Oh yeah, you heard me right... carrying at Church.
You may think that no one is going to bop in to the house of the Lord and start some mischief, to that I would say you couldn't be more wrong.
One just happened on Valentine's day in Virginia. A couple of guys walked in, strolled around a bit and started shooting. Seriously, in church, I shit you not!
So, since most churches don't have sign posted asking you not to, I would say "why not?". Just be discrete about it. The shepherd looks after his flock and it may be you that gives the assist.
You never know.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Beretta .25acp
This post really covers all .25 acp firearms out there, but more specifically the Berettas.
First off let me just say that I'm not enamored with the .25. It's little, it's short ranged, blah, blah, blah. Trust me, go to any gun forum on the web and 9 out of 10 people will tell you that the .25 ain't work the metal its made from.
If that is the case...then I would ask (and several people do on those forums) for a volunteer to stand in front of one when its fired. Never any takers on that one, odd isn't it?
Anyway, the ultra-compact, extremely portable and concealable pocket pistols that are chambered in .25 acp are fantastic carry guns.
The Beretta holds 8+1, weighs nothing, and will fit right in your pocket, no worries.
They are cheap to buy, well made, and durable. The accuracy at 7 yards is excellent.
So, as I've said previously, the .25 you carry is better than the howitzer you have at home, so this could be a great option for someone who has a limited carry scenario.
Just give it some thought, ok?
First off let me just say that I'm not enamored with the .25. It's little, it's short ranged, blah, blah, blah. Trust me, go to any gun forum on the web and 9 out of 10 people will tell you that the .25 ain't work the metal its made from.
If that is the case...then I would ask (and several people do on those forums) for a volunteer to stand in front of one when its fired. Never any takers on that one, odd isn't it?
Anyway, the ultra-compact, extremely portable and concealable pocket pistols that are chambered in .25 acp are fantastic carry guns.
The Beretta holds 8+1, weighs nothing, and will fit right in your pocket, no worries.
They are cheap to buy, well made, and durable. The accuracy at 7 yards is excellent.
So, as I've said previously, the .25 you carry is better than the howitzer you have at home, so this could be a great option for someone who has a limited carry scenario.
Just give it some thought, ok?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
.32 acp, the little bullet that could
There's some on going debate, and by on going debate I mean heated vehement arguements about what's the smallest round you should carry for personal defense.
Some say, .25, some say 9mm, some say .50... opinions will vary on this one all day long.
I overlooked one very capable and very cool cartridge the last time I discussed caliber. I overlooked the venerable .32 acp.
While this round will not punch a softball sized hole in another human being at 100 yards, it is effective and it will do the job which is to protect you from another person's life threatening agression.
There are, at last count, 47 bajillion pocket pistols chambered for this round.
Kel-Tec, Beretta, Seacamp, Browning, Charter Arms, etc etc etc.
The practical upshot of this is that you get good, better said, adequate, firepower in a lightweight package. You get a good round count in the magazine, usually 6 or 7 +1 and they are very easily concealed.
The one thing that I will recommend is that if you do carry a .32 pocket pistol, don't carry hollow points with it. What you say?!? You heard me.
The reason I say that is because of the relative light weight and slowish speed of the round, it is possible that one of two things happens. The first is that the bullet expands and stops short of any vital organs, leaving a now hurt and angry attacker who still has energy for more willful action against you... that's bad. The other is the same principle, but it hits thicker clothing and expands inside the clothing and then does only superficial damage to the attacker... again, that's bad.
So, I'd say go with full metal jacket. Also, I would suggest practicing putting two in the chest and one in the head, over and over and over again. I can't confirm that you'll stop an attacker with torso shots alone. However, I DO know that if a man's grey matter is disrupted, they tend to start stopping.
So, the .32 is a viable option for conceal carry, go test a couple out, see what you think.
Some say, .25, some say 9mm, some say .50... opinions will vary on this one all day long.
I overlooked one very capable and very cool cartridge the last time I discussed caliber. I overlooked the venerable .32 acp.
While this round will not punch a softball sized hole in another human being at 100 yards, it is effective and it will do the job which is to protect you from another person's life threatening agression.
There are, at last count, 47 bajillion pocket pistols chambered for this round.
Kel-Tec, Beretta, Seacamp, Browning, Charter Arms, etc etc etc.
The practical upshot of this is that you get good, better said, adequate, firepower in a lightweight package. You get a good round count in the magazine, usually 6 or 7 +1 and they are very easily concealed.
The one thing that I will recommend is that if you do carry a .32 pocket pistol, don't carry hollow points with it. What you say?!? You heard me.
The reason I say that is because of the relative light weight and slowish speed of the round, it is possible that one of two things happens. The first is that the bullet expands and stops short of any vital organs, leaving a now hurt and angry attacker who still has energy for more willful action against you... that's bad. The other is the same principle, but it hits thicker clothing and expands inside the clothing and then does only superficial damage to the attacker... again, that's bad.
So, I'd say go with full metal jacket. Also, I would suggest practicing putting two in the chest and one in the head, over and over and over again. I can't confirm that you'll stop an attacker with torso shots alone. However, I DO know that if a man's grey matter is disrupted, they tend to start stopping.
So, the .32 is a viable option for conceal carry, go test a couple out, see what you think.
You become a different person
And this post is a nod to my man Nutnfancy, of the Nutnfancy project on You Tube.
He made mention in one of his videos that you become a different person when you carry, you aren't the person you once were.
And you know what, he's absolutely right.
Once you have your CCW and you are actively carrying in public, you have to become a cooler, more docile, more aware person.
If you can de-escalate a situation, you have to. If you can walk/run away, do it. You can't go bucking up for a fight. You have to be cool.
Remember, the law gives you the right to carry a concealed weapon, however, that law does NOT absolve you from responsibility if and when you need to use that weapon.
If you are the agressor in a confrontation and you end up using your gun, guess what... you're going to jail for manslaughter or murder. And, personally, I think you deserve to. You broke the law and you abused your right to carry.
You make the rest of us look bad. You make people who carry guns look like whackos. Don't do that, don't be a tool, don't be an ass. Be cool, groovy, and all around relaxed.
Keep that in mind and y'all be safe out there.
He made mention in one of his videos that you become a different person when you carry, you aren't the person you once were.
And you know what, he's absolutely right.
Once you have your CCW and you are actively carrying in public, you have to become a cooler, more docile, more aware person.
If you can de-escalate a situation, you have to. If you can walk/run away, do it. You can't go bucking up for a fight. You have to be cool.
Remember, the law gives you the right to carry a concealed weapon, however, that law does NOT absolve you from responsibility if and when you need to use that weapon.
If you are the agressor in a confrontation and you end up using your gun, guess what... you're going to jail for manslaughter or murder. And, personally, I think you deserve to. You broke the law and you abused your right to carry.
You make the rest of us look bad. You make people who carry guns look like whackos. Don't do that, don't be a tool, don't be an ass. Be cool, groovy, and all around relaxed.
Keep that in mind and y'all be safe out there.
Ladies...carry, please
Contrary to popular opinion and even contrary to my own, very personal, feelings on things, women should definitely get licensed and carry a firearm.
It isn't that I don't think that women should be armed or that women can't shoot, blah, blah, blah. It is the naive and very hopeful belief that if something ever does happen that I'll be there with my wife and that I'll be able to take care of the problem or be the sacrificial lamb so that the wife can haul boogie out of there.
Yeah, I know, it's campy, it's a little outdated, but that's how I'd rather it happened if, God forbid, it ever does have to happen.
Baring that... a woman should most definitely carry a firearm with her, period.
There are a couple of reasons behind this:
1. Women are considered "easy targets" by wouldbe attackers.
2. Women are, by and large, not as physically strong as men
3. NO ONE would expect a woman to be carrying and therefore, if something bad happened, you'd be ignored and thereby given a little extra time to draw your weapon and stop said bad guy.
Your carry options are about the same as a guy with the exception (in my mind) of the shoulder holster.
I would NOT, and by NOT, I mean FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS CUTE AND FLUFFY DON'T, carry in your purse. It's the first thing a bad guy is going to grab and take and run, or grab and throw to the side. So, it's a bad place to stash your weapon.
Just my two cents.
It isn't that I don't think that women should be armed or that women can't shoot, blah, blah, blah. It is the naive and very hopeful belief that if something ever does happen that I'll be there with my wife and that I'll be able to take care of the problem or be the sacrificial lamb so that the wife can haul boogie out of there.
Yeah, I know, it's campy, it's a little outdated, but that's how I'd rather it happened if, God forbid, it ever does have to happen.
Baring that... a woman should most definitely carry a firearm with her, period.
There are a couple of reasons behind this:
1. Women are considered "easy targets" by wouldbe attackers.
2. Women are, by and large, not as physically strong as men
3. NO ONE would expect a woman to be carrying and therefore, if something bad happened, you'd be ignored and thereby given a little extra time to draw your weapon and stop said bad guy.
Your carry options are about the same as a guy with the exception (in my mind) of the shoulder holster.
I would NOT, and by NOT, I mean FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS CUTE AND FLUFFY DON'T, carry in your purse. It's the first thing a bad guy is going to grab and take and run, or grab and throw to the side. So, it's a bad place to stash your weapon.
Just my two cents.
N8(2) Tactical Holster
I just had a chance over the weekend to try out the N82 (pronounced "Nate Squared", the owners are both named Nate) Tactical holster.
Its an IWB holster made in 4 sizes, from Full size down to pocket pistol in a "One size fits most" configuration.
The backing that sits against the body is suade with a think neoprene filler and the weapon is held in place by think elastic/spandex. It clips on the the belt or waistband of your pants.
Let me tell you, it's comfortable! It isn't heavy and because it's textile as opposed to leather it moves where you move and doesn't poke or have sharp edges.
I will also have to say it fits a large varietty of pistols! I tested a SWE40, full size, a Bersa Mini-40, compact, and a Kel-Tec P11, Sub-compact, and they all fit in this holster with great retention.
I was a little concerned about reholstering, but even with this being a textile the reholstering was a cinch!
I am very impressed with this holster. I used it in the small of my back and it was easy to put on, easy to take off, easy to draw and easy to reholster and comfortable... Is there anything else, really, that one needs?
N82 Tactical has a website and their prices can't be beat. I think its about $40.00 per holster, which as anyone can tell you, is a good price for a quality holster.
I will add the disclaimer that they are local and I like to lend my support to local vendors, but at the same time a good product is a good product, and this one really is.
My one caveat would be that this system lends itself better to compact and below in size, but that could be because I'm not a fan of carrying a full sized pistol... again your mileage may vary.
Look them up, give them a try, I think they are great!
Its an IWB holster made in 4 sizes, from Full size down to pocket pistol in a "One size fits most" configuration.
The backing that sits against the body is suade with a think neoprene filler and the weapon is held in place by think elastic/spandex. It clips on the the belt or waistband of your pants.
Let me tell you, it's comfortable! It isn't heavy and because it's textile as opposed to leather it moves where you move and doesn't poke or have sharp edges.
I will also have to say it fits a large varietty of pistols! I tested a SWE40, full size, a Bersa Mini-40, compact, and a Kel-Tec P11, Sub-compact, and they all fit in this holster with great retention.
I was a little concerned about reholstering, but even with this being a textile the reholstering was a cinch!
I am very impressed with this holster. I used it in the small of my back and it was easy to put on, easy to take off, easy to draw and easy to reholster and comfortable... Is there anything else, really, that one needs?
N82 Tactical has a website and their prices can't be beat. I think its about $40.00 per holster, which as anyone can tell you, is a good price for a quality holster.
I will add the disclaimer that they are local and I like to lend my support to local vendors, but at the same time a good product is a good product, and this one really is.
My one caveat would be that this system lends itself better to compact and below in size, but that could be because I'm not a fan of carrying a full sized pistol... again your mileage may vary.
Look them up, give them a try, I think they are great!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Why we fight.
I just realized that I've spoken alot about how to conceal, what to conceal and why to carry, but I haven't really mentioned something that I believe is even more crucial then all of this; why we fight. Not why we carry a concealed weapon, but why we choose to fight.
We could simply not carry anything, right? Then, when faced with an aggressive force, we could submit and that would be that. Yes, we could do that. It is certainly safer and causes less headaches.
However, I have a huge problem with that. Not because I'm some macho dude who "doesn't take crap off anyone". That's exactly the WRONG reason to carry a weapon. I have a huge problem with it because it is my right to walk on this earth unencumbered by others. I should be able to walk from my house to Iowa, if I wanted to, and never be harmed by another human being. I give them respect I should get the same.
That being said, there are people in this country that want to hurt people, that want to take what you have instead of work for it. There are sick people, who can't get any better, who think that pain is fun and hurting and stealing is a way to gain power and respect.
Yeah, here's what I have to say to those people: Fuck you.
You want to run up in a 7-11 with a shotgun and rob and terrify the poor dude or woman working the counter at 2:00 in the morning because YOU can't be bothered to get a job? Fuck you.
You want to gang up on a weaker kid because he likes to wear suspenders and jack boots and listen to weird music, then beat him to death for being different? Fuck you.
You want to violate a woman in the single most hideous fashion imaginable? Fuck you.
We, the American people, are sick and tired of the bullshit.
If you are one of those people I want to introduce you to the silent minority of people out there that will straight up shoot you dead for that bullshit.
Bad guys, you've been warned. You are on notice. Stop what you are doing or you may end up on the wrong end of a gun carried by a law abiding and otherwise patient and kind civilian who will put a stop to your crap, permanently.
That's why we fight. Not for the adrenaline rush, not because its cool to carry a gun, but because we believe in protecting something greater than ourselves.
...thus endth the sermon.
We could simply not carry anything, right? Then, when faced with an aggressive force, we could submit and that would be that. Yes, we could do that. It is certainly safer and causes less headaches.
However, I have a huge problem with that. Not because I'm some macho dude who "doesn't take crap off anyone". That's exactly the WRONG reason to carry a weapon. I have a huge problem with it because it is my right to walk on this earth unencumbered by others. I should be able to walk from my house to Iowa, if I wanted to, and never be harmed by another human being. I give them respect I should get the same.
That being said, there are people in this country that want to hurt people, that want to take what you have instead of work for it. There are sick people, who can't get any better, who think that pain is fun and hurting and stealing is a way to gain power and respect.
