away at the rock you’re hiding behind, or hitting your buddies, than if they’re harmlessly snapping by 20 feet overhead. However, inexperienced/poorly trained troops can be suppressed easier than veteran troops who know the difference between effective and ineffective incoming fire, so bear that in mind when considering your opponent.
Volume is secondary in importance, but it is important. If both parties in a gunfight are equally trained, whoever lays down the heaviest volume of accurate fire establishes fire superiority. This is where an automatic rifle comes in handy. Firing in short, controlled bursts, the automatic rifleman can combine with the well-aimed single shots of the riflemen to rapidly suppress the enemy.
The advantage of automatic rifles as opposed to machine guns is that they are more accurate with their bursts, and thus accomplish the same level of suppression with fewer rounds. This makes the autorifle an ideal choice for light infantry squads who cannot always count on immediate resupply.
Building the Automatic Rifle
There are a few things you should look for in a purpose-built rapid-firing weapon to fill the role of an automatic rifle. Ideally you would buy a semi-auto version of a military autorifle, but this can get very expensive. You may choose to build your own, especially if your team is standardized around the 5.56 cartridge.
First, the weapon should be piston-operated. Direct impingement gas systems (i.e. the vast majority of AR-15s) aren’t designed to handle a large volume of rapid fire. In fact, the gas tube is designed to be the failing point on an AR if it overheats, to prevent catastrophic damage elsewhere on the rifle (meaning that when it fails, your AR is still operable, just as a straight-pull bolt action). This is why every machine gun and automatic rifle in service with the US military is piston-operated (except Ma Deuce, she’s a special beast).
Second, the weapon should have a heavier barrel to slow the speed at which it heats up. If your barrel overheats, it can warp, killing your accuracy (and you if you’re not careful). I’m not saying that heavy barrels don’t overheat, just that they don’t overheat as quickly. Heavy barrels are fairly easy to get for AR-15s, commonly sold as “match-grade” or “competition” barrels due to their added accuracy from the weight.
Third, you will want to add a bipod to get the most accuracy out of your bursts. You are planning to fire a lot of rounds very quickly, so having as stable a firing platform as possible should be a priority so you can be as efficient as possible with your ammo. This is a higher priority, I would say, than a magnified optic.
Next, you may choose to get a trigger that will increase your rate of fire. This is optional. Competition triggers with a very short length of pull and short reset are a great choice due to their simplicity. I acknowledge that binary triggers and forced-reset triggers exist, and that they can be quite useful. However, they require you to “tune” your rifle a bit for them to work correctly, and you need to get used to the rhythm of your rifle so you don’t outrun the bolt. I will say that I have seen some excellent binary setups and, when tuned properly, are a great addition to the autorifle build. I have personally seen pretty reliable results out of Franklin Armory’s binary triggers.
You may also choose to invest in some high-capacity magazines to reduce the amount of reloads in a firefight, keeping the gun in action longer. Drum mags have the highest capacity, ranging from 50-100 rounds or higher, but they tend to suffer from reliability issues. Even the 75-round AKM drums are not immune to stoppages. A more reliable option is 40-round magazines, which will likely still fit in the same pouches as your 30-rounders. There are other options as well, including quad stack magazines. Whatever you use, make sure you subject it to extensive torture testing to ensure that it will work when you need it most. If it’s unreliable, throw it away and try something else.
My Recommendations
If your team is running 5.56, your best bet is to build a rifle as described above. The US Army uses the M249 SAW, which is belt fed and likely outside of your budget, even in a semi-auto configuration ($8,000-$10,000). The USMC now uses the M27 IAR, which more closely represents what you will eventually build, as it is a piston-operated carbine with 30-round magazines and a bipod.
If you lead a team of vodka-fueled AK operators, you’ll want to get your hands on a semi-auto RPK. Failing this, any AK variant rifle can fill the autorifle role with the addition of a bipod (see the picture at the top of this article). Romanian rifles (WASR-10s, Cugirs, etc.) are excellent for this because their barrels are incredibly durable and can take a lot of abuse.
The common thread with all of these recommendations is commonality of mags and ammo with your team. After an engagement, the team leader should be able to re-distribute ammo throughout the team, which is much easier if everyone is using the same magazines and ammo. Keep your team logistics simple.
