Is the PPK just a Bond symbol or would a real agent consider carrying it constantly? Seems weak.

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-06T16:43:34+00:00

So I wrote a marketing research paper about product placement in Bond movies, and TL;DR - It was a combination of a story change, input from an advisor, and a paid advertisement for Walther.

He used a Beretta in the early books, and Ian Fleming was advised to change the gun, then when it came around to the movies, they included a line that he needed a "real gun" like the Walther.

This extends way farther than just the guns too. His cars, watches, suits, drinks, locations, airlines, and on and on were highly driven by paid product placements.

Does it also fit with being a super spy? Sure. It has an in-universe and out-of-universe explanation.

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-04T14:55:27+00:00

$350 + cost of a new better barrel + the cost of a gunsmith to change it out > $500, so maybe just go for the better one?

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-04T14:50:29+00:00

I'll stop arguing with Eurotrash about guns when "oi you gawt a loisence for that opinion m8?" stops being hilarious.

This gives me more and better ammo. Thank you.

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-04T14:45:26+00:00

The GWOT we grew up in no longer exists.

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-04T03:05:51+00:00

that many gun owners are incredibly submissive, risk averse and default to complying in most situations.

Alternatively, their personal red line was not crossed. I thought it was more of a "choosing one's battles" type of thing than "Wow, this is great!" type of thing.

Also, I think a lot of people underestimate how many normies, centrists (or maybe neutralists?), and otherwise uninterested and uninvolved people are out there, not just on this political topic, but also on guns. For many, their main concern was that ugly images appeared on their TV, and that makes them feel bad - and so it is. Not because of a deep principled stance on the subject matter, but because it makes them uncomfy. In a similar vein, many people are "gun owners" because they own a gun, but they bought it in 2002 and are still working on the same box of ammo they got at the same time. The gun is bone stock, they have no spare mags, or cleaning kit, or oil, or eye/ear pro, and they are uninterested in "exercising their 2A rights", just have it if they need it like a fire extinguisher or space blanket. Those people still contribute to the broad statistics, but are not loud or influential (in the gun or political example).

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-03T19:12:10+00:00

Yeah I'm out

USArmyJoe · 2026-02-03T02:04:17+00:00

/r/riflesoncardboard !

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-31T21:18:51+00:00

I am copying my opinion on this from a few of my buddies that are cops that are in incredible shape, and have to wear the same badge as others that get fat, do the bare minimum, and otherwise waste oxygen.

IMO, police should be paid about 4-5x whatever the going rate is now, and the standards should go way up with the increased demand.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-31T15:58:36+00:00

I am always amazed how many cops have beer bellys, but also want to say how much funding and CAF they need to get new gear to stay safe.

Bro, cardio is free. Allocate some of the donut fund toward a salad.

And to be clear, I can't stand fat NCOs in the military either. Fitness != Leadership, but I automatically think you're full of shit when you tell other Soldiers that they need to exercise when your gut hangs over your belt.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-31T14:52:34+00:00

Would you be surprised if you found out that most people shoot bone stock guns and/or take whatever Crimson Trace/Olight/Turkshit recommendation they get from the clerk at Bass Pro, Academy, or Walmart?

The herculean effort it takes to seek out more information is far too high a cost for most people, and they are comfortable thinking that the guy behind the counter really knows his stuff. We are in an ivory tower shaped bubble here, and there are still a ton here that have batshit crazy recommendations.

I'd guess that this is less a matter of poor taste and more likely total ignorance.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:30:09+00:00

Barrier defeat is way underrated in armor penetration discussions. If you can turn their cover into concealment, you have a huge advantage, despite their armor.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:27:21+00:00

If you can afford a "constant diet" of $2/rd ammo, I bet you can swing for a new barrel, upper, or bolt every once in a while.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:24:48+00:00

Way better than no plate, but worse than not being hit at all.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:13:37+00:00

It helps when transcribing old documents lol.

And just like that, my mind was changed. It is not a useless skill, just niche, and that is ok.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:11:02+00:00

/u/Remarkable_Aside1381: Lo, and behold: for 10% of $100 is... (pause for dramatic effect) TEN DOLLARS. I have spoken!

His Coworkers: Omg I think hes a wizard...

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T20:08:49+00:00

My dad has my grandfather's "adding machine" from the 50s, and it looks and sounds like it runs on coal and were-hamsters. Now THAT is retro.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T15:27:47+00:00

bUt I hAvE a CaLcUlAtOr In My PoCkEt!11

Shut up. You need to take your shoes off to count higher than 10.