Yeah, here's what I have to say to those people: Fuck you.
You want to run up in a 7-11 with a shotgun and rob and terrify the poor dude or woman working the counter at 2:00 in the morning because YOU can't be bothered to get a job? Fuck you.
You want to gang up on a weaker kid because he likes to wear suspenders and jack boots and listen to weird music, then beat him to death for being different? Fuck you.
You want to violate a woman in the single most hideous fashion imaginable? Fuck you.
We, the American people, are sick and tired of the bullshit.
If you are one of those people I want to introduce you to the silent minority of people out there that will straight up shoot you dead for that bullshit.
Bad guys, you've been warned. You are on notice. Stop what you are doing or you may end up on the wrong end of a gun carried by a law abiding and otherwise patient and kind civilian who will put a stop to your crap, permanently.
That's why we fight. Not for the adrenaline rush, not because its cool to carry a gun, but because we believe in protecting something greater than ourselves.
...thus endth the sermon.
Carry positions, the ups and downs...part 4
Still following our basic criterion for review:
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Alright, the newest (so far as I know) concealment item out there is the concealment t-shirt. To explain this isn't really easy, but I'll try.
Imagine a standard undershirt, made of rather elastic (but not suffocatingly tight) material with a sling/pouch under the left arm for your weapon to slip in to. See what I mean? Just awkward to describe.
However, back to the talking points...
The comfort, assuming you purchased the right size and aren't being squeezed to death is pretty good from what I've heard. The weight of your firearm is spread out over the entirety of your left side shoulder and arm and to some extent the scapula and mid back.
The concealability is terrific. All you need is a shirt over the concealment shirt and you're golden. Since the gun lays under your arm, more spefically between your arm and ribs, it won't show unless you're making some wild gesticulations.
Now, the speed of draw is where this one falls short, I believe. To access your weapon you have to unbutton your shirt or reach under it, get some sort of grip on the weapon (and sweep your body as you draw) then draw. It isn't fast and it's pretty obvious what you're doing and you may get jumped in the interim.
Just a consideration
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Alright, the newest (so far as I know) concealment item out there is the concealment t-shirt. To explain this isn't really easy, but I'll try.
Imagine a standard undershirt, made of rather elastic (but not suffocatingly tight) material with a sling/pouch under the left arm for your weapon to slip in to. See what I mean? Just awkward to describe.
However, back to the talking points...
The comfort, assuming you purchased the right size and aren't being squeezed to death is pretty good from what I've heard. The weight of your firearm is spread out over the entirety of your left side shoulder and arm and to some extent the scapula and mid back.
The concealability is terrific. All you need is a shirt over the concealment shirt and you're golden. Since the gun lays under your arm, more spefically between your arm and ribs, it won't show unless you're making some wild gesticulations.
Now, the speed of draw is where this one falls short, I believe. To access your weapon you have to unbutton your shirt or reach under it, get some sort of grip on the weapon (and sweep your body as you draw) then draw. It isn't fast and it's pretty obvious what you're doing and you may get jumped in the interim.
Just a consideration
Friday, March 19, 2010
Carry positions, the ups and downs... 3
Still following our basic criterion for review:
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
The Belly Band
You may be unfamiliar with this type of carry rig. Not to detract from those people who like them nor those that manufacture them, but it is, in fact, a girdle with a pocket in it for a gun and an extra magazine. It wraps around your lower torso and affixes with velcro.
All anecdotes point to the fact that this is a comfortable carry rig. I would think the only stipulation is that you wear an undershirt or it would rub something awful against you. I would also think that it would be very warm in the summer and a breathable material would be a must.
the concealability is very good. You'd never know the other guy was carrying unless you bumped in to him and actually hit his gun. It is very good in this aspect.
Your clothing options are limitless, really. Since this goes under the outter shirt, so long as you're buttoned up, you're good to go!
Ease of access is HORRIBLE! It is a super slow draw. However, if this is the only comfortable way you can carry, then go for it! The only slower draw would be a small gun from a overstuffed purse where you would need to really search for your weapon.
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
The Belly Band
You may be unfamiliar with this type of carry rig. Not to detract from those people who like them nor those that manufacture them, but it is, in fact, a girdle with a pocket in it for a gun and an extra magazine. It wraps around your lower torso and affixes with velcro.
All anecdotes point to the fact that this is a comfortable carry rig. I would think the only stipulation is that you wear an undershirt or it would rub something awful against you. I would also think that it would be very warm in the summer and a breathable material would be a must.
the concealability is very good. You'd never know the other guy was carrying unless you bumped in to him and actually hit his gun. It is very good in this aspect.
Your clothing options are limitless, really. Since this goes under the outter shirt, so long as you're buttoned up, you're good to go!
Ease of access is HORRIBLE! It is a super slow draw. However, if this is the only comfortable way you can carry, then go for it! The only slower draw would be a small gun from a overstuffed purse where you would need to really search for your weapon.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Carry positions, the ups and downs... 2
Still following our basic criterion for review:
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Shoulder Holsters
The comfort of the shoulder holster is, again, a point of personal preference.
However, considering that you have a weight dispersal strap that covers both shoulders you can heft a pretty sizeable gun without discomfort. Just keep in mind that you may be banging in to this thing with your elbow and upper arm all day.
The concealability is pretty good, all in all. Standard movements are still easily performed without worrying about printing because the gun rests under your arm.
Mode of dress is pretty simple, wear an outer shirt and you're good. It can be tucked in, untucked, open, or buttoned up. It doesn't really matter.
However, all of that ease of use comes with one huge draw back. You can't get to the weapon quickly. The positioning of the holster means that you have to draw across your body after you've swept away any clothing that was in the way or unbuttoned or untucked or lifted up whatever shirt or jacket you were wearing. Also the draw forces you to sweep a part of your body with the barrel of your firearm.
Most people are going to say that isn't a problem because they are safe in their draw. While that may be true, in a moment of panic you could very well startle yourself in to putting a whole in your arm or someone in the 90 degree arc that you have to cover in order to get in to a forward facing grip.
It just isn't as safe and as quick as I would like. You can pack a full sized service pistol in a shoulder holster, but a reasonably savvy bad guy will be all over you by the time you've been able to present your firearm.
Remember, you've got 1.5 seconds.
Ankle Holsters
The comfort of these is pretty good. So long as you have a reasonably weighted firearm, Kel Tec, Beretta Tomcat, so on and so on. Remember, this thing is going to rest against your ankle and, depending on the model, have a calf retention strap further up the leg. After a while, it can get itchy, uncomfortable or warm.
Concealability is good. Most people don't look at people's ankles, they especially don't notice a bulge around the ankle, so a good flat or small framed firearm will be well hidden there.
Clothing options are almost limitless...aside from the fact that you can't wear shorts... I hope that much was obvious. Also you have to be careful about tight jeans or tight pants. Not only could they emphasize the bulge you're carrying, they can also really impede your draw.
Speaking of which... the ankle holster is the one of the more cumbersome holsters to draw from. Remember you have to bend down, reach down, move your pant leg, draw the weapom, aim, and shoot. That's a lot. And if you've never shot from a one knee position, you could have some trouble.
All in all though, the ankle holster is a great option for when you're traveling in your car. More often than not a potential bad guy isn't going to notice you going for the draw since you can move your leg and not your whole body from a sitting position.
Up next... the belly band and concealment shirts!
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Shoulder Holsters
The comfort of the shoulder holster is, again, a point of personal preference.
However, considering that you have a weight dispersal strap that covers both shoulders you can heft a pretty sizeable gun without discomfort. Just keep in mind that you may be banging in to this thing with your elbow and upper arm all day.
The concealability is pretty good, all in all. Standard movements are still easily performed without worrying about printing because the gun rests under your arm.
Mode of dress is pretty simple, wear an outer shirt and you're good. It can be tucked in, untucked, open, or buttoned up. It doesn't really matter.
However, all of that ease of use comes with one huge draw back. You can't get to the weapon quickly. The positioning of the holster means that you have to draw across your body after you've swept away any clothing that was in the way or unbuttoned or untucked or lifted up whatever shirt or jacket you were wearing. Also the draw forces you to sweep a part of your body with the barrel of your firearm.
Most people are going to say that isn't a problem because they are safe in their draw. While that may be true, in a moment of panic you could very well startle yourself in to putting a whole in your arm or someone in the 90 degree arc that you have to cover in order to get in to a forward facing grip.
It just isn't as safe and as quick as I would like. You can pack a full sized service pistol in a shoulder holster, but a reasonably savvy bad guy will be all over you by the time you've been able to present your firearm.
Remember, you've got 1.5 seconds.
Ankle Holsters
The comfort of these is pretty good. So long as you have a reasonably weighted firearm, Kel Tec, Beretta Tomcat, so on and so on. Remember, this thing is going to rest against your ankle and, depending on the model, have a calf retention strap further up the leg. After a while, it can get itchy, uncomfortable or warm.
Concealability is good. Most people don't look at people's ankles, they especially don't notice a bulge around the ankle, so a good flat or small framed firearm will be well hidden there.
Clothing options are almost limitless...aside from the fact that you can't wear shorts... I hope that much was obvious. Also you have to be careful about tight jeans or tight pants. Not only could they emphasize the bulge you're carrying, they can also really impede your draw.
Speaking of which... the ankle holster is the one of the more cumbersome holsters to draw from. Remember you have to bend down, reach down, move your pant leg, draw the weapom, aim, and shoot. That's a lot. And if you've never shot from a one knee position, you could have some trouble.
All in all though, the ankle holster is a great option for when you're traveling in your car. More often than not a potential bad guy isn't going to notice you going for the draw since you can move your leg and not your whole body from a sitting position.
Up next... the belly band and concealment shirts!
Carry positions, the ups and downs...
As I stated there are a myriad of carry options and a million different styles in which to carry.
What I'd like to do is go over the ups and downs (my personal opinion) on the different positions you can carry from and where I think (again, just my opinion) a concealed weapon would actually do you some good, should the need arise.
The criterion are fairly straight forward when considering your carry location.
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Shall we begin?
IWB
In the waist band (IWB) holster are the more common out of all holsters for sub-compact and compact models. They are usually carried just past the peak of your hip bone heading towards your wallet or back pocket.
The comfort of these is "ok", some people say they are great, some people say they are bulky, some people hate them... opinions are what they are so far as comfort goes.
The concealability on an IWB is good. You have to consider when you bend at the waist because the grip may print on you.
Mode of dress is easy as well, just an untucked shirt is enough in most cases. There are some models that allow you to tuck in your shirt, but test those out and see if the printing is a problem when you do tuck in.
The accessibility is the best out of all the holster options out there, period. Tug with the weak hand to pull up the shirt, and draw with your strong hand, then two hand grip and extend. Pretty darn simple, actually.
OWB
This is pretty much the same as IWB, except the obvious, it is outside of the waist band.
This is considered the most comfortable carry position by lots of people.
The concealability is "ok". You have a greater chance of printing since the entire gun and holster are out in the open, so to say.
Your clothing choices are either an untucked shirt or a jacket...that's all the leeway you can have.
The drawing is the best of all concealable holsters out there, period.
...I will cover more in separate posts. There too much to cover in just one.
What I'd like to do is go over the ups and downs (my personal opinion) on the different positions you can carry from and where I think (again, just my opinion) a concealed weapon would actually do you some good, should the need arise.
The criterion are fairly straight forward when considering your carry location.
1. Comfort
2. Concealability
3. Mode of dress
4. Speed of access
Shall we begin?
IWB
In the waist band (IWB) holster are the more common out of all holsters for sub-compact and compact models. They are usually carried just past the peak of your hip bone heading towards your wallet or back pocket.
The comfort of these is "ok", some people say they are great, some people say they are bulky, some people hate them... opinions are what they are so far as comfort goes.
The concealability on an IWB is good. You have to consider when you bend at the waist because the grip may print on you.
Mode of dress is easy as well, just an untucked shirt is enough in most cases. There are some models that allow you to tuck in your shirt, but test those out and see if the printing is a problem when you do tuck in.
The accessibility is the best out of all the holster options out there, period. Tug with the weak hand to pull up the shirt, and draw with your strong hand, then two hand grip and extend. Pretty darn simple, actually.
OWB
This is pretty much the same as IWB, except the obvious, it is outside of the waist band.
This is considered the most comfortable carry position by lots of people.
The concealability is "ok". You have a greater chance of printing since the entire gun and holster are out in the open, so to say.
Your clothing choices are either an untucked shirt or a jacket...that's all the leeway you can have.
The drawing is the best of all concealable holsters out there, period.
...I will cover more in separate posts. There too much to cover in just one.
Holsters...and lots of them
After you've determined that you're going to carry and what you are going to carry you have to decide where, on your person, you are going to carry.
Once you've done that you have to decide on the holster that fits for you.
At last count there are 1.8 bazillion holster manufacturers out there of holsters. Places like Safariland, Uncle Mike's, Galco, and also some custom shops like Kholster and N82 Tactical.
There are holsters that are custom made for your pistol and some "universal" holsters that will fit anything within a certain size range. They come in leather, nylon, kydex, aluimum foil, plastic wrap and Spam. The options are almost mathematically endless.
There are holsters for your belt, ankle, pocket,under arm (shoulder holsters), small of the back, "Belly band", concealment T-shirts, concealment jackets, concealment purses, and fanny packs. Seriously, if you can't find a place to carry you really aren't trying.
The upside is there are millions of choices the down side is you won't know what you like until you try it out and walk around with it for a while. It is entirely possible that you will spend about half, if not more, of the price of your gun simply on finding the right carry option.
Please, do not let this discourage you and please find one that is comfortable and does what you want it to do for you. Do not get a holster and wear it if it isn't comfortable and allows you mobility. You will stop carrying if it gets to be uncomfortable...
So, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It will take time and effort and some money, but you'll find the right one for you.
Once you've done that you have to decide on the holster that fits for you.
At last count there are 1.8 bazillion holster manufacturers out there of holsters. Places like Safariland, Uncle Mike's, Galco, and also some custom shops like Kholster and N82 Tactical.
There are holsters that are custom made for your pistol and some "universal" holsters that will fit anything within a certain size range. They come in leather, nylon, kydex, aluimum foil, plastic wrap and Spam. The options are almost mathematically endless.