Summary
An automatic rifle is an incredible asset to any small team. However, keep in mind that by its nature, a purpose-built rapid-fire weapon will consume substantially more ammunition than a semi-auto carbine. It is up to you and your teammates to balance your mission and available resources, and decide for yourselves whether or not you should make the investment. And if you want to learn how to employ an autorifle tactically within a team or squad, come to a Support Weapons Class sometime. Check my training schedule for class dates.
The Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR) Part II: Employment and Tactics
Originally posted on American Partisan
Part I of this two-part series established the importance of the AMR in your team’s arsenal (you do have a team, right?). In other words, Part I was the “why.” In this article I will explain the “how” by covering how to outfit your AMR team, what kind of training is necessary, and certain tactics for employing your designated AMR team.
The AMR Team
The AMR is most effective when used in a 2-man team consisting of a gunner and a Spotter. The gunner’s role is setting up, firing, and reloading the AMR. The spotter’s job is to identify and communicate targets and ballistic data to the gunner, as well as provide additional security for the gunner if the team is to operate independently.
It is important that the AMR team train together regularly in both firing and non-firing drills. Firing drills build familiarity with the weapon, while non-firing drills improve the communication between gunner and spotter to maximize efficiency.
AMR Team Load-outs
The AMR gunner’s primary weapon is the heavy AMR. Depending on what model you get (assuming that you run a 50 BMG), the rifle alone will weigh between 17 and 36 pounds. I recommend that he also carry a pistol for self-defense. The gunner should carry enough ammunition to accomplish the mission at hand, but not much more to save on weight. I recommend 30-50 rounds total for the rifle, preferably of varying types (i.e. half FMJ and half API) for versatility, as well as 2-4 extra mags for the pistol.
The spotter should be armed with a semi-automatic carbine so he can act as a bodyguard for the gunner. He should also carry binoculars or a spotting scope. Additionally, the spotter and gunner should carry camouflage netting and a few empty sandbags if they plan to set up a hide.
The AMR Hide
When possible, the AMR team should construct a hide site. Location for a hide must have ample cover and concealment but also have good line of sight to potential targets, especially on roads. Sandbags should be used to provide additional protection from enemy fire, and then fully camouflaged.
Great care should be taken to conceal the gunner and spotter while firing. A blanket should be laid down under the rifle to prevent the muzzle blast kicking up a dust cloud to give away the hide. To hide muzzle flash, the muzzle of the AMR should not extend past the sandbag wall it is firing through. The same principle applies when constructing a hide in a building; the gunner should fire from back inside the room, not extending the barrel out a window.
On Patrol
The AMR team, due to its specialized role, is vulnerable when operating completely on its own. It is preferred that the AMR team operates as an attachment to a rifle squad to escort it on missions. When the squad reaches the objective rally point (ORP), the AMR team can detach to move into their final firing position. If possible, a fire team is assigned as a security element.
When attached to a squad on patrol to or from an objective, the AMR team should be in the middle of the formation near the squad leader. This is to protect the team and allows the squad leader (who will often have the most complete picture of the situation) more direct control of the AMR team. If ambushed, the spotter will function as any other rifleman in the squad while the gunner seeks cover, holds his fire until assigned a target by the squad leader, and if necessary draws his pistol to defend himself. I say again, the AMR is NOT used for suppressing fire, it is not suited to this task and would be a waste of the (likely scarce) large-caliber rounds it fires.
Ambushing Convoys
The AMR team is a valuable asset when ambushing convoys, especially convoys with an armored vehicle or two as an escort. It would almost never do this alone, and would require at least a fire team to supplement it. In this case the AMR would be assigned to neutralize the armored vehicles in the convoy. It is necessary here to detail where the gunner should aim to cause different effects on a lightly armored vehicle. Remember, to reliably fight armored vehicles, you will need AP or API ammunition (avoid API-T, tracers point two ways).
- Engine block: A hit here has varying effects, in some cases shutting down the engine immediately, in some cases the engine may continue running for several minutes while it drains fluids. It depends on where in the engine block it is hit. However, a hit here with any kind of 50 BMG ammo will always “deadline” the vehicle, removing it from service and requiring it to be sent away to get repaired.