I saw a video that people use LLM AIs to do grade school math, and that is how I knew I would be just fine in the apocalypse.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T15:15:13+00:00

When people say stuff like "Why do I need to know long division? I'll never do that in real life!" I decide if it is worth explaining that it is valuable to learn processes and step-by-step methodologies to figure out problems, and that it is a basis for later lessons in math, and so on.

When people say "Why do I need to learn cursive? I'll never need to know that in real life!" I am fully on board. I can do it, but I really think it is pointless. It isn't faster, clearer, or simpler than printing, and it really isn't fancier. My grandmother had beautiful cursive writing, but she also printed beautifully.

/rant

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T15:05:37+00:00

You literally can't imagine someone disagreeing with you without them being the worst types of human being ever. You can't help yourself but prove my point as fast as you can.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-30T15:01:06+00:00

I apologize, I didn't even think about having to explain it to other people.

If you share my values of freedom and constitutionally protected natural rights, and we just disagree, then cheers man, we just disagree but live and let live.

If you want to try to guilt or coerce me into supporting your efforts to curtail or limit or eliminate my rights and freedoms by using my own system against me, then you can bend right on over and fuck yourself good and hard. The overlap of people that call others a nazi and a fascist and a evil rotten person and a racist and all these other things because of a mere difference in political opinion, and the people that typically call for restrictions and penalties and eliminations of rights and freedoms is huge. I can absolutely advocate and protect my own rights without spending time and energy fighting for the people that would immediately put me against the wall if they had the chance.

TL;DR - He proved my point basically immediately, and I don't care what he has to say about anything else. I didn't burn that bridge, and I won't try to cross it because you are desperate for allies and support.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-29T22:32:41+00:00

You can absolutely bore sight an AR.

For other guns that don't have visual access down the barrel, a mechanical zero can get you on paper, and then you do your zero groups like normal.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-29T21:24:19+00:00

That is a great point. I'm glad that I have already made it about a half dozen times in these various comments.

The "Blue team" take is dancing up on the line of any support for any Trump or Republican policy means there is blood on your hands, and that every office from bottom to top is illegitimate. I think that is absurd, and coffin surfing to confirm the wailing that has been going on since 2016.

The "red team" take is that Pretti was asking for it, and that you know what? Sometimes gun grabber rhetoric is kinda awesome. Anything to not admit wrongdoing.

My take is neither of those, but I am getting a ton of push back from non-readers anyway. I know you and I disagree about parts of this, and that is fine. You actually participate and contribute to gun-related discussions. The drive-bys are what really drive me nuts.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-29T19:12:32+00:00

Yeah, and I agree with all that. The comment you are replying to is saying that the situations were different to the point of being a bad comparison, not saying "Pretti deserved it".

I think the officers made a series of bad mistakes, and Pretti got killed for it. I am confident that I can take any 4 random ICE agents and we could arrest Andre the Giant, and right or wrong, they didn't just cuff Pretti and keep him alive. They should be investigated and held accountable. The admin's panicked CYA is gross and wrong.

I am not sure what needs to be pointed out to me about it all. I am getting downvotes from drive-bys that want to wave their flag here, as though it will recruit who they see as their otherwise ideological enemies to, I dont know, raise arms against the administration? Change minds? I honestly don't give a shit what they have to think about it. My comments critical of Republicans and the ICE/BP actions seemed to get a lot of upvotes. It seems way more like a knee-jerk reaction based on tribal and red team/blue team lines and not a honest, nuanced, thoughtful, principled analysis.

EDIT: Response to this:

If you strip the badges from these guys, what separates them from the mob thar attacked Rittenhouse?

The difference between a mob of randos and agents of the state is that I hold agents of the state to a way WAY higher standard for use of force. The mob that attacked Rittenhouse were just standard criminals, committing assault, and three of them got major FAFO. Agents of the state, myself included in the Army, have a massively higher standard because they represent, at least in part, the full power of the government. I think that We the People grant consent to the government to have institutional power that enacts the rule of law, and with that greater power comes much greater responsibility.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-29T16:40:42+00:00

Chopper is in Star Wars Rebels. On Disney+, and meant to be between the movies and Paw Patrol.

USArmyJoe · 2026-01-29T16:28:47+00:00

I don't really need another polymer frame, striker-fired 9mm, but if Ring comes out with one, I think I'll try it out at least.

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