There are holsters for your belt, ankle, pocket,under arm (shoulder holsters), small of the back, "Belly band", concealment T-shirts, concealment jackets, concealment purses, and fanny packs. Seriously, if you can't find a place to carry you really aren't trying.
The upside is there are millions of choices the down side is you won't know what you like until you try it out and walk around with it for a while. It is entirely possible that you will spend about half, if not more, of the price of your gun simply on finding the right carry option.
Please, do not let this discourage you and please find one that is comfortable and does what you want it to do for you. Do not get a holster and wear it if it isn't comfortable and allows you mobility. You will stop carrying if it gets to be uncomfortable...
So, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It will take time and effort and some money, but you'll find the right one for you.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Beretta Tomcat .32 acp
Ok, this one is going to be a little out of the normal for a review, but I have to admit, I'm smitten with this little pocket rocket.
As a disclaimer, I like the .32 acp concept. I like small nimble guns with almost no recoil and all that. They look neat, are easily kept at hand, and they are, well, they are just nifty.
Another disclaimer: I haven't fired this weapon.
The Berreta Tomcat is a tilt open barrel design. Which means you can either load your magazine conventionally, but inserting the mag and pulling back on the slide.
This will put a round in the chamber this will pull the hammer back in the "cocked and locked" position. This will give you 7 rounds total in the gun.
The other option is to insert the magazine but then hit the barrel release. This will, literally, flip the barrel up and allow you to load another round in to the barrel directly and it will not cause the hammer to retract and be cocked and locked.
This will give you 7+1... nothing wrong with an extra bullet at your disposal.
As you may have guessed the Tomcat has a DA/SA trigger. That means double action/single action. The meat and potatoes of that is that if the hammer is down and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot. If the hammer is back and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot.
Ergonomics on the Tomcat are great! I know, I know, it is hard to believe, but they really are. The grip is nice and round and easy to get your hands on. It is, of course, short, but for some reason, that's not a problem. It just sits great in the hand.
It has an external safety lever which is easily actuated so you can carry in "condition 1" which is a round chambered and the hammer cocked.
The weight is enough to let you know that you're holding on to something substantial and not some piece of fluff. Which speaks to the materials it is made of. It's metal, not composite or plastic. I'm a fan.
It does have one drawback. It is chambered in the .32 acp caliber. Some people will say that you might as well throw a rock at someone if all you have is a .32. These same people will also say the same to anything that isn't a .45, so consider the source.
No, it won't kill a charging Rhino and no, it probably won't immediately stop a drugged up assailant. However, there have been numerous reports that state a an average man hopped up on PCP can taken dozens of direct hits to the torso and head and still kept coming... If 63 shots from police service pistols aren't going to stop someone, there's nothing you can carry, as a civilian, that would stop someone like that.
Your best bet are head shots and plenty of them.
To me, if your shot placement is good and your training is current and consistent, this little gem will save your life, period. And at the end of the day that's the true test of a defensive handgun. Will it save your life? In my opinion, yes, the Tomcat will.
All in all, I'd give great consideration to this pistol if you want to keep it in your pocket or purse. An extra magazine would be also very easy to carry around too, heck, maybe even a couple. That would be a total of 22 rounds. Not too shabby.
As a disclaimer, I like the .32 acp concept. I like small nimble guns with almost no recoil and all that. They look neat, are easily kept at hand, and they are, well, they are just nifty.
Another disclaimer: I haven't fired this weapon.
The Berreta Tomcat is a tilt open barrel design. Which means you can either load your magazine conventionally, but inserting the mag and pulling back on the slide.
This will put a round in the chamber this will pull the hammer back in the "cocked and locked" position. This will give you 7 rounds total in the gun.
The other option is to insert the magazine but then hit the barrel release. This will, literally, flip the barrel up and allow you to load another round in to the barrel directly and it will not cause the hammer to retract and be cocked and locked.
This will give you 7+1... nothing wrong with an extra bullet at your disposal.
As you may have guessed the Tomcat has a DA/SA trigger. That means double action/single action. The meat and potatoes of that is that if the hammer is down and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot. If the hammer is back and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot.
Ergonomics on the Tomcat are great! I know, I know, it is hard to believe, but they really are. The grip is nice and round and easy to get your hands on. It is, of course, short, but for some reason, that's not a problem. It just sits great in the hand.
It has an external safety lever which is easily actuated so you can carry in "condition 1" which is a round chambered and the hammer cocked.
The weight is enough to let you know that you're holding on to something substantial and not some piece of fluff. Which speaks to the materials it is made of. It's metal, not composite or plastic. I'm a fan.
It does have one drawback. It is chambered in the .32 acp caliber. Some people will say that you might as well throw a rock at someone if all you have is a .32. These same people will also say the same to anything that isn't a .45, so consider the source.
No, it won't kill a charging Rhino and no, it probably won't immediately stop a drugged up assailant. However, there have been numerous reports that state a an average man hopped up on PCP can taken dozens of direct hits to the torso and head and still kept coming... If 63 shots from police service pistols aren't going to stop someone, there's nothing you can carry, as a civilian, that would stop someone like that.
Your best bet are head shots and plenty of them.
To me, if your shot placement is good and your training is current and consistent, this little gem will save your life, period. And at the end of the day that's the true test of a defensive handgun. Will it save your life? In my opinion, yes, the Tomcat will.
All in all, I'd give great consideration to this pistol if you want to keep it in your pocket or purse. An extra magazine would be also very easy to carry around too, heck, maybe even a couple. That would be a total of 22 rounds. Not too shabby.
I might change my mind...
Previously I stated that I was going to go with the Glock 19 (or perhaps G26) for my personal carry weapon. I still maintain that it is a fine firearm and will absolutely stand the test of time, over and over again.
However, the more I handle one and really try and get the feel of it and what it would be like to carry it I get more and more disheartened.
It is a block of metal, it is heavy and bulky. I just can't get over the feeling that would be inconvenient to carry with me. I think it would be, but I didn't see any other options which would fit the bill.
I looked at the XD, the M&P, so on and so forth and either the slide was too tall (XD) or the grip was ridiculously too short (M&P) or it was just too fat (G19, XD).
I couldn't land on one that really fit well in my hand.
I looked at some smaller single stack pistols, Kahr CV9, Kel Tec PF9, the P11 and so on, but those were lacking in heft (Kahr) or didn't feel very "finished" as in the Kel Tec.
Then I stumbled upon the Ruger SR9c. Now this one, to me, and again your perception may vary, seems to fit all my criterion and be a big winner.
It is in 9mm, holds 10+1 (same as the G26) comes with a second extended map (12 rounds I believe). It has a drop trigger, meaning there is an internal safety that won't allow the striker to release unless the trigger is pulled, it also has an unobtrusive manual safety on it. I don't think I would need the manual safety if it has a drop trigger...just my 2 cents.
The grip is thin and well fitting, the slide is relatively free of clutter, the pistol weighs more than a Glock, M&P, or XD, but it doesn't feel heavy. In fact, it feels better than the Glock so far as weigh is concerned.
The slide is much thinner than any of the other big three I named which while most assuredly assist me in concealment and consistent carry. It has a low bore axis which means the barrel is low in the frame which means less felt recoil, which is a huge advantage over the XD.
The grip is just a hair longer than the others out of the box, so I wouldn't have to worry about getting a +2 mag extender as I would for the other sub-compacts.
Not to mention the fact that its a Ruger. They make a fine pistol. Some people are brand loyal and will only buy M&Ps or XDs or Sig Sauers, and that's fine. I am of the opinion, though, that if it works and works well, I don't care who makes it, assuming that it isn't some company I've never heard of that has spotty workmanship.
Top that all off with the fact that its over $100.00 cheaper than the next "brand name" compact out there and you have a recipe for success. I can get a lot of ammo for $100.00.
I'm going to be looking at it more and more and getting the feel for it and I'll keep everyone posted, but initial impressions are very favorable.
However, the more I handle one and really try and get the feel of it and what it would be like to carry it I get more and more disheartened.
It is a block of metal, it is heavy and bulky. I just can't get over the feeling that would be inconvenient to carry with me. I think it would be, but I didn't see any other options which would fit the bill.
I looked at the XD, the M&P, so on and so forth and either the slide was too tall (XD) or the grip was ridiculously too short (M&P) or it was just too fat (G19, XD).
I couldn't land on one that really fit well in my hand.
I looked at some smaller single stack pistols, Kahr CV9, Kel Tec PF9, the P11 and so on, but those were lacking in heft (Kahr) or didn't feel very "finished" as in the Kel Tec.
Then I stumbled upon the Ruger SR9c. Now this one, to me, and again your perception may vary, seems to fit all my criterion and be a big winner.
It is in 9mm, holds 10+1 (same as the G26) comes with a second extended map (12 rounds I believe). It has a drop trigger, meaning there is an internal safety that won't allow the striker to release unless the trigger is pulled, it also has an unobtrusive manual safety on it. I don't think I would need the manual safety if it has a drop trigger...just my 2 cents.
The grip is thin and well fitting, the slide is relatively free of clutter, the pistol weighs more than a Glock, M&P, or XD, but it doesn't feel heavy. In fact, it feels better than the Glock so far as weigh is concerned.
The slide is much thinner than any of the other big three I named which while most assuredly assist me in concealment and consistent carry. It has a low bore axis which means the barrel is low in the frame which means less felt recoil, which is a huge advantage over the XD.
The grip is just a hair longer than the others out of the box, so I wouldn't have to worry about getting a +2 mag extender as I would for the other sub-compacts.
Not to mention the fact that its a Ruger. They make a fine pistol. Some people are brand loyal and will only buy M&Ps or XDs or Sig Sauers, and that's fine. I am of the opinion, though, that if it works and works well, I don't care who makes it, assuming that it isn't some company I've never heard of that has spotty workmanship.
Top that all off with the fact that its over $100.00 cheaper than the next "brand name" compact out there and you have a recipe for success. I can get a lot of ammo for $100.00.
I'm going to be looking at it more and more and getting the feel for it and I'll keep everyone posted, but initial impressions are very favorable.
Carrying is scary...
And I think it should be in the beginning. Guns aren't toys, they aren't something to be treated lightly and with reckless abandon. They can and do kill people every single day.
This shouldn't weigh on your mind so much that you're in a cold sweat every time you leave the house, but you need to be aware of the fact that you are carrying a deadly weapon.
Keep your wits about you, don't look for trouble, be aware but not paranoid and remember you are within your rights as a licensed CCW carrier to go out in the world armed.
Carrying is about personal responsibility. You've taken a course, been fingerprinted and gone through a lengthy process to take full benefit of your right to walk this world unmolested by evildoers. Also you've made a statement to yourself, your family, your city and state that you are willing to be there, in time of need. That's a huge undertaking and should not be taken lightly.
Yeah, you should be scared...for a little while.
This shouldn't weigh on your mind so much that you're in a cold sweat every time you leave the house, but you need to be aware of the fact that you are carrying a deadly weapon.
Keep your wits about you, don't look for trouble, be aware but not paranoid and remember you are within your rights as a licensed CCW carrier to go out in the world armed.
Carrying is about personal responsibility. You've taken a course, been fingerprinted and gone through a lengthy process to take full benefit of your right to walk this world unmolested by evildoers. Also you've made a statement to yourself, your family, your city and state that you are willing to be there, in time of need. That's a huge undertaking and should not be taken lightly.
Yeah, you should be scared...for a little while.
If you carry in your pocket.
There are many CCW pistols out there that you can simply drop in your front pocket without the need for a holster of any kind. They are quick and convenient. They lack a large magazine capacity and are usually relegated to .380 caliber and below, but remember, the .32 you have on you is better than the .45 you left at home.
Now, if you do carry in your pocket, consider a pocket holster, there are many great manufacturers out there that make them to fit almost any weapon.
My only concern with a pocket holster is that if the retention of the holster is high, then you may pull out the holster along with the pistol, however, with practice and a little tweaking you should be ok.
If you do decide to carry a pocket pistol and you do decide to carry it free of a pocket holster, for the love of God and small furry creature do NOT carry anything else in that pocket. No change, no keys, no mints, no nothing!
You want unfettered access to your weapon and you also want to eliminate the possibility that a key gets in to the trigger guard and discharges your firearm. Nor do you want a quarter to lodge in the guard and block your access to your weapon.
Again, little considerations, but they make a big deference in your ability to defend yourself.
Now, if you do carry in your pocket, consider a pocket holster, there are many great manufacturers out there that make them to fit almost any weapon.
My only concern with a pocket holster is that if the retention of the holster is high, then you may pull out the holster along with the pistol, however, with practice and a little tweaking you should be ok.
If you do decide to carry a pocket pistol and you do decide to carry it free of a pocket holster, for the love of God and small furry creature do NOT carry anything else in that pocket. No change, no keys, no mints, no nothing!
You want unfettered access to your weapon and you also want to eliminate the possibility that a key gets in to the trigger guard and discharges your firearm. Nor do you want a quarter to lodge in the guard and block your access to your weapon.
Again, little considerations, but they make a big deference in your ability to defend yourself.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Smith & Wesson MP 9mm - Review
If you've done any reading on the subject of CCW pistols, odds are you've come across this little honey in your travels; The Smith and Wesson M&P (Military and Police) model in 9mm.
I will have to say that out of all the pistols I've tried out over the course of my research, this is one of the top 2 or 3.
Now, the dimensions aren't all that dissimilar to the Glock 26, but I find that the general size is a little more favorable to carrying and carrying often. It just doesn't feel as blocky. I haven't measured it, but perception is more important in this case than the actual dimensions.
I will be perfectly honest with you; this is the smoothest, easiest, and otherwise "buttah" like semi-auto that I have ever fired.
The accuracy is impressive, the reliability is outstanding, and the recoil is really non-existent.
You can pump out round after round and not move that far off target. Also, this is an intuitive shooter, you don't necessarily have to sight down the barrel to get a good shot off.
They are, however, a little pricey. They aren't, last time I checked, that far off from a Glock, but nowadays, every dollar counts, right?
I mean, if you can get one, get one. If you put this up against a Glock and an XD (Springfield) you'll find that these three pistols are in the same market and pretty much on par with each other. They are, in my opinion, almost interchangable. Just grab one of the three and see which one feels best to you and you can't go wrong!
