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Posts Tagged ‘Jim Schatz’

“Metal Fever” by Jim Schatz

Monday, April 3rd, 2017

A horrible scourge is stealing the health from many of my friends, and taking the lives of still others. Heavy metal poisoning is an affliction we are just beginning to comprehend. It almost sounds like some quaint illness from the 19th century but its effects are manifesting themselves in members of the profession of arms. So far, the SOF community has been at the forefront of identifying it but as this briefing by Jim Schatz shows, so many more have been exposed to heavy metals.

Jim Schatz left us with a great deal of information on small arms, but this briefing on the effects of heavy metal poisoning, presented to the NDIA Joint Armaments Forum in 2014, is one we should all review. Just take a look at the symptoms. They are easy to rationalize as another illness, or “just getting old”. As you’ll learn in this briefing, exposure is much simpler than spending lots of time in a shoothouse. I’ll go one step further than this briefing and remind those who’ve deployed that exposure to industrial waste is more likely in locales that lack effective means of disposal.

Please, take a few minutes to go over this briefing. Many of our breathren are suffering from the effects of heavy metal poisoning. One of them could be you.

To download your copy, click here.

Thanks to the SOF Health Initiatives Program for sharing this briefing with us.

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Posted in Medical | 7 Comments »

Jim Schatz – 9 Known Truths

Monday, March 20th, 2017

Although Jim Schatz passed away, he left a great deal of knowledge with us, including the “9 Known Truths”, based on his experience in the Small Arms industry. I have a feeling they’ll still be as valid in a decade or more, as they are today.

9 Known Truths

General Thoughts on Modern Warfare and Small Arms Technology

1 The asymmetric threat, unencumbered by “western” doctrine and politics, exploits our capability gaps faster than we can react within our cumbersome infrastructure.

2 Kinetic Energy (KE) kill mechanisms (launched bullets, fragments) have been and remain state-of-the-art weapons technology since the 15th century. That will not change anytime soon so we should embrace and improve on it.

3 Man-portable “directed energy” technology is decades away. One cannot “schedule a break through”, regardless of what the sci fi writers and S&T community developers espouse.

4 For the ground combatant, pH and pI/K has not been markedly improved by so-called “Leap Ahead” or “Revolutionary” technology and “Star Wars” S&T projects, yet $B’s have been spent on unrealistic and undelivered promises.

5 Desired Target Effects (direct hits or effective target suppression) depends on aiming and launch “hold proficiency” (marksmanship) be it used for semi, burst or full auto KE fire, air-bursting engagements via accurate lasing, XM25 or “TrackingPoint”-style FS/FCS, or even directed energy “pulses”.

6 Repeatable First Shot hits/kills will never be readily accomplished due to the many “hold” and error factors beyond the control of the operator. Immediate through-optic BDA and rapid adjusted follow-on shots offer the greatest chance of improved target effects, BUT the equipment must provide that core capability to the trained operator.

7 Snipers as “force multipliers” exploit magnified optics, superior weapons, sights and ammunition to increase pH & PI/K at all ranges, especially those beyond assault rifle range. Rifleman can/should leverage that capability by employing affordable “paradigm shifting” precision enablers.

8 Training is paramount to effectiveness BUT advanced hardware enables advanced training and employment.

9 Incremental, available and emerging (and affordable) advancements in small arms, sighting and ammunition technologies offer the greatest return on investment and are waiting to be exploited.

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Posted in weapons | 10 Comments »

Jim Schatz – Caseless Ammunition Small Arms

Sunday, March 19th, 2017

Late last week we lost Jim Schatz, a true expert in the small arms community. Jim was a presenter at many a NDIA Small Arms Conference and this briefing to the 2012 meeting on Caseless Ammunition Small Arms, is one of his best. Click on the image below to read the briefing slides. While Jim’s discussion is missing, he would always offer some great slides, packed with info. There’s a lot going on with Small Arms these days and we’re going to dip into some of it this week, so consider this a read ahead.

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www.dtic.mil/ndia/2012/armaments/Wednesday13614JimSchatz

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Posted in Ammo, History | Comments Off on Jim Schatz – Caseless Ammunition Small Arms

Rest In Peace Jim Schatz

Saturday, March 18th, 2017

Unfortunately, I have to report that Jim Schatz has passed away. He served his country as a paratrooper and later, became a legend in the small arms industry.

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I first met Jim while he was at H&K. He ran one helluva a weapons demo and was extremely knowledgeable about small arms as well as the US military’s acquisition of them.

He will be missed.

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Posted in Memorial | 33 Comments »