- Driver: Taking out the driver is always the fastest way to stop a moving vehicle. This also does minimal damage to the vehicle, which is good if you want to capture the vehicle and use it yourself. I will note here that most “bulletproof” glass, including HMMWV windshields, can be consistently penetrated by black-tip .308 ammo.
- Tires: Tires are difficult to hit, and if popped will hinder the vehicle but not necessarily slow or stop it. Unless the vehicle has massively over-sized tires, like a BTR or an LAV, they’re usually not worth aiming at. Caterpillar tracks on military vehicles are heavily armored, so unless you have a 20mm/30mm AT cannon, don’t even think about aiming there.
- Turret: This normally houses the most dangerous weapons in the convoy, and so should be a priority target (unless you want to face a possible MK-19 full-auto grenade launcher or M2 50 cal). Some modern armored vehicles have remote-operated turrets, controlled from inside the vehicle. The only way to silence one of those is by disabling the weapon itself with a heavy round to the receiver, or targeting the gunner inside the vehicle.
- Fuel tanks: Despite what you have seen in movies, this is not a good tactic even with incendiary ammunition. Furthermore, military-grade diesel fuel won’t burn even if you hold an open flame up to it, so shooting the fuel tank will only drain it slightly.
Attacking an Airfield/Motor Pool
There may be times when you want to cripple an enemy’s ability to move/project power in your AO. If you know where he parks his trucks or lands his aircraft but you lack the strength to assault him, it is possible to cripple his vehicles from a distance with well-aimed shots from an AMR team.
The way this should be done is with a fire team or rifle squad with an AMR team attached. At the ORP, the AMR team detaches and sets up a hide in a position from which they can target as many vehicles/aircraft as possible. If possible, the AMR team will set up outside the effective range of enemy direct fire weapons, taking full advantage of their range, while the fire team sets up security on the most likely avenue of approach of any enemy maneuver element.
However, if the terrain is such that the AMR team must engage within range of enemy direct fire weapons, the fire team will set up in covered and concealed positions offset at least 100m from the AMR hide, and launch a diversionary attack by fire (shooting only, not actually maneuvering to assault). This is to draw enemy attention away from the AMR team while they accomplish the mission. In either case, the attack should last no longer than 2-3 minutes to prevent the enemy from maneuvering on either the fire team or the AMR hide. Once the AMR team has accomplished its mission and has ceased firing, they rendezvous with the fire team back at the ORP and slip away.
During the attack, all that the AMR team must do is place one shot in the engine block of each enemy vehicle to deadline it. For rotary wing aircraft, one shot is placed in the engine, which is usually just below the rotors (depending on the model). In 2 minutes, given proper positioning of the hide, the AMR team can deadline up to 20 enemy vehicles in this fashion with little risk to themselves.
Fixed-wing aircraft are highly modular and designed to take shrapnel damage along most of their body. The place to aim is just in front of and slightly below the cockpit. This is where a highly complex set of linkages is located that connect the cockpit controls to the rest of the aircraft. It is incredibly difficult to remove, repair, and re-install, so a round here will cause the most headache to the enemy and keep the aircraft out of service, at least for a while. Unlike diesel fuel in ground vehicles, jet fuel is highly flammable, so incendiary rounds to the fuselage can have devastating effect if the aircraft is fueled. This is where reconnaissance in advance can be incredibly useful, as it will reveal which aircraft are fueled up ready to be scrambled and which are stored empty.
Supporting an Assault
When used to support riflemen in assaults/raids, the AMR team will stay with the support element. The AMR will target heavily fortified enemy defensive positions, punching through almost any barricade. It will also be used on any priority targets assigned by the leader of the support element.
In the Defense
Like automatic weapons, the AMR in the defense should be set up on a likely avenue of approach, specifically the most likely avenue of approach for enemy vehicles. The hide should be offset from other defensive positions and well camouflaged, since it is the defenders’ only counter to armored vehicles.
As you can see, the AMR is a powerful tool when used correctly. Whether you get the most modern Barrett model or a budget Serbu, as long as you train often you will be a potent force-multiplier. So grab a buddy and get training! If you don’t know how to train as a team, come to a class. I cover all this and more in the Support Weapons Class.
