Fr. Frog's Guidelines for the Real World

The following collection of "rules" pretty much covers things.  If you have an addition to any of these categories that you think should be included email them to me by clicking here.

Marksmanship

  1) Beware of the man with one gun.
  2) Fancy guns, sights, and the latest gadgetry do not make up for a lack of marksmanship. (This thought applies to a lot of other activities too.)
  3) If you can't do it with a .30-06 you probably can't do it with anything else.
  4) If you can't do it with a 2 MOA firearm you probably can't do it with anything else.
  5) Sight picture and trigger control are life.  If you mess up either you'll miss or die.
  6) Practice, practice, practice!
  7) A close miss is still a miss.
  8) Smoothness first, the speed will come.
  9) Inconsequential increments are meaningless.
10) Burlingame's Dictum: "A person's accuracy is inversely proportional to the number of rounds on board"
11) Elevation is science. Windage is art.
12) Most gun writers are pathological liars.

Internal Ballistics

  1) There are no no magic powders!
  2) There are no magic cartridge cases!
  3) There are no magic bullets
  4) Details!  It's in the details.
  5) Inconsequential increments are meaningless.
  6) Most gun writers are pathological liars.

External Ballistics

  1) There are no no magic bullets!
  2) Divide the range at which someone claims to have shot their deer by 4 to get (close to) the real range.
  3) Always get as close as possible.
  4) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
  5) Velocity erodes, mass doesn't
  6) In the battle between velocity and accuracy, accuracy always wins.
  7) Inconsequential increments are meaningless.
  8) Most gun writers are pathological liars.

Terminal Ballistics

  1) There are no no magic bullets!
  2) Only center hits count
  3) Make the biggest diameter hole you can to let blood out, air in, and destroy as much stuff as you can with each hit
  4) Small bullets may expand, but big bullets never shrink. 
  5) Make the deepest hole you can to ensure that vital organs and nerve centers can be reached and destroyed from all impact angles.
  6) "Service" your target until it is no longer a threat or capable of any response you don't want.  (Or "Keep shooting until your target changes shape or catches fire.)
  7) No small arm can guarantee 100% instant incapacitation of a determined adversary--man or beast.
  8) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
  9) Inconsequential increments are meaningless.
10) Draw quickly.  Shoot carefully.  No one has been killed by a loud noise.
11) Most gun writers are pathological liars.

Reloading

1) You don't need to wring the last possible foot-second of velocity out of your firearm/ammunition combination.  Better an accurate, consistent load than a blue screamer that won't hit the proverbial barn.
2) Pay attention to details, but unless you are a bench rest competitive shooter, there is a point of diminishing returns on the effort you put into your reloading for accuracy.
3) Changing anything changes everything.
4) Don't do anything stupid
5) Inspect, inspect, inspect.
6) Most gun writers are pathological liars

Gunfighting        ("Every day is ‘ordinary,’ until it isn't!" -- Bernard Cornwell)

  1) Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns.  Bring your brain.
  2) Anything worth shooting is worth shooting at least twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
  3) If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough nor using cover correctly.
  4) Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movements are preferred.)
  5) If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
  6) In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
  7) If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running.
  8) Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.
  9) Use a gun that works EVERY TIME.  Don't trust an untested gun.
10) Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11) Always cheat = always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12) Have a plan. A bad plan quickly executed is better than no plan.
13) Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won't work.
14) If your attack is going according to plan, it's probably an ambush.
15) Use cover and concealment as much as possible.
16) Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.
17) Always tactically reload and threat scan 360 degrees at the conclusion of the action.
18) Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God I trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them).
19) Decide to be AGGRESSIVE enough, QUICKLY enough.
20) The faster you finish the fight, the less shot up you will get.
21) Do not deliberately attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4."
22) Anyone who claims they know everything about gunfighting is a jerk and a liar.
23) There is no "one gun" that is best for all occasions. Don't rely on a single weapon system.  Know how to efficiently use all kinds of different weapons and their limitations.
24) Remember that after your assailant is down that most likely one of his friends is waiting to kill you.
 25) The only thing you ALWAYS know, is that you NEVER know!
26) When you least expect it, EXPECT IT.
27)  If there is any doubt, there is NO doubt.
28) The are few interpersonal relationship problems that cannot be solved by the judicious use of high explosives or napalm.
29) Remember that tracers work both ways.
30) It never hurts to have too much ammo and loaded magazines unless you are on fire or trying to swim. Running out of ammo sucks.
 31) "Don't stop shooting when you think he's dead; keep shooting until he thinks he's dead. Dead men sometimes come back to life and shoot you or your buddies."
32) Never leave a place over which you have gained dominance without all your weapons fully charged.
33) Fortune favors the prepared.  Keep your gear in shape.
34) Shoot what is available until the sight picture changes: or in other words, keep shooting until the target changes shape and/or catches on fire.
35) Your car is not a holster. Wear your gun!
36) There is no timer in a gunfight. But if someone is trying to kill you, he's likely in a hurry.
36) Train hard. Keep your head in the game. Don't let politeness or political correctness dull your edge.
37) When seconds count the police are only minutes away.
38) Even if you don't need glasses, wearing eye protection can save your life.
39) Train with the equipment you actually carry every day.  You most likely don't walk around wearing a chest rig, battle belt, etc.
40) Train to realistic standards
41) It is always better to be over-gunned, than out-gunned!