Smith & Wesson - Airweight .38 - Review
The Smith Airweight .38 is a little pocket revolver with a good sized punch behind it.
It holds 5 rounds of .38 special ammo which has been around for about 5,000 years.
It is an extremely light weight and easy to conceal option to consider.
It weighs almost nothing, even when loaded. It easily fits in a pocket without printing. It is a no brainer so far as the dimensions are concerned.
Also Smith and Wesson makes a terrific, long lasting, reliable pistol.
There are 60 year old models still being used regularly with not so much as a whisper of an issue. The reliability is without question.
It is also chambered in a tried and true caliber. The .38 special has been in production for, well, forever. Police have carried the .38 all the way up until the mid 20th century. It has been proven over and over again as an effective personal defense round.
I will admit that it is a little pricey to purchase, but the ammo is plentiful and can be had on the cheap!
So, it all sounds great, right? Well, on paper, sure.
Where the rubber meets the road is when you pull the trigger. The trigger pull (the amount of force required to pull the trigger and cause the hammer to fall striking the primer and firing the round.) is intense! It is heavy. It is not easy to pull back.
Also, because it is a revolver, the combustion of the powder is not completely contained within the slide like it is in a semi-auto. So there is a great deal of flash and bang when you pull the trigger. I have actually burned my knuckles due to the flash from shooting this one.
Given the ultra low weight of the revolver the .38 round will jump and it will be hard to keep on target.
Accuracy is going to be the issue also with the short barrel. The barrel is about 1.9 inches long... not a lot of time for the grooves in the barrel to have much affect on the flight path of the bullet.
So, if you practice, practice, practice, and get used to the trigger pull and the flash and noise from this pistol it can be an easily concealed and carried option.
I would suggest that you try it before you buy it though, you want to make sure that you can handle it before you spend your money on it.
It holds 5 rounds of .38 special ammo which has been around for about 5,000 years.
It is an extremely light weight and easy to conceal option to consider.
It weighs almost nothing, even when loaded. It easily fits in a pocket without printing. It is a no brainer so far as the dimensions are concerned.
Also Smith and Wesson makes a terrific, long lasting, reliable pistol.
There are 60 year old models still being used regularly with not so much as a whisper of an issue. The reliability is without question.
It is also chambered in a tried and true caliber. The .38 special has been in production for, well, forever. Police have carried the .38 all the way up until the mid 20th century. It has been proven over and over again as an effective personal defense round.
I will admit that it is a little pricey to purchase, but the ammo is plentiful and can be had on the cheap!
So, it all sounds great, right? Well, on paper, sure.
Where the rubber meets the road is when you pull the trigger. The trigger pull (the amount of force required to pull the trigger and cause the hammer to fall striking the primer and firing the round.) is intense! It is heavy. It is not easy to pull back.
Also, because it is a revolver, the combustion of the powder is not completely contained within the slide like it is in a semi-auto. So there is a great deal of flash and bang when you pull the trigger. I have actually burned my knuckles due to the flash from shooting this one.
Given the ultra low weight of the revolver the .38 round will jump and it will be hard to keep on target.
Accuracy is going to be the issue also with the short barrel. The barrel is about 1.9 inches long... not a lot of time for the grooves in the barrel to have much affect on the flight path of the bullet.
So, if you practice, practice, practice, and get used to the trigger pull and the flash and noise from this pistol it can be an easily concealed and carried option.
I would suggest that you try it before you buy it though, you want to make sure that you can handle it before you spend your money on it.
Bersa .380 - review
My review of any firearm will consist of a couple things; raw data (size, weight, round capacity, caliber, etc) and shooting experience (if I've shot the weapon).
The Bersa "Thunder".380 is a great choice for CCW, in my humble opinion.
It is a sub-compact pistol, chambered in .380.
The size is small enough to be easily concealed, but not so small that you can't wrap your pinky around the grip. It is light weight, even when fully loaded, and wouldn't bog you down if you decided to carry extra magazines with it.
It is chambered in .380, which comes in a range of bullets from plinking rounds to defensive rounds. Some would argue that it is too small to be effective, but the .380 you carry is better than the .45 you left at home.
And the price is so right on this little wonder. On average you can expect to spend, give or take, $300 - $330. So the purchase price is great, the downside is that extra magazines are about $40.00 or more per, so that's not so good. Also, the ammunition, while available, is a little pricey to practice with. Just keep that in mind.
Now, I've shot this little gem and it is fantastic.
I'm not a great shot, I'm not a trained shooter as in law enforcement or military, however, I can hit what I aim at more often than not. Because of the low recoil of the .380 round and the inherent accuracy of the Bersa, you can assuredly hit what you aim at. It is a wonderful shooter.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I can, or at least could, bullseye head shots and 15 yards consistently with this gun. Yeah, it's like that.
For the size, price and general quality you really can't go wrong with the Bersa "Thunder" .380.
The Bersa "Thunder".380 is a great choice for CCW, in my humble opinion.
It is a sub-compact pistol, chambered in .380.
The size is small enough to be easily concealed, but not so small that you can't wrap your pinky around the grip. It is light weight, even when fully loaded, and wouldn't bog you down if you decided to carry extra magazines with it.
It is chambered in .380, which comes in a range of bullets from plinking rounds to defensive rounds. Some would argue that it is too small to be effective, but the .380 you carry is better than the .45 you left at home.
And the price is so right on this little wonder. On average you can expect to spend, give or take, $300 - $330. So the purchase price is great, the downside is that extra magazines are about $40.00 or more per, so that's not so good. Also, the ammunition, while available, is a little pricey to practice with. Just keep that in mind.
Now, I've shot this little gem and it is fantastic.
I'm not a great shot, I'm not a trained shooter as in law enforcement or military, however, I can hit what I aim at more often than not. Because of the low recoil of the .380 round and the inherent accuracy of the Bersa, you can assuredly hit what you aim at. It is a wonderful shooter.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I can, or at least could, bullseye head shots and 15 yards consistently with this gun. Yeah, it's like that.
For the size, price and general quality you really can't go wrong with the Bersa "Thunder" .380.
Defensive capabilities
There are a million different types and manufacturers and flavors of ammunition out there and each one is good in its own way. Some are only good because of price, some are great for target shooting, some are great and ease of feeding, etc etc...
However, when it comes down to what you should carry in your CCW pistol, make it a defensive round. Almost all calibers have a defensive round in its ranks. The only exception I can think of is the .22 and I may be wrong about that.
A defensive round is what is normally called a "hollow point". If you don't know a hollow point is literally that. The nose of the bullet is hollowed out and the outside edge of the bullet has grooves running longitudinally down to the bullet casing.
What this allows for is the bullet to expand upon impact with a "hydro-static target". That's a fancy term for a person; since we are mostly water.
The bullet hits and starts to mushroom out. This does a couple of things. The first being it causes a larger wound channel and greater tissue damage. The other thing is that because the surface area is increased the bullet has a better chance of expending all of its kinetic energy within the target.
What does all of that mean? Greater trauma, quicker incapacitation, and a better chance that you're going home in one piece.
So, whatever you carry, go do some research on your particular caliber and see what's generally rated to be the most effective defensive round out there and then get some and practice with it. Then, ultimately, carry it!
However, when it comes down to what you should carry in your CCW pistol, make it a defensive round. Almost all calibers have a defensive round in its ranks. The only exception I can think of is the .22 and I may be wrong about that.
A defensive round is what is normally called a "hollow point". If you don't know a hollow point is literally that. The nose of the bullet is hollowed out and the outside edge of the bullet has grooves running longitudinally down to the bullet casing.
What this allows for is the bullet to expand upon impact with a "hydro-static target". That's a fancy term for a person; since we are mostly water.
The bullet hits and starts to mushroom out. This does a couple of things. The first being it causes a larger wound channel and greater tissue damage. The other thing is that because the surface area is increased the bullet has a better chance of expending all of its kinetic energy within the target.
What does all of that mean? Greater trauma, quicker incapacitation, and a better chance that you're going home in one piece.
So, whatever you carry, go do some research on your particular caliber and see what's generally rated to be the most effective defensive round out there and then get some and practice with it. Then, ultimately, carry it!
How much is enough?
How much firepower is enough? How much do it take to end an engagement?
The correct answer is "No one knows".
With any luck your ammunition would rust through before you ever had to find out, but we know that may not happen, hence the questions.
Some people will say that you need as much firepower as possible, just in case.
There is some merit to that arguement, of course. If I'm engaged with multiple attackers, a 5 shot revolver may leave me high and dry. At the same time if I carry a full double stack magazine along with 2 back up mags I'm sacrificing comfort and ease of carry.
I think its fairly well understood that bad guys, for the most part, are looking for easy targets. They want targets of opportunity. Heck, if they were willing to work for their money, they'd have a job, right?
As most police and law enforcement will tell you, make noise and fight, make it hard for them, because quiet complacency is exactly what the bad guys want. If you fight you have a much better chance of getting out alive.
The same principle applies here. If you can't get out and you are in fear for your life, then you had better commence to fighting. You draw your gun, yell "STOP!" and put the first round down range, it is a good bet (albeit not a guarantee) that the bad guys will beat feet out of there.
Bad guys are lazy, self-serving, tools who prey on the innocent because they don't have the moral fortitude to actual work for a living. To that end they want the easiest score they can get. Someone putting rounds in their direction will definitely make them reconsider their current choices in life. Especially when you've trained and practice and are hitting what you aim at.
So, considering all that...how much is enough?
How ever much you are comfortable with carrying. You think an Airweight with 5 rounds of .38 Special is all you are going to need, then go for it! At least you are armed and able to protect yourself. If you feel the need to have 12+1 in the gun and another 2 magazines on you, go for it!
Remember, the weapon you've legally purchased and are legally carrying is a one payment insurance policy. Just consider that when you make your decision.
The correct answer is "No one knows".
With any luck your ammunition would rust through before you ever had to find out, but we know that may not happen, hence the questions.
Some people will say that you need as much firepower as possible, just in case.
There is some merit to that arguement, of course. If I'm engaged with multiple attackers, a 5 shot revolver may leave me high and dry. At the same time if I carry a full double stack magazine along with 2 back up mags I'm sacrificing comfort and ease of carry.
I think its fairly well understood that bad guys, for the most part, are looking for easy targets. They want targets of opportunity. Heck, if they were willing to work for their money, they'd have a job, right?
As most police and law enforcement will tell you, make noise and fight, make it hard for them, because quiet complacency is exactly what the bad guys want. If you fight you have a much better chance of getting out alive.
The same principle applies here. If you can't get out and you are in fear for your life, then you had better commence to fighting. You draw your gun, yell "STOP!" and put the first round down range, it is a good bet (albeit not a guarantee) that the bad guys will beat feet out of there.
Bad guys are lazy, self-serving, tools who prey on the innocent because they don't have the moral fortitude to actual work for a living. To that end they want the easiest score they can get. Someone putting rounds in their direction will definitely make them reconsider their current choices in life. Especially when you've trained and practice and are hitting what you aim at.
So, considering all that...how much is enough?
How ever much you are comfortable with carrying. You think an Airweight with 5 rounds of .38 Special is all you are going to need, then go for it! At least you are armed and able to protect yourself. If you feel the need to have 12+1 in the gun and another 2 magazines on you, go for it!
Remember, the weapon you've legally purchased and are legally carrying is a one payment insurance policy. Just consider that when you make your decision.
Trade offs
As I stated in earlier, you have to find the right system that works for you.
You have to find the weapon, the right carry holster, etc in order to ensure that you carry on a regular basis.
Your options are varied and everyone has their own favorites.
You could carry in an ankle holster, a belly band, shoulder holster, in the waistband holster (IWB), etc. Which one of those is right for you? I don't know.
A lot of where you carry depends on what you carry.
If you carry a Glock 19, then your choices are limited, it's a pretty bulky machine and you'd pretty much (although your experience may differ) be limited to in the waist band carry.
If you carry a Roger LCP, then you have more options, ankle, IWB, pocket, you name it.
Remember that for each choice you make there is a trade off. You want the round count and caliber that a compact gives you over a sub-compact and you're going to give up some options on where you can carry it. You prefer the lightweight and comfort of a sub-compact and you're going to lose some of the round count.
The bad thing is that there really isn't a "you can have it all" option out there. Some people will disagree, and that's fine, I just can't see how its possible.
For instance, I thought I was going to go with the Glock 26. It's a great gun, it is a shooter, its ultra-reliable, on and on. The only problem is the dimensions. It's a block of steel, it is bulky and I know that I'd probably not carry it all that often.
So, I'm paring down my size requirement and going with something slimmer and more lightweight so I know I'll carry it. Will I be giving up some round capacity, sure, but only 2 rounds. I will gain, however, a more lightweight and comfortable option to carry consistently.
There are always trade offs in everything. Make the right choice for your budget, body size, clothing options, etc to ensure you carry consistently.
You have to find the weapon, the right carry holster, etc in order to ensure that you carry on a regular basis.
Your options are varied and everyone has their own favorites.
You could carry in an ankle holster, a belly band, shoulder holster, in the waistband holster (IWB), etc. Which one of those is right for you? I don't know.
A lot of where you carry depends on what you carry.
If you carry a Glock 19, then your choices are limited, it's a pretty bulky machine and you'd pretty much (although your experience may differ) be limited to in the waist band carry.
If you carry a Roger LCP, then you have more options, ankle, IWB, pocket, you name it.
Remember that for each choice you make there is a trade off. You want the round count and caliber that a compact gives you over a sub-compact and you're going to give up some options on where you can carry it. You prefer the lightweight and comfort of a sub-compact and you're going to lose some of the round count.
The bad thing is that there really isn't a "you can have it all" option out there. Some people will disagree, and that's fine, I just can't see how its possible.
For instance, I thought I was going to go with the Glock 26. It's a great gun, it is a shooter, its ultra-reliable, on and on. The only problem is the dimensions. It's a block of steel, it is bulky and I know that I'd probably not carry it all that often.
So, I'm paring down my size requirement and going with something slimmer and more lightweight so I know I'll carry it. Will I be giving up some round capacity, sure, but only 2 rounds. I will gain, however, a more lightweight and comfortable option to carry consistently.
There are always trade offs in everything. Make the right choice for your budget, body size, clothing options, etc to ensure you carry consistently.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Everybody works, everybody fights...
This line if from "Starship Troopers", its a good read.
However the point that was made is that in a fighting unit everyone has their own responsiblities.
The same is true of families when one person has a firearm.
I shoot and my wife shoots. She's not as practiced as I am, but she knows what she's doing well enough. When I get a new gun (more often than I care to admit) I make sure that she knows how it works and can make it work. If we can't both fight with it, then there's no point in having it. If she can't work the slide of a full size 1911, then I shouldn't be carrying it when we are together.
Why?
Well, what if I'm hit, what if I'm out, down, done, whatever... you think I want her to just sit there and be a victim? Nope, I want her to wade in knee deep in their asses and finish that fight.
Keep that in mind when deciding on the right tool for the job.
Just another of the myriad of considerations to think about.
However the point that was made is that in a fighting unit everyone has their own responsiblities.
The same is true of families when one person has a firearm.
I shoot and my wife shoots. She's not as practiced as I am, but she knows what she's doing well enough. When I get a new gun (more often than I care to admit) I make sure that she knows how it works and can make it work. If we can't both fight with it, then there's no point in having it. If she can't work the slide of a full size 1911, then I shouldn't be carrying it when we are together.
Why?
Well, what if I'm hit, what if I'm out, down, done, whatever... you think I want her to just sit there and be a victim? Nope, I want her to wade in knee deep in their asses and finish that fight.
Keep that in mind when deciding on the right tool for the job.
Just another of the myriad of considerations to think about.
Vagaries of design
Ever borrow someone else's car? Ever try to go get a glass while in someone else's house? You get that familiar yet awkward feeling of recognition but disorientation...
Try borrowing a friend's pistol...you'll get the same feeling.
For the most part most manufacturers put most things in mostly the same place across the industry with two exceptions, the trigger and the grip, they are universally in the same orientation.
What I'm talking about here are the slide or cylinder release, safety, safety/decocker, hammer, slide stop, magazine release, and break down release pins/levers.
More often than not they will be in basically the same general spot, but they can and do function in really different ways.
You want examples? Ok, I've got them.
Revolvers, simple machine, great designs. Colt, Ruger, and S&W use different cylinder release buttons. Colt you pull back, Ruger you press in, S&W you press forward. Not a huge deal, no, but something to be aware of.
Safeties on a Bersa are also decockers (which means you can lower the hammer without discharging a round), however, a 1911 which has a safety in the same exact spot does NOT decock. Glock and some Sig Sauer models have no exterior safety at all.
Magazine releases, some are right by the trigger guard, some (albeit few) on on the grip at the bottom, some are on the underside of the magazine well.
So, what's the point? The point is that you need to try out and handle as many pistols are you can before you make a decision. Don't take the word of someone else. Do some leg work. Find the one that fits your hand and is comfortable and easy to manipulate.
For instance, someone has told you that Kahr Arms makes a great pistol (and they do) and you go in and plunk down your money and walk out with your shiny new 9mm. You get it home and find out that the recoil spring is so strong that you can't accuate the slide to chamber a round.
As a side note that's exactly why I didn't like nor get the Kahr. Great tool, lousy recoil spring. My truck's shocks have more give than this thing. I could barely acuate the slide. My wife couldn't get it to move AT ALL. And that puts it right out of the running.
So, again...pick the one that's right for you and practice, practice, practice...
Try borrowing a friend's pistol...you'll get the same feeling.
For the most part most manufacturers put most things in mostly the same place across the industry with two exceptions, the trigger and the grip, they are universally in the same orientation.
What I'm talking about here are the slide or cylinder release, safety, safety/decocker, hammer, slide stop, magazine release, and break down release pins/levers.
More often than not they will be in basically the same general spot, but they can and do function in really different ways.
You want examples? Ok, I've got them.
Revolvers, simple machine, great designs. Colt, Ruger, and S&W use different cylinder release buttons. Colt you pull back, Ruger you press in, S&W you press forward. Not a huge deal, no, but something to be aware of.
Safeties on a Bersa are also decockers (which means you can lower the hammer without discharging a round), however, a 1911 which has a safety in the same exact spot does NOT decock. Glock and some Sig Sauer models have no exterior safety at all.
Magazine releases, some are right by the trigger guard, some (albeit few) on on the grip at the bottom, some are on the underside of the magazine well.
So, what's the point? The point is that you need to try out and handle as many pistols are you can before you make a decision. Don't take the word of someone else. Do some leg work. Find the one that fits your hand and is comfortable and easy to manipulate.
For instance, someone has told you that Kahr Arms makes a great pistol (and they do) and you go in and plunk down your money and walk out with your shiny new 9mm. You get it home and find out that the recoil spring is so strong that you can't accuate the slide to chamber a round.
As a side note that's exactly why I didn't like nor get the Kahr. Great tool, lousy recoil spring. My truck's shocks have more give than this thing. I could barely acuate the slide. My wife couldn't get it to move AT ALL. And that puts it right out of the running.
So, again...pick the one that's right for you and practice, practice, practice...
Guns don't kill people...
People kill people.
A firearm is a benign object with no moral attitude one way or the other.
It is neutral.
Bad people commit crimes. Desperate people commit crimes. Ignorant and stupid people commit crimes. Normal run of the mill law abiding citizens don't commit crimes.
the Good guys (that would include you) are just as responsible and just as unlikely to go completely whacko and start shooting up a McDonalds as they would to mow their lawn with dental floss. It doesn't happen. It is a ridiculous notion.
Do good people make mistakes, they sure do. But they also don't decide to go out by suicide by cop either or take out innocent people and cops while they are at it. They take their lumps like grown adults and go from there.
It is a fact... the good guys aren't the problem. Taking away their right to defend themselves is, in my opinion, a violation of the due process clause to the Constitution. We didn't do anything wrong, so why are we having our rights limited?
See where I'm headed?
The truth is simple, good people don't commit crimes, bad people do. If we don't let the good people defend themselves the bad guys win. And no one wants the bad guys to win, right?
A firearm is a benign object with no moral attitude one way or the other.
It is neutral.
Bad people commit crimes. Desperate people commit crimes. Ignorant and stupid people commit crimes. Normal run of the mill law abiding citizens don't commit crimes.
the Good guys (that would include you) are just as responsible and just as unlikely to go completely whacko and start shooting up a McDonalds as they would to mow their lawn with dental floss. It doesn't happen. It is a ridiculous notion.
Do good people make mistakes, they sure do. But they also don't decide to go out by suicide by cop either or take out innocent people and cops while they are at it. They take their lumps like grown adults and go from there.
It is a fact... the good guys aren't the problem. Taking away their right to defend themselves is, in my opinion, a violation of the due process clause to the Constitution. We didn't do anything wrong, so why are we having our rights limited?
See where I'm headed?
The truth is simple, good people don't commit crimes, bad people do. If we don't let the good people defend themselves the bad guys win. And no one wants the bad guys to win, right?
For the ladies...
Ladies...you have a tougher row to hoe than we men do.
If nothing else just the clothing options that men have and the lack of hefty accessories like a purse or handbag. Although there are some pretty fetching CCW purses out there. Hit your favorite search engine on the internet and start researching.
Also, and this may get a little dark but it is important, there are bad guys out there who do unspeakable things to women. I mean utterly horrid things for which there is no justice, there's a punishment, but I'd never consider it commiserate to the crime.
Personally, and this is a view that I hold, those men should be put down right then and there. No questions, no trial, no nothing, just put straight down.
So, ladies, carry. I find it very sad that almost all the women I know have had some sort of less than savory interaction with a man and that just can not be tolerated.
The good thing is that the law is on your side when it comes to self-defense.
Here's what I mean: If I get in to a scrap with a guy I can handle myself. If I lose, I lose, if I win, I win, but I can go hand to hand pretty fairly with most other men, one on one. A woman, on the other hand, can't, necessarily.
Again, I'm 6'6", 240lbs... if you're 5'4" 110, I have a distinct advantage and I can do pretty much whatever I want and there isn't much you can do about it.
In my state if you can articulate why you felt you were in imminent danger for your life or severe bodily harm, you are within your right to use lethal force.
The instructor in my class even stated as much, if it was some dude against a woman she would have much more latitude in her action than a man on man confrontation would.
***Again, I'm not a lawyer, your mileage may vary***
What I am saying is get licensed, train, carry, protect yourself.
What I'm NOT saying is go all Terminator on someone because he's bugging you at a bar for your number. Keep a cool head, get out of there, walk briskly to your car if you get a feeling that something is hinky. Haul boots if someone is chasing you.
Get to a crowd, get to your car, find your friends, yell "HELP", whatever it takes.
If all else fails and if there's no other option then defend your right to walk the streets unmolested by others with force.
Just be safe out there.
If nothing else just the clothing options that men have and the lack of hefty accessories like a purse or handbag. Although there are some pretty fetching CCW purses out there. Hit your favorite search engine on the internet and start researching.
Also, and this may get a little dark but it is important, there are bad guys out there who do unspeakable things to women. I mean utterly horrid things for which there is no justice, there's a punishment, but I'd never consider it commiserate to the crime.
Personally, and this is a view that I hold, those men should be put down right then and there. No questions, no trial, no nothing, just put straight down.
So, ladies, carry. I find it very sad that almost all the women I know have had some sort of less than savory interaction with a man and that just can not be tolerated.
The good thing is that the law is on your side when it comes to self-defense.
Here's what I mean: If I get in to a scrap with a guy I can handle myself. If I lose, I lose, if I win, I win, but I can go hand to hand pretty fairly with most other men, one on one. A woman, on the other hand, can't, necessarily.
Again, I'm 6'6", 240lbs... if you're 5'4" 110, I have a distinct advantage and I can do pretty much whatever I want and there isn't much you can do about it.
In my state if you can articulate why you felt you were in imminent danger for your life or severe bodily harm, you are within your right to use lethal force.
The instructor in my class even stated as much, if it was some dude against a woman she would have much more latitude in her action than a man on man confrontation would.
***Again, I'm not a lawyer, your mileage may vary***
What I am saying is get licensed, train, carry, protect yourself.
What I'm NOT saying is go all Terminator on someone because he's bugging you at a bar for your number. Keep a cool head, get out of there, walk briskly to your car if you get a feeling that something is hinky. Haul boots if someone is chasing you.
Get to a crowd, get to your car, find your friends, yell "HELP", whatever it takes.
If all else fails and if there's no other option then defend your right to walk the streets unmolested by others with force.
Just be safe out there.
When to carry...
This one is one of the most complicated conundrums in all of CCW.
When should I carry?
Well, some people say that you should carry 100% of the time. They carry in to Post Offices, they carry everywhere! Personally, I think that's a bit much and in direct conflict with being a law abiding citizen. I can understand their point, but still... that just doesn't work for me.
I've made the personal choice to abide by the wishes of local merchants and not carry in their establishments if they post a sign. I've also made the economic choice not to be a patron of those establishments either. My Grocery store doesn't have a sign on it, so I'm good, the restaurants I go to don't either. If they serve alcohol, I can't carry in there due to the law, so it isn't the establishment's policy, its the state law. So, I cut those places a break and still eat there.
I just prefer to spend my money in places that kind of lean my way, know what I mean?
I will always carry when I ride my motorcycle. Its pretty easy to step up to a guy on a bike and he not know you're there and I ride solo a lot, so safety first; armored jacket, kevlar gloves, DOT approved helmet, boots that cover the ankle, cell phone, gun... good to go. And it is extremely easy to carry concealed on a bike.
I will always carry on long road trips either alone or with the wife. My state has reciprocity with 30 other states, and anywhere I'd drive to is covered, so I'm good to go. Bad things happen in rest stops all the time.
I'll also carry 100% of the time on the weekends. I don't have to keep it in my truck like I would going to work, etc, so its easier to just strap on and go.
So, to sum up, carry as often as you feel comfortable.
I would suggest carrying as often as you can. If you only carry 20% of the time, that's 20% more than you were, so its all good. But a high percentage of the time would be better... again, its a personal choice, all up to you.
When should I carry?
Well, some people say that you should carry 100% of the time. They carry in to Post Offices, they carry everywhere! Personally, I think that's a bit much and in direct conflict with being a law abiding citizen. I can understand their point, but still... that just doesn't work for me.
I've made the personal choice to abide by the wishes of local merchants and not carry in their establishments if they post a sign. I've also made the economic choice not to be a patron of those establishments either. My Grocery store doesn't have a sign on it, so I'm good, the restaurants I go to don't either. If they serve alcohol, I can't carry in there due to the law, so it isn't the establishment's policy, its the state law. So, I cut those places a break and still eat there.
I just prefer to spend my money in places that kind of lean my way, know what I mean?
I will always carry when I ride my motorcycle. Its pretty easy to step up to a guy on a bike and he not know you're there and I ride solo a lot, so safety first; armored jacket, kevlar gloves, DOT approved helmet, boots that cover the ankle, cell phone, gun... good to go. And it is extremely easy to carry concealed on a bike.
I will always carry on long road trips either alone or with the wife. My state has reciprocity with 30 other states, and anywhere I'd drive to is covered, so I'm good to go. Bad things happen in rest stops all the time.
I'll also carry 100% of the time on the weekends. I don't have to keep it in my truck like I would going to work, etc, so its easier to just strap on and go.
So, to sum up, carry as often as you feel comfortable.
I would suggest carrying as often as you can. If you only carry 20% of the time, that's 20% more than you were, so its all good. But a high percentage of the time would be better... again, its a personal choice, all up to you.
If I get pulled over...
What do I do?!? I got pulled over by the police, I am currently armed and if memory serves me right the Police like to go home at the end of their shift so an average citizen with a gun can make them jumpy.
So...what do I do?!?
I've read every single police blog I can get access to and they all pretty much agree on the process here. Again, I'm not a cop...I'm paraphrasing.
1. If it is night time, turn on your interior lights
2. Roll down your windows, yes all of them.
3. Turn off your radio
4. Turn off your car
5. Some officers like the keys to be out of the ignition.
6. Be polite and respectful (This is a HUGE thing to officers)
7. When the officer asks for your documents, tell him/her where they are located BEFORE you reach for them.
8. Hand the officer your CCW with your other documents.
9. Tell them you are carrying a firearm currently and where you have it located.
10. Relax! You aren't breaking the law by carrying, you will be just fine.
Some of these items are self explanatory, some aren't.
Turning on the lights helps them be more at ease because they can see in the car and see who all the players are. Rolling down all of your windows...same principle.
Turn off the radio, otherwise, that's just rude, in my opinion.
The reason I say wait for the police officer to ask for documents before you get them is because the police don't like furious digging around in glove boxes or seat cushions as they walk up to a car. They don't know what you're reaching for and they may act accordingly. Which could lead to either a stern talking to, or you pulled out of the car by your ear. You never know so just wait. The officer has got all the time in the world and you are currently his/her number one priority. The extra 15 seconds to get your documents isn't going to make him/her late for his next appointment.
Identify yourself as a CCW holder and if you are carrying (which you should be) you had BETTER let the officer know that you are and where its located. Then by golly, once the officer knows that you are carrying and where it is you keep your hands FIRMLY attached to the steering wheel unless directly asked to do differently.
I feel that I should expound on "Identify yourself as a CCW".
Don't holler at them "I have a gun!". I can't imagine that will go well.
Calmly and succintly state "Officer I am a CCW holder and am currently carrying, it is located in my waistband/ankle/center console, etc". Also DON'T, for the love of God and all things cute and furry DRAW YOUR WEAPON!!! I've read stories of people who have pulled their weapon to show the police that they are armed. Think about that for a moment... See the problem with that? You do? Good. You don't? Um, maybe you shouldn't be carrying then, seriously.
Again, catching bad guys is their job, their focus is on safety. You get squirrely and look like your reaching...well you get the picture.
If you do these things odds are everything will be just fine. Remember attitude is everything. If you do something galactically stupid and end up being pulled from the car and they cuff you (for their safety) and they search you (again for their safety) and they discover you have a weapon and you didn't tell them about it...well, I can't speak for them because I'm not a cop, but I can tell you how I would feel if it were me. I'd be friggin pissed. Not to mention that in my state you are obligated to inform an officer if he/she is meeting with you in a professional capacity. Failure to do as such is bad ju-ju.
You are within your right if you have a legally obtained CCW they can't jack you up and take the weapon for no reason. If you act the fool or, I shudder to mention it, a DUI, you're gonna lose your right to carry. It's that simple.
Be cool, be calm, be polite and you'll be on your way in no time.
Be safe out there.
So...what do I do?!?
I've read every single police blog I can get access to and they all pretty much agree on the process here. Again, I'm not a cop...I'm paraphrasing.
1. If it is night time, turn on your interior lights
2. Roll down your windows, yes all of them.
3. Turn off your radio
4. Turn off your car
5. Some officers like the keys to be out of the ignition.
6. Be polite and respectful (This is a HUGE thing to officers)
7. When the officer asks for your documents, tell him/her where they are located BEFORE you reach for them.
8. Hand the officer your CCW with your other documents.
9. Tell them you are carrying a firearm currently and where you have it located.
10. Relax! You aren't breaking the law by carrying, you will be just fine.
Some of these items are self explanatory, some aren't.
Turning on the lights helps them be more at ease because they can see in the car and see who all the players are. Rolling down all of your windows...same principle.
Turn off the radio, otherwise, that's just rude, in my opinion.
The reason I say wait for the police officer to ask for documents before you get them is because the police don't like furious digging around in glove boxes or seat cushions as they walk up to a car. They don't know what you're reaching for and they may act accordingly. Which could lead to either a stern talking to, or you pulled out of the car by your ear. You never know so just wait. The officer has got all the time in the world and you are currently his/her number one priority. The extra 15 seconds to get your documents isn't going to make him/her late for his next appointment.
Identify yourself as a CCW holder and if you are carrying (which you should be) you had BETTER let the officer know that you are and where its located. Then by golly, once the officer knows that you are carrying and where it is you keep your hands FIRMLY attached to the steering wheel unless directly asked to do differently.
I feel that I should expound on "Identify yourself as a CCW".
Don't holler at them "I have a gun!". I can't imagine that will go well.
Calmly and succintly state "Officer I am a CCW holder and am currently carrying, it is located in my waistband/ankle/center console, etc". Also DON'T, for the love of God and all things cute and furry DRAW YOUR WEAPON!!! I've read stories of people who have pulled their weapon to show the police that they are armed. Think about that for a moment... See the problem with that? You do? Good. You don't? Um, maybe you shouldn't be carrying then, seriously.
Again, catching bad guys is their job, their focus is on safety. You get squirrely and look like your reaching...well you get the picture.
If you do these things odds are everything will be just fine. Remember attitude is everything. If you do something galactically stupid and end up being pulled from the car and they cuff you (for their safety) and they search you (again for their safety) and they discover you have a weapon and you didn't tell them about it...well, I can't speak for them because I'm not a cop, but I can tell you how I would feel if it were me. I'd be friggin pissed. Not to mention that in my state you are obligated to inform an officer if he/she is meeting with you in a professional capacity. Failure to do as such is bad ju-ju.
You are within your right if you have a legally obtained CCW they can't jack you up and take the weapon for no reason. If you act the fool or, I shudder to mention it, a DUI, you're gonna lose your right to carry. It's that simple.
Be cool, be calm, be polite and you'll be on your way in no time.
Be safe out there.
How much is it worth?
How much is the right tool for the right job worth?
That depends greatly on the tool and on the intended purpose.
Flathead screwdriver, 79 cents, high end faceting machine several thousand; it really depends on the job at hand.
For CCW the sky is really the limit. You are only limited by your budget and your willingness to spend. Do I think you should spend $1500.00 on the newest whizz-bang 1911 commander model with all the bells and whistles, sure, if that's what gets you to carry. Do I think you can get by with a lot less (like a third of that) and still be able to effectively defend yourself? Oh my yes.
There are, of course, many considerations that I've covered in earlier posts about size of weapon, caliber, etc but at the end of the day carrying anything is better than nothing if things go south in a hurry.
You can get a very nice Bersa .380 for less than $300.00. They are lightweight, easy to handle, easy to use, have good external safeties (if that's important to you), so on and so forth.
Then again, you can get a Kimber 1911 compact for $1,300. Well made, good heft, super strong caliber, great machines, just pricey in my opinion.
You can also get a used weapon too. Some people don't like to buy used guns and I can kind of see their point, you don't know what the previous owner did to it or how they maintained it. However, if you shop at a reputable store, they will have checked and double checked all the used firearms they bring in, so you should be good.
My personal choice is a Glock 19. New its 539.00 plus tax. Now that sounds like a high investment, but properly maintained it will outlast me in my lifetime. If I had kids I could, with no exageration, pass this machine down to them and so on and so forth, they are that well made. If I could find one used, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. The problem is, you can't find them used...anywhere.
So do your homework, research, pick them up and handle them, really get the feel for what you're going to carry and then find the best price. Remember, its a tool, but its a tool that could save your life.
That depends greatly on the tool and on the intended purpose.
Flathead screwdriver, 79 cents, high end faceting machine several thousand; it really depends on the job at hand.
For CCW the sky is really the limit. You are only limited by your budget and your willingness to spend. Do I think you should spend $1500.00 on the newest whizz-bang 1911 commander model with all the bells and whistles, sure, if that's what gets you to carry. Do I think you can get by with a lot less (like a third of that) and still be able to effectively defend yourself? Oh my yes.
There are, of course, many considerations that I've covered in earlier posts about size of weapon, caliber, etc but at the end of the day carrying anything is better than nothing if things go south in a hurry.
You can get a very nice Bersa .380 for less than $300.00. They are lightweight, easy to handle, easy to use, have good external safeties (if that's important to you), so on and so forth.
Then again, you can get a Kimber 1911 compact for $1,300. Well made, good heft, super strong caliber, great machines, just pricey in my opinion.
You can also get a used weapon too. Some people don't like to buy used guns and I can kind of see their point, you don't know what the previous owner did to it or how they maintained it. However, if you shop at a reputable store, they will have checked and double checked all the used firearms they bring in, so you should be good.
My personal choice is a Glock 19. New its 539.00 plus tax. Now that sounds like a high investment, but properly maintained it will outlast me in my lifetime. If I had kids I could, with no exageration, pass this machine down to them and so on and so forth, they are that well made. If I could find one used, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. The problem is, you can't find them used...anywhere.
So do your homework, research, pick them up and handle them, really get the feel for what you're going to carry and then find the best price. Remember, its a tool, but its a tool that could save your life.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Gun regulations...
Affect no one except the law abiding citizens.
Criminals, by definition, don't care about the law.
If we outlawed every gun in America, guess what, the criminals wouldn't care and would be even more likely to lash out since they know that the law abiding citizens aren't armed.
It has been proven over and over that states or municipalities which allow for CCW see dramatic decreases in crime. Also, as I stated before there are over 40,000 crimes a year that are prevented by an armed, law abiding, citizen. Wrap your head around that.
You can't legislate safety. If we could, there would be no need for a police force because the laws would take care of it all. But they haven't and they don't, so let's give the citizens who vote, work, pay their taxes, and make a conscious decision to be one of the civilian sheepdogs a chance.
Criminals, by definition, don't care about the law.
If we outlawed every gun in America, guess what, the criminals wouldn't care and would be even more likely to lash out since they know that the law abiding citizens aren't armed.
It has been proven over and over that states or municipalities which allow for CCW see dramatic decreases in crime. Also, as I stated before there are over 40,000 crimes a year that are prevented by an armed, law abiding, citizen. Wrap your head around that.
You can't legislate safety. If we could, there would be no need for a police force because the laws would take care of it all. But they haven't and they don't, so let's give the citizens who vote, work, pay their taxes, and make a conscious decision to be one of the civilian sheepdogs a chance.
An armed society...
is a polite society.
If you've heard that before, then you're in the club. A decoder ring is being emailed to you as we speak.
But its the truth, all kidding aside. If you knew that 50% of the population carried a firearm, how quickly would you be willing to go all crazy with road rage on a Wednesday morning? Not very.
If you knew that good, responsible, law abiding citizens were sitting around you in a restaurant and they had all passed their classes, taken the back ground check, and come out clean and were carrying their firearm, how worried would you be about a sudden outbreak in a restaurant. Not very.
Some people think that an armed society leads to vigilante justice. Well, there have been, let me check, ZERO instances of that ever happening that I'm aware of. Has it happened, sure. Is it prevalent, oh heck no! I would hazard a guess that it's 1 case in 100,000 if even that much.
So, the truth is that an armed society is a polite society.
If you've heard that before, then you're in the club. A decoder ring is being emailed to you as we speak.
But its the truth, all kidding aside. If you knew that 50% of the population carried a firearm, how quickly would you be willing to go all crazy with road rage on a Wednesday morning? Not very.
If you knew that good, responsible, law abiding citizens were sitting around you in a restaurant and they had all passed their classes, taken the back ground check, and come out clean and were carrying their firearm, how worried would you be about a sudden outbreak in a restaurant. Not very.
Some people think that an armed society leads to vigilante justice. Well, there have been, let me check, ZERO instances of that ever happening that I'm aware of. Has it happened, sure. Is it prevalent, oh heck no! I would hazard a guess that it's 1 case in 100,000 if even that much.
So, the truth is that an armed society is a polite society.
Don't be that guy...
You know the guy. He's a beligerent, obnoxious, annoying P.O.S and you so want to teach him a lesson.
Don't turn in to that guy when you start to carry. Also, don't go looking to provoke a man who is that guy just so you can teach him a lesson.
There are scales of justice in this world. And currently the rule of law doesn't let you escalate to lethal force when you started the fight. At least not where I live.
As a CCW carrier you've got to be cool. You have to be calm. You have to be very zen.
You have to be able to de-escalate a situation. You have to have the ego that allows you to tuck tail and run if you can find an out. Think about it, bruised ego, but still breathing, I'm a fan of that score.
So, don't be that guy. Be the better person and just walk away, if you can. If you can't, well, then be the guy that finishes the fight.
Don't turn in to that guy when you start to carry. Also, don't go looking to provoke a man who is that guy just so you can teach him a lesson.
There are scales of justice in this world. And currently the rule of law doesn't let you escalate to lethal force when you started the fight. At least not where I live.
As a CCW carrier you've got to be cool. You have to be calm. You have to be very zen.
You have to be able to de-escalate a situation. You have to have the ego that allows you to tuck tail and run if you can find an out. Think about it, bruised ego, but still breathing, I'm a fan of that score.
So, don't be that guy. Be the better person and just walk away, if you can. If you can't, well, then be the guy that finishes the fight.
Size matters...
...shut up, not like that!
I'm talking about the size of the weapon you are considering carrying about your person.
As I say, you need to be comfortable, you need to be at ease, you need to consistently carry. To do that, you need the right size for the job.
I'm a big guy, 6'6" tall, about 230-240 on the hoof. I'm patently capable of carrying a full sized honking sidearm and no one being any wiser. However, I really don't want to do that. It's heavy, it's bulky, it's uncomfortable. It would become a hinderance and I'd stop carrying after a while, I know me.
At the same time, if I got a .32acp pocket pistol, I wouldn't want to carry that either, simply because I wouldn't be able to get my hand on it quickly, I wouldn't be able to intrinsiclly "feel" where it is on me and I'd fumble with it. I might still carry it, but I wouldn't be comfortable with it.
I need something that doesn't weigh me down, doesn't make me list to one side, I can get my hand comfortably around the grip under stress and doesn't print when I wear it, and carries the best round with the highest capacity and also is something I can shoot well.
While that sounds like a lot to consider, it isn't really when you start poking around at your local gun store. You can almost intuitively determine what would be best for you.
I'm talking about the size of the weapon you are considering carrying about your person.
As I say, you need to be comfortable, you need to be at ease, you need to consistently carry. To do that, you need the right size for the job.
I'm a big guy, 6'6" tall, about 230-240 on the hoof. I'm patently capable of carrying a full sized honking sidearm and no one being any wiser. However, I really don't want to do that. It's heavy, it's bulky, it's uncomfortable. It would become a hinderance and I'd stop carrying after a while, I know me.
At the same time, if I got a .32acp pocket pistol, I wouldn't want to carry that either, simply because I wouldn't be able to get my hand on it quickly, I wouldn't be able to intrinsiclly "feel" where it is on me and I'd fumble with it. I might still carry it, but I wouldn't be comfortable with it.
I need something that doesn't weigh me down, doesn't make me list to one side, I can get my hand comfortably around the grip under stress and doesn't print when I wear it, and carries the best round with the highest capacity and also is something I can shoot well.
While that sounds like a lot to consider, it isn't really when you start poking around at your local gun store. You can almost intuitively determine what would be best for you.
The great caliber debate...
As I said in an earlier post, I don't give a wet slap what caliber you carry, I don't. They will all do the job. Some will do it fast than others, some with more noise and flash, but they will all do the job.
However, I believe in carrying the biggest bang in the smallest package possible. I also believe in "the more the merrier" when it comes to magazine capacity.
I love the 45 round. It's big, its mean, and it works. The problem is, its big, its heavy and its expensive. When you increase the size of ammunition you either decrease magazine capacity or increase the frame size of the weapon. Neither of those choices appeal to me.
Here are my choices, and again, I'm not law enforcement of military, I'm just a guy who's tried out enough hand guns to make a relatively educated choice. These are in no particular order.
.380
Pros:
this is great little round. I say "little" because it is a short version of the 9mm. It's not as fast and doesn't hit as hard, but it will do the job pretty darn well. It has low recoil and low muzzle flash. It's relatively easy to find and not terribly expensive.
Cons:
Most of the weapons designed for this caliber are considered "pocket guns". They may hold 8+1 at best. 8+1, by the way, means 8 in the magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 9.
.40 S&W
Pros:
This thing hits like a ton of bricks. It's a strong round. It is small enough that you can get 10+1 or better in a compact pistol. It's cheap and readily available.
Cons:
I don't like it because the shell size makes for a smaller frame gun (for CCW purposes) but the bang is so big that you can't double tap effectively or get back on target after discharging a round.
.45 ACP
Pros:
This is a freight train. This round has the subtelty of a sledge hammer to the chest. It's readily available and just about every manufacturer makes something in the caliber. I love shooting this round through a full size frame. It's much fun!
Cons:
It is a heavy, heavy beast. Due to its size you get very limited magazine capacity. My full size 1911 only carried, at most, 8+1. I can get that in a much more comfortable package in a smaller caliber and in something I'd actually carry. Also, this thing will buck like a bull at the first green up of spring, so if you have a little sub-compact (Glock, Smith, and Springfield make some) it'll be hard to shoot and hard to stay on target with.
.357 Mag
Pros:
Still considered the gold standard of the one shot stopper. It's mean, it's lean, it is a down and dirty "You talkin' to me?" round. It will, without a doubt answer all the questions a bad guy will pose to you, period. Also, revolvers chambered in this round will also fire the .38 Special, which makes practicing a little cheaper.
Cons:
It's a revolver round only. So the most you'll ever have in your weapon is 6 rounds. Revolvers are not the easiest thing to conceal, nor is it easy to carry extra rounds for it in any way that is easily accesible. However, if you were to choose to wear a 5 shot revolver on your ankle, know that it will buck and buck a lot. Unless you train and shoot thousands of rounds through it, you won't be able to stay on target after the first shot.
9mm
Pros:
Now this one is my favorite. I used to religate this round to 2nd tier, but after more research and some more experience, this is the right tool for the job. It's a strong round, it's supersonic and it hits hard. It is readily available and easy to get. It shoots well in any sized frame you put it in. You get much higher magazine capacity with it than any other round. 15+1 in a Glock versus 10+1 in .45ACP using the same frame. I'll take the extra 5.
Cons:
Can't think of one, really. I'm sure there are some detractors out there who will say that it moves so fast that it doesn't expend all of its kenetic energy in to the target. And that may have been true before some of the new self defense rounds were developed, but now... that's just not the case.
So, there are a lot of options out there, and many, many more than I listed here, but these are the ones that are most common for a CCW and ones that I have personally had experience with at the range.
However, I believe in carrying the biggest bang in the smallest package possible. I also believe in "the more the merrier" when it comes to magazine capacity.
I love the 45 round. It's big, its mean, and it works. The problem is, its big, its heavy and its expensive. When you increase the size of ammunition you either decrease magazine capacity or increase the frame size of the weapon. Neither of those choices appeal to me.
Here are my choices, and again, I'm not law enforcement of military, I'm just a guy who's tried out enough hand guns to make a relatively educated choice. These are in no particular order.
.380
Pros:
this is great little round. I say "little" because it is a short version of the 9mm. It's not as fast and doesn't hit as hard, but it will do the job pretty darn well. It has low recoil and low muzzle flash. It's relatively easy to find and not terribly expensive.
Cons:
Most of the weapons designed for this caliber are considered "pocket guns". They may hold 8+1 at best. 8+1, by the way, means 8 in the magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 9.
.40 S&W
Pros:
This thing hits like a ton of bricks. It's a strong round. It is small enough that you can get 10+1 or better in a compact pistol. It's cheap and readily available.
Cons:
I don't like it because the shell size makes for a smaller frame gun (for CCW purposes) but the bang is so big that you can't double tap effectively or get back on target after discharging a round.
.45 ACP
Pros:
This is a freight train. This round has the subtelty of a sledge hammer to the chest. It's readily available and just about every manufacturer makes something in the caliber. I love shooting this round through a full size frame. It's much fun!
Cons:
It is a heavy, heavy beast. Due to its size you get very limited magazine capacity. My full size 1911 only carried, at most, 8+1. I can get that in a much more comfortable package in a smaller caliber and in something I'd actually carry. Also, this thing will buck like a bull at the first green up of spring, so if you have a little sub-compact (Glock, Smith, and Springfield make some) it'll be hard to shoot and hard to stay on target with.
.357 Mag
Pros:
Still considered the gold standard of the one shot stopper. It's mean, it's lean, it is a down and dirty "You talkin' to me?" round. It will, without a doubt answer all the questions a bad guy will pose to you, period. Also, revolvers chambered in this round will also fire the .38 Special, which makes practicing a little cheaper.
Cons:
It's a revolver round only. So the most you'll ever have in your weapon is 6 rounds. Revolvers are not the easiest thing to conceal, nor is it easy to carry extra rounds for it in any way that is easily accesible. However, if you were to choose to wear a 5 shot revolver on your ankle, know that it will buck and buck a lot. Unless you train and shoot thousands of rounds through it, you won't be able to stay on target after the first shot.
9mm
Pros:
Now this one is my favorite. I used to religate this round to 2nd tier, but after more research and some more experience, this is the right tool for the job. It's a strong round, it's supersonic and it hits hard. It is readily available and easy to get. It shoots well in any sized frame you put it in. You get much higher magazine capacity with it than any other round. 15+1 in a Glock versus 10+1 in .45ACP using the same frame. I'll take the extra 5.
Cons:
Can't think of one, really. I'm sure there are some detractors out there who will say that it moves so fast that it doesn't expend all of its kenetic energy in to the target. And that may have been true before some of the new self defense rounds were developed, but now... that's just not the case.
So, there are a lot of options out there, and many, many more than I listed here, but these are the ones that are most common for a CCW and ones that I have personally had experience with at the range.
Be comfortable
Yes, you heard that right, be comfortable.
While the first few times you carry you're going to think you stick out like a sore thumb, if you do it right, you won't, but you'll feel like you've got a big bullseye on your back and that every cop is going to come looking for you.
First off, you are within your rights to carry, so you've nothing to fear, so easy there pilgrim.
Second, you can avoid printing if you just check yourself in the mirror and practice.
Wear your gear around the house. Get used to the weight and the feel. Make normal everyday motions, there's no need to see if the Yoga poses you do will make your weapon print on you, simply because you won't be doing the "Wounded Yoda" pose while in Dairy Queen.
Spend a day that you plan to be at home with your side arm attached to you. Either loaded or unloaded, I don't care. Just get used to the feeling.
Make a small trip to a store, heck, go to your local gun shop or range while carrying. You'd be in good company there, so you shouldn't need to worry about someone's reaction if you happen to print. Get comfortable with going out in the world with it on.
Be comfortable with it, remember, you're in the right by carrying it when you have your CCW, so no one can take it away from you or arrest you so long as you don't do something galactically stupid.
Enjoy it, remember, this is taking advantage of the rights granted to you.
While the first few times you carry you're going to think you stick out like a sore thumb, if you do it right, you won't, but you'll feel like you've got a big bullseye on your back and that every cop is going to come looking for you.
First off, you are within your rights to carry, so you've nothing to fear, so easy there pilgrim.
Second, you can avoid printing if you just check yourself in the mirror and practice.
Wear your gear around the house. Get used to the weight and the feel. Make normal everyday motions, there's no need to see if the Yoga poses you do will make your weapon print on you, simply because you won't be doing the "Wounded Yoda" pose while in Dairy Queen.
Spend a day that you plan to be at home with your side arm attached to you. Either loaded or unloaded, I don't care. Just get used to the feeling.
Make a small trip to a store, heck, go to your local gun shop or range while carrying. You'd be in good company there, so you shouldn't need to worry about someone's reaction if you happen to print. Get comfortable with going out in the world with it on.
Be comfortable with it, remember, you're in the right by carrying it when you have your CCW, so no one can take it away from you or arrest you so long as you don't do something galactically stupid.
Enjoy it, remember, this is taking advantage of the rights granted to you.
Drinking and Drawing...
While the title is a little tounge in cheek, its serious business.
Where I live, if you get caught with your weapon after you've been drinking, the police are within their right (and duty bound by law) to confiscate your weapon, arrest you, and revoke your CCW permit...forever.
So if you decide that you are going to a friend's house (and they don't mind that you carry, be sure to ask) and they may have alcohol their either don't drink or leave your weapon locked in the car.
Also, since alcohol makes people do funny things, reduces inhibitions and can make some people down right mean, it is a good idea not to carry when you plan on having a drink.
These aren't legal opinions, I'm not a lawyer, these are just common sense steps that I plan on taking.
Where I live, if you get caught with your weapon after you've been drinking, the police are within their right (and duty bound by law) to confiscate your weapon, arrest you, and revoke your CCW permit...forever.
So if you decide that you are going to a friend's house (and they don't mind that you carry, be sure to ask) and they may have alcohol their either don't drink or leave your weapon locked in the car.
Also, since alcohol makes people do funny things, reduces inhibitions and can make some people down right mean, it is a good idea not to carry when you plan on having a drink.
These aren't legal opinions, I'm not a lawyer, these are just common sense steps that I plan on taking.
Its yes or no...not maybe.
The decision to draw your weapon, not shoot, but even draw your weapon is a yes or no decision.
My CCW class instructor said simply put "If you have to ask, the answer is no".
And I like that. If there's a doubt in my mind, if I have to pause and think about it, then obviously I have some time, therefore the threat isn't imminent and subsequently I can beat feet out of there.
My CCW class instructor said simply put "If you have to ask, the answer is no".
And I like that. If there's a doubt in my mind, if I have to pause and think about it, then obviously I have some time, therefore the threat isn't imminent and subsequently I can beat feet out of there.
The police have a job too...
And I don't mean patroling the street, I mean if you have just "disengaged" with a target.
Here's what they may do, again, your mileage may vary.
1. They will tell you, not ask you, to drop your weapon. And they mean DROP. Don't ease your way to the ground with it, drop it, right then, right there, no questions asked. If you don't...you could get tasered or shot yourself.
2. They may ask you to get on your knees and put your hands behind your head. Do it.
Don't argue, don't resist, do it quickly and deliberately.
3. They will take your weapon away from you and you may not see it again for some time.
4. They may take you to jail, depending on the laws of your area, until it is determined that it was a justified action.
Remember, these guys want to go home everynight in one piece. Some people think that the Police are too rough on the average citizen. I say that they are trying not to get killed so if that means I get taken down hard because these guys need to sort out the situation, so be it. I'm sypathetic to their plight. Hell, a guy was just shot, which is why they are there, so they already know some bad ju-ju has taken place, I'd be extra careful too!
If you made a righteous decision and your actions were within the law, you will be released and your weapon returned. If not, then you've got a world of other problems. And those aren't problems I'm going to talk about. That's your ass.
Here's what they may do, again, your mileage may vary.
1. They will tell you, not ask you, to drop your weapon. And they mean DROP. Don't ease your way to the ground with it, drop it, right then, right there, no questions asked. If you don't...you could get tasered or shot yourself.
2. They may ask you to get on your knees and put your hands behind your head. Do it.
Don't argue, don't resist, do it quickly and deliberately.
3. They will take your weapon away from you and you may not see it again for some time.
4. They may take you to jail, depending on the laws of your area, until it is determined that it was a justified action.
Remember, these guys want to go home everynight in one piece. Some people think that the Police are too rough on the average citizen. I say that they are trying not to get killed so if that means I get taken down hard because these guys need to sort out the situation, so be it. I'm sypathetic to their plight. Hell, a guy was just shot, which is why they are there, so they already know some bad ju-ju has taken place, I'd be extra careful too!
If you made a righteous decision and your actions were within the law, you will be released and your weapon returned. If not, then you've got a world of other problems. And those aren't problems I'm going to talk about. That's your ass.
Fight or Flight...
You've all heard this before, it's the adrenaline dump reaction to a stress situation. All of your nerves tingle, your muscles tense, your digestive system shuts down, blood flows to your extremeties, your heart beat and respiration increase, and you are ready to either run for your life or fight for it.
In an encounter a CCW carrier there are steps that we have to go through before making the final decision to draw our weapon.
Legally, in my state, you have the duty to retreat to avoid conflict. Meaning if you are at a gas station and someone approaches you, you have the duty to retreat, if you can, to get out of the situation. You can't just go Billy the Kid on them right there. Its different if you are in your home, but out in the world, you're legally bound to get out of there. And its a good idea!
Here's how I look at it:
Awareness - Know where you are and your surroundings. You don't have to be paranoid, just aware.
Avoidance - You see 3 guys in hoodies at midnight looking in to cars at the gas station, get the heck out of there.
Exit - Run like heck. I mean run, I don't mean brisk walking, I mean RUN like your life depends on it, because it might.
De-escalate - This is more to do with individual encounters when someone is looking to fight but not looking to commit a "crime" per se.
If you are backed in to a corner, if you can't get away, if they aren't going to leave you alone and you fear for your life, then, and ONLY then do you pull your gun.
And that's the last decision you get to make in that fight, believe it or not.
Some people say might makes right, in some cases that's true. When it comes down to a fight like this, that' not exactly the case. Follow me on this one.
If I'm in a fight and I've drawn my weapon I have made the last decision I will make in that encounter. The bad guy (BG) gets to make all the choices from now on and I will react accordingly.
Example: Someone breaks in my home while the wife and pups and I are asleep. I hear it and I head downstairs, weapon drawn and at the ready while the wife calls 911 from the locked bedroom. I encounter the bad guy. There he is, trying to take my laptop or whatever...the sticky part is he has a crow bar in his hand.
Ok, I perceive that he is an imminent threat. In a normal situation, I would have a tough time fending off a guy with 5 pound of steel in his hands when he's swinging it Mark McGuire style. So I go in to target acquisition mode. I draw down on him and command him to "STOP".
Decision 1.
It is fair to say that my intentions are well known to him right now. I have a gun, he's in my house, and he's now in a position to make a choice. He can stop what he's doing, at which point he lives, but goes to jail, and I'll hold him at gun point until the police arrive (information that is relayed to the police by the way via the 911 operator's conversation with my wife). If he relents, gets on his knees, goes to jail. Problem solved, I loose some sleep, no one got hurt, all in all a good night.
Decision 2.
He boogies and I mean he hauls all kinds of ass out of my house, his feet don't make marks in the dew on the yard he's hauling so much boogie. At which point, the police show up, they canvas the area, they may catch him, they may not, but he won't be coming to my house again. I loose some sleep, no one got hurt, all in all a good night.
Decision 3.
He decides to "try me". I know that I have 1.5 seconds for him to cover 21 feet. I'm already on target, I'm ready to do what I have to do. He makes the first furtive movement my way and he gets a severe case of lead poisoning. Maybe he dies, maybe he doesn't, but he's down, period, down. My wife goes out to meet the cops (she's already told the 911 operator that shots have been fired and the intruder has been incapacitated). She tells the police that "My husband's the one in the Spider-Man Garanimals and flip flops with the Glock". They come in, I drop (and I mean literally drop, not set down) my weapon, kneel, cross my legs behind me and put my hands on my head. The cops then have to do their job . They handcuff me (perhaps) for their safety, they get to working on the bad guy to make sure he gets medical treatment and the confiscate my weapon until it is determined wether or not I was justified in my actions. I may even have to go to jail that night, it all depends.
I loose a lot of sleep, I may need therapy, I may have taken a man's life, worst night of my life, period.
So you see... after I drew my gun, I made no more choices. The bad guy did.
And he either made a good choice or a bad choice, but he made a choice, I just reacted accordingly.
In an encounter a CCW carrier there are steps that we have to go through before making the final decision to draw our weapon.
Legally, in my state, you have the duty to retreat to avoid conflict. Meaning if you are at a gas station and someone approaches you, you have the duty to retreat, if you can, to get out of the situation. You can't just go Billy the Kid on them right there. Its different if you are in your home, but out in the world, you're legally bound to get out of there. And its a good idea!
Here's how I look at it:
Awareness - Know where you are and your surroundings. You don't have to be paranoid, just aware.
Avoidance - You see 3 guys in hoodies at midnight looking in to cars at the gas station, get the heck out of there.
Exit - Run like heck. I mean run, I don't mean brisk walking, I mean RUN like your life depends on it, because it might.
De-escalate - This is more to do with individual encounters when someone is looking to fight but not looking to commit a "crime" per se.
If you are backed in to a corner, if you can't get away, if they aren't going to leave you alone and you fear for your life, then, and ONLY then do you pull your gun.
And that's the last decision you get to make in that fight, believe it or not.
Some people say might makes right, in some cases that's true. When it comes down to a fight like this, that' not exactly the case. Follow me on this one.
If I'm in a fight and I've drawn my weapon I have made the last decision I will make in that encounter. The bad guy (BG) gets to make all the choices from now on and I will react accordingly.
Example: Someone breaks in my home while the wife and pups and I are asleep. I hear it and I head downstairs, weapon drawn and at the ready while the wife calls 911 from the locked bedroom. I encounter the bad guy. There he is, trying to take my laptop or whatever...the sticky part is he has a crow bar in his hand.
Ok, I perceive that he is an imminent threat. In a normal situation, I would have a tough time fending off a guy with 5 pound of steel in his hands when he's swinging it Mark McGuire style. So I go in to target acquisition mode. I draw down on him and command him to "STOP".
Decision 1.
It is fair to say that my intentions are well known to him right now. I have a gun, he's in my house, and he's now in a position to make a choice. He can stop what he's doing, at which point he lives, but goes to jail, and I'll hold him at gun point until the police arrive (information that is relayed to the police by the way via the 911 operator's conversation with my wife). If he relents, gets on his knees, goes to jail. Problem solved, I loose some sleep, no one got hurt, all in all a good night.
Decision 2.
He boogies and I mean he hauls all kinds of ass out of my house, his feet don't make marks in the dew on the yard he's hauling so much boogie. At which point, the police show up, they canvas the area, they may catch him, they may not, but he won't be coming to my house again. I loose some sleep, no one got hurt, all in all a good night.
Decision 3.
He decides to "try me". I know that I have 1.5 seconds for him to cover 21 feet. I'm already on target, I'm ready to do what I have to do. He makes the first furtive movement my way and he gets a severe case of lead poisoning. Maybe he dies, maybe he doesn't, but he's down, period, down. My wife goes out to meet the cops (she's already told the 911 operator that shots have been fired and the intruder has been incapacitated). She tells the police that "My husband's the one in the Spider-Man Garanimals and flip flops with the Glock". They come in, I drop (and I mean literally drop, not set down) my weapon, kneel, cross my legs behind me and put my hands on my head. The cops then have to do their job . They handcuff me (perhaps) for their safety, they get to working on the bad guy to make sure he gets medical treatment and the confiscate my weapon until it is determined wether or not I was justified in my actions. I may even have to go to jail that night, it all depends.
I loose a lot of sleep, I may need therapy, I may have taken a man's life, worst night of my life, period.
So you see... after I drew my gun, I made no more choices. The bad guy did.
And he either made a good choice or a bad choice, but he made a choice, I just reacted accordingly.
You have a decision to make...part 3
And this is the most important decision you will make on this subject, period.
Can you pull the trigger? Can you make that decision?
If you can't, that's fine, it doesn't make you a bad person, it certainly speaks to your compassion and humanity, and I applaud you for making that decision. It probably took some soul searching.
If you decide that you can, that too doesn't make you a bad person. It also speaks to your compassion and humanity and your willingness to defend yourself and those around you. I applaud you for making that decision.
There's no one out there that will tell you that making that decision and pulling the trigger and taking someone's life is easy. It can't be. We are genetically predisposed to protecting life. We are born and raised to respect life.
I can't speak to, and I hope I never have to, what its like to have to make the ultimate decision.
However, if the worst case scenario comes to pass, I can answer this question easily.
Will I feel more guilt for letting someone else get hurt or killed when I COULD have done something about it than if I intervened and a bad guy went down? The answer is simple to me. I would feel worse and I would have more regret if I didn't act and someone got hurt.
Would I have regret if I took a bad guy's life...yeah, I would. Heck I'd probably throw up and sob uncontrollably for quite some time. I'd probably lose sleep and have daymares and nightmares about it. I'm pretty sure that's the case. However, I'd much prefer that to the regret, shame, and helplessness I would feel if someone didn't get to go home to their family because I failed to act.
So, ask yourself that question. Can you do it?
And really...take your time on this one, it's the biggest decision involved.
Can you pull the trigger? Can you make that decision?
If you can't, that's fine, it doesn't make you a bad person, it certainly speaks to your compassion and humanity, and I applaud you for making that decision. It probably took some soul searching.
If you decide that you can, that too doesn't make you a bad person. It also speaks to your compassion and humanity and your willingness to defend yourself and those around you. I applaud you for making that decision.
There's no one out there that will tell you that making that decision and pulling the trigger and taking someone's life is easy. It can't be. We are genetically predisposed to protecting life. We are born and raised to respect life.
I can't speak to, and I hope I never have to, what its like to have to make the ultimate decision.
However, if the worst case scenario comes to pass, I can answer this question easily.
Will I feel more guilt for letting someone else get hurt or killed when I COULD have done something about it than if I intervened and a bad guy went down? The answer is simple to me. I would feel worse and I would have more regret if I didn't act and someone got hurt.
Would I have regret if I took a bad guy's life...yeah, I would. Heck I'd probably throw up and sob uncontrollably for quite some time. I'd probably lose sleep and have daymares and nightmares about it. I'm pretty sure that's the case. However, I'd much prefer that to the regret, shame, and helplessness I would feel if someone didn't get to go home to their family because I failed to act.
So, ask yourself that question. Can you do it?
And really...take your time on this one, it's the biggest decision involved.
Train...
If there is one word of caution I would give anyone who is considering even owning a handgun, not even carrying one, just owning one is this; train.
Get used to it, learn about it, mess with it, hold it in your hand, take it apart, put it back together, wear the novelty off of it.
When I got my first handgun, a 1911, I was in love, and I was a new kid with a toy. And that was a bad place to be. These things aren't toys. So, luckily, I realized I was enamored with it so I decided to wear the novelty off of it as soon as I could.
Here's how I did that. I would sit on the couch (after the wife and pups went to bed), watch TV, and take it apart, then reassemble, take it apart, reassemble, wet, lather, rinse repeat. I'd do this for hours.
This did a couple things for me; one I was extremely familiar with it, I knew every inch of that weapon. I could tell if something wasn't seated right, or something didn't feel right, etc. The second thing it did was wore the "new" off of it. It helped me remember that it was a tool and nothing more.
After you've done that, then you need to go to your local range and practice, practice, practice. You HAVE to put rounds down range, you have to know what it feels like to pull the trigger. You have to know what rounds will feed, which ones won't, what is the recoil like, what's the report (big boom) like. You also need to make sure that you can hit your target!!
A little bit about hitting the target...
It is the single most important thing you need to know. You have to be able to hit your target.
If I'm a bad guy and I'm after you and you pull a gun on me and I see you hesitate, or you miss, well, you're completely done for. I will take that weapon away from you in a heartbeat (less than 1.5 seconds to be sure) and that's the end of the show.
A gun is pointless as a brandishing weapon. Ever seen "Tombstone"? You know the part where Wyatt bumps in to a guy going up the stairs, the kid gets pissy and pulls his vest open to show his gun. Wyatt then snatches it out of his pants, and clonks the kid over the head with it. Yeah, all it takes it willful action and quick thinking and you're now weaponless...
Not to mention that bullets travel a long way. Sir Issac Newton stated that an object in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force.
For instance, if you fire a .45 ACP round from about 3.5 feet it will travel at a starting velocity of 850 feet per second and travel about 300-350 feet before gravity pulls it to the ground.
So, you pull the trigger, you miss, you could very well injure someone else in the process. That's bad.
So, practice, practice, practice... get good, get confident.
Get used to it, learn about it, mess with it, hold it in your hand, take it apart, put it back together, wear the novelty off of it.
When I got my first handgun, a 1911, I was in love, and I was a new kid with a toy. And that was a bad place to be. These things aren't toys. So, luckily, I realized I was enamored with it so I decided to wear the novelty off of it as soon as I could.
Here's how I did that. I would sit on the couch (after the wife and pups went to bed), watch TV, and take it apart, then reassemble, take it apart, reassemble, wet, lather, rinse repeat. I'd do this for hours.
This did a couple things for me; one I was extremely familiar with it, I knew every inch of that weapon. I could tell if something wasn't seated right, or something didn't feel right, etc. The second thing it did was wore the "new" off of it. It helped me remember that it was a tool and nothing more.
After you've done that, then you need to go to your local range and practice, practice, practice. You HAVE to put rounds down range, you have to know what it feels like to pull the trigger. You have to know what rounds will feed, which ones won't, what is the recoil like, what's the report (big boom) like. You also need to make sure that you can hit your target!!
A little bit about hitting the target...
It is the single most important thing you need to know. You have to be able to hit your target.
If I'm a bad guy and I'm after you and you pull a gun on me and I see you hesitate, or you miss, well, you're completely done for. I will take that weapon away from you in a heartbeat (less than 1.5 seconds to be sure) and that's the end of the show.
A gun is pointless as a brandishing weapon. Ever seen "Tombstone"? You know the part where Wyatt bumps in to a guy going up the stairs, the kid gets pissy and pulls his vest open to show his gun. Wyatt then snatches it out of his pants, and clonks the kid over the head with it. Yeah, all it takes it willful action and quick thinking and you're now weaponless...
Not to mention that bullets travel a long way. Sir Issac Newton stated that an object in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force.
For instance, if you fire a .45 ACP round from about 3.5 feet it will travel at a starting velocity of 850 feet per second and travel about 300-350 feet before gravity pulls it to the ground.
So, you pull the trigger, you miss, you could very well injure someone else in the process. That's bad.
So, practice, practice, practice... get good, get confident.
The right tool...
For you, not for the job...
Here's why I say its the right tool for you. As I stated earlier, guns are made, handguns at least, with one purpose in mind, to kill another human being should the need arise.
There are NO handguns out there that are incapable of achieving this goal. None. Not one single weapon on the market today is benign enough that you can use it as intended and not kill someone. Remember that, know that, understand that.
So, the right tool for the job is simple; ANY of them will do the job. Some will do it better than others, they don't jam, they are reliable, they have better sights, etc, but at the end of the day, if your weapon works, it will, in fact, do the job.
Be it a .25 ACP, be it a .45 ACP; whatever it is it will do the job.
Your responsibility is to find the one that you are comfortable with and that will lend itself to consistent carry.
I've owned a full size 1911, its a big honking gun. I loved it, I'd like to have one again. I would not want to tote that thing around all day and I wouldn't. It weighs, fully loaded, about 2.5 lbs, its about 8 inches long, and about 5-6 inches tall, and about an inch wide. Basically, get a copy of a mid-length book and shove that in your waistband and walk around all day.
Yeah, no thanks.
So, that isn't the right tool for me.
I've poked and played with and tested around 25 different firearms, calibers, configurations, etc. And there are only a few that might work for me as a day to day carrying weapon.
Here's my criterion; your mileage may vary: Light weight, Reliable