Stay vigilant, stay deadly, stay alive.
-Mike
The Anti-Materiel Rifle (AMR): Part I
Originally posted on American Partisan.
Three weeks into the collapse, and you’re standing guard duty at the gate to your subdivision. You’re on watch with your next-door neighbor, AR-15s slung across your chests as you man the ECP (Entry Control Point). Suddenly you hear the “SNAP SNAP SNAP” of bullets flying past your heads, you’re under attack! The local gang chapter apparently wants the gardens and stockpiled supplies in your subdivision. You take cover and begin returning fire while your neighbor calls the QRF on his radio. You place a well-aimed controlled pair into one gang-banger’s chest and continue laying down enough accurate fire that the rest have to take cover behind trees.
As you pause to reload, your eye catches movement and you hear the growl of a diesel engine. You look up and see an up-armored military humvee approaching the ECP! Where the heck did that come from? Several gang-bangers are crouched behind it, using it as cover to get closer to your foxhole. Your neighbor panics and fires 7 shots at the vehicle which all ping harmlessly off the armor. Your stomach turns as you realize that it will reach your foxhole in less than a minute. You can’t destroy it, and you can’t leave your foxhole because you will be shot instantly.
BOOM! SMACK! Suddenly a large hole appears in the humvee’s windshield. You exhale in relief, the QRF has arrived and they brought the .50 Cal! Having lost its driver, the vehicle falters and rolls into a ditch. Demoralized at the loss of their biggest asset, the gang-bangers turn tail and retreat. The QRF cautiously bounds forward and inspects the abandoned humvee. Apart from its windshield, the vehicle is completely serviceable. Thanks to the accuracy of your Anti-Materiel sniper, you can now use it as part of your QRF.
This scenario was inspired by a news article I read yesterday.
Earlier this week an up-armored HMMWV was stolen from a National Guard armory in California and it has NOT been recovered. Want to guess who has it and what they want with an armored vehicle?
The possibility of you encountering an armored vehicle during any sort of collapse are higher than you might think. Cartels in Mexico openly flaunt their fleet of armored vehicles as a show of force. National Guard, SWAT, and even private citizens have had their armored vehicles stolen from them in recent history. And it is not very hard to buy surplus MRAPS and APCs at auctions. Furthermore, you don’t know who is going to grab their welding tools and make Kildozer II. In every possible type of collapse scenario, it won’t take too long for whatever groups have these vehicles to become emboldened enough to start them up and use them.
Now that we’re aware of the threat, we have to consider how we can counter it. The most effective way to deal with armored vehicles is with a rocket launcher, but (sadly) they tend to be a little hard to come by. Enter the Anti-Materiel Rifle, or AMR.
An AMR is a large-caliber rifle that fires a powerful cartridge with a heavy projectile. Essentially, .338 Lapua, .50 BMG, and up. These rifles, with the right ammunition, provide a very potent counter to lightly armored vehicles in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing. Just ask the YPG Kurds who are making these rifles out of captured heavy machine-gun barrels and using them right now.
For the American Partisan, the obvious choice is the 50 BMG, due largely to the fact that 50 BMG ammo is somewhat common and available in some rather spicy flavors. If you know where to look, you can even get API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) ammo cheaper than standard ball ammo at about $2.80 a shot.
As far as the rifle itself, there are several options to choose from. At the most expensive end, you can drop 11k on a semi-automatic Barrett M82. At the other end you have the single-shot break action Serbu RN-50 for under $1200 (the downside being that it takes 13 seconds to reload). In the middle there are a couple dozen decent bolt-action options. Also consider the weight of the rifle, especially if you will have to carry it long distances. Figure out your budget and choose what’s best for your team, and don’t forget a rugged bipod and a good scope!
Once you get your AMR, get your entire team up to speed with it. Teach everyone how it works, how to maintain and clean it, and where to aim on armored vehicles to get the best use out of whatever ammunition you have. Familiarize everyone with the scope and the aiming reticle. Practice running drills with a spotter calling targets.
In summary, armored vehicles are a very real threat that you may have to face. If you run into one and find yourself caught without an effective way to counter it, you’ll be forced to withdraw or at least heavily modify your tactics to avoid it. However, if you have an AMR with armor-piercing ammunition, you greatly enhance your lethality and your options on the battlefield. You won’t be taking down tanks anytime soon, but at least your team won’t have to pop smoke at first sight of an MRAP.
In Part II of this article, I will briefly cover how to effectively employ an AMR against armored and unarmored vehicles. I will also include a few additional tips and tactics for using the AMR offensively. Stay tuned!
Heads on a swivel, boys.
-Mike
Thoughts on Discipline and the Guerrilla
I very recently had the pleasure of attending NC Scout’s Scout Course. It was an incredible opportunity, not only for the training value, but to meet all the amazing people who came out to train together. It was an incredible group of individuals, tied together by a love of freedom and a willingness to train.
During the course I had several comments on the fact that I kept my carbine slung or within arms reach the entire time, even while eating or relaxing by the bonfire. The most frequent question I got was “Is that a Marine thing to do?” To which the answer was, to an extent, yes, but it got me to thinking. As I drove home after the course, I thought to myself about why I have that habit. Further, I wondered: why must it be a “Marine thing” and not also a “guerrilla thing”?
Admittedly, this is something that the Corps has engraved into my skull since boot camp. Every time I’ve been to the field, at least 3 times a day a Gunnery Sergeant or Lieutenant would check to make sure everyone had their weapons with them, and God help the poor soul who let Gunny find his rifle left unsupervised in a Humvee. It seemed a bit tedious, but looking back I see why we did it, and why I continue to maintain the habit.
The first reason I keep my rifle with me always in the field is weapon and gear accountability. My rifle is my most precious possession in the field. To quote the fabled Rifleman’s Creed, “my rifle is my best friend, it is my life. I must guard it, as I also guard my life.” My rifle is the means by which I protect my life, my brothers in arms, my family, and my freedom. I want to ensure that I always know where my rifle is, as well as my other force-multiplying tools. Y’all who were with me on the Scout Course don’t know this, but I always had my NVG on me as well, either in its pouch on my belt or in my cargo pocket.
The second reason was that having my rifle on my person helped foster a mindset of perpetual readiness. I was confident that, no matter where I was, if an unexpected threat were to arise, I was ready and able to meet it. Just the fact that I was wearing my rifle reminded me to be aware of my surroundings and subconsciously heightened my alertness. I would argue that this is even more important for the guerrilla than for the Marine, because there is no safe “rear area” for him. The guerrilla is always behind enemy lines, always surrounded, always under threat. It is thus especially important that he maintain a perpetual state of readiness.
Finally, keeping my weapon slung was an exercise in personal discipline. Discipline goes a long way towards affecting the success of armed groups. Having the self discipline not to smoke in a tactical environment can mean the difference between living to fight another day or getting your head shot off by a sniper who zeroed in on the glowing ember. Having the discipline to pack up your sleeping roll and shelter when you get up keeps you ready to grab your pack and go if your base camp comes under attack. And, in this instance, having the discipline to keep my rifle with me at all times ensures that I am ready to meet any threat that suddenly arises.
Self-discipline is a skill that must be practiced daily in order to make it a habit. You can practice discipline daily in a number of ways such as making your bed, brushing your teeth, and reading your Bible daily. If you practice exercising discipline often, eventually it becomes habit, and it will be easier for you to apply that discipline to areas such as the examples above to help you return home in one piece after the coming troubles.
Try this little exercise. If you keep a gun for home defense, try setting an alarm for random times during the day, and every time it goes off think to yourself, “If someone were to bust down my door right now, what would I do? How fast can I get to my weapon? Better yet, is it in reach?” You’ll be surprised how quickly you develop a tactical mindset and start wargaming your house.
In summary, I believe that those of us preparing for the fight ahead should seek to establish habits that encourage a warrior’s mindset and nurture our self-discipline. Prepare your minds now for what lies before us, we are running out of time. While you’re at it, read through the Rifleman’s Creed a time or two, and think about how it may very soon apply to all of us free Americans.
Hold your loved ones close, keep your heads on a swivel, and your rifle within reach.
– Mike
Von Steuben Training & Consulting 