Gunsmithing

 1) All you really need are a good trigger and good sights.
 2) You can remove metal but it's hard to put it back.
 3) Sharp edges belong on a knife.
 4) Better too loose than too tight.
 5) You won't find an Allen wrench or a Torx driver in the boonies.
 6) Better a stock too short than too long.
 7) "Kool" won't save your life or bring down a game animal.
 8) Don't over lubricate, and ensure you lubricate the right places.
 9) There are no magic lubricants.
10) There are no magic cleaners
11) Not all professional gunsmiths (even some big name ones) know what they are doing.

Life in General

  1) Good manners are always in good taste. Treat others the way you want them to treat you.
  2) Better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.
  3) Be kind and courteous to everyone you meet but have a plan to kill them quickly if necessary.
  4) One cannot have too many good books, to much good wine, or too much ammo.
  5) Cats are a good judge of character.
  6) Learn something new every day.
  7) Good grammar is a sign of a sharp mind.
  8) Your word must be your bond.
  9) Stay alert! But don't make it obvious.
10) True friends that will stick by you no matter what are a rarity.  Cherish and nurture them.
11) YOU are responsible for what happens to you.
12) You are NOT entitled to an easy life and luxuries.
13) Always do the right thing.  This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
14) Flowers say "I'm sorry," chocolate says "I love you."
15) Don't do stupid things, don't associate with stupid people, don't go to stupid places, and don't live in stupid areas.
16) Do not rely on the government for anything, especially your survival. Anyone who says, "I'm from the government and I'm going to help you" is NOT your friend, and is NOT interested in your welfare..
17) Don't be upset by people who don't like you or who speak ill of you.  They are the ones who will never know the pleasure of your friendship.
18) Don't throw rocks at people with guns.  Don't stand next to people who throw rocks at people with guns.
19) Enjoy the little things in life too.
20) Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and confirm it.
21) Money doesn't make you better than someone else.  It is just a convenience on the road of life.
22) You won't have trouble if you are prepared for it.
23) You cannot personally solve everyone's problems, nor should you feel that you have to.  You need to take care of yourself too.
24) The magnitude of one's stupidity is amplified by one's position in society. "
25) Morons are equally distributed among time and space, so it does not matter where you go. You are very likely to find at least one in a location where you least expect to find one.
26) It's not what you look like nor what people think of you that defines you, but rather what you do.
27) Pay close attention to everything, notice what no one else notices.  Then you will know what no one else knows and that's always useful.
28) What a person may or may not have done in the past should have no bearing on their reputation or desirability as a friend, employee, or colleague.  It is what they are doing now that is important.
 29) Agents of the government and politicians all lie to you and are not your friends.  Never trust any of them.
30) Real men know how to cook, sew, and clean. 
31) Don't stand out or call attention to yourself by either demeanor or dress.  The squeaky wheel get close attention and the nail that is standing up gets hammered, and those who are paying attention will note you as a potential subject of interest.
32) If you think you need a hand, look first at the ends of your own arms.
33) You are the first responder to your emergency.
34) Never underestimate the power of large groups of stupid people.
35) If you are good, everything will be assigned to you. If you're really good, you'll get out of it.
36) According to Markell's Rule things will always take longer than expected, even after you take Markell's Rule into account.
37) Higginbotham's Universal Rule - The is no universal rule.
38) The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they are going to be when you kill them.
 39) Anyone who does not like you to be armed or does not want you to be armed for any reason, deserves neither your respect, loyalty, nor friendship.
40) Whenever a truly good product appears upon the market it will probably be discontinued shortly.  (Crum's Law of the Rejection of Quality)
41) Don't bother to make something idiot proof. They'll just build a better idiot.
42) You're getting old when the things that shouldn't be stiff are, and the things that should be stiff aren't.
43) There is no such thing as foolproof, the best you can ever do is idiot resistant.
44) There are many people unable to damage an anvil. But they could figure out how to lose it.
45) All places in this world are dangerous, some more than others. Accordingly, don't travel in dangerous places, not expecting to encounter danger!
46) The only one who really, genuinely cares about your safety is you. You are on your own!
47) When someone says, "Don't worry. You are safe here,¯ reach for your pistol.
48) Never underestimate the cleverness, ingenuity, audacity, nor the depraved wickedness of our enemies. They are not mislabeled when we call them "evil."
49) Our world is a grievous, desperate place.  Never believe anyone who tells you otherwise.  Naively, gullibly ignoring the foregoing is a dependable recipe for a short life.

Faith

 1) God is the one in charge, but don't expect him to just do everything for you. He gave you a brain, muscles, and skills for a reason.
 2) Pray daily. (Yes, He wants you to pray for yourself too.)
 3) Showing Christ's love does not mean you have to accept as "OK" every behavior of every person.  It just means that you still have to treat everyone with respect and compassion.
 4) You will be a better witness by example than by bible thumping.  The best sermons are lived, not spoken.
 5) God doesn't care if you are Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, or whatever.  He cares about how well you follow his directions.
 6) When you talk to God, remember to listen.
 7) God doesn't expect you to walk on water.  He just wants you to get out of the boat.
 8) Don't ask God to do difficult things FOR you, ask Him to help you find the strength to do difficult things for yourself.
 9) The harder you push against life, the harder it pushes back.

Cooking

 1) Don't overdo the seasonings.
 2) An unwatched pot usually boils over.
 3) Simple, hearty food, is the best--especially when shared with friends.
 4) A day without red wine is not a complete day.
 5) Fresh baked bread negates the cholesterol in butter.
 6) Use fresh ingredients.
 7) The most critical ingredient in a recipe you are working on is the one you ran out of last week.
 8) Electric stoves keep cooking once the burner is turned off.
 9) Homemade cinnamon buns are considered a health food.
10) Use real butter, vanilla, almond extract, and other flavorings and spices.

Woodworking/Metal Working

 1) Don't buy cheap cutting tools.
 2) Measure 3 times, cut once.
 3) You can make a board shorter, you can't make it longer.
 4) A properly aligned table saw will get out of alignment at the most critical cut of the project.
 5) Don't believe dimensions given in a project's plans until you have checked them.
 6) A sharp pencil will always be on the other side of your work area.
 7) Before beginning to screw and glue check the fit of all pieces.
 8) A dull cutting tool is worse than having no tool.
 9) Chucks, headstocks, and clamps will always loosen when the most damage will occur.
10) Chuck keys will always be at the other end of your bench when you need them.

Other Thoughts on This Subject

The following was sent to me by a friend, Jock Elliott.

Elliott's Laws

1) Elliott's Law of Success: You can go an awful long way with a firm grasp of the obvious and radical application of common sense. (With thanks to Gordon Powell)
2) Elliott's Law of Perversity: If everyone is doing the same thing, it's probably time to do something else.
3) Elliott's Law of Computers: The productivity gains we get from computers we eventually give back in the time we spend screwing around with them.
4) Elliott's Good Advice: Anytime it starts to smoke, pull it out. (Discovered at a weenie roast).
5) Elliott's Observation: We are all in it together; it cannot be otherwise.
6) Elliott's Law of Mechanical Engineering: Problems that can't be solved with duct tape or bungee cords probably shouldn't be tackled anyway.

The following was sent in by Mark Mahler

Mahler's First Law - For every solution there is a problem.  Plan on it, deal with it.

Mahler's Second Law - People have no idea how strong they REALLY are or what they are truly capable of.  God gives us adversity to see what we're made of; an opportunity to "stretch the muscles", so to speak. You have within you the strength to overcome, so quit whining and get to it.

Mahler's Third Law - Unless you have a SOLID reason not to, be nice to folks.  Being nice is a lot easier on everyone, and who knows? Someday all that good karma might come back to you. (Unfortunately, you can't control the rest of the world on this one). Jesus said we should love one another as He has loved us, and I can't find much of a downside to that one.

Mahler's Fourth Law - With due respect to Law #3, nice does NOT mean doormat. If people start being mean to you and yours, the gloves come off.  Mean people really DO suck, and should be removed from the premises like the trash they are.

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Updated 2022-04-22 @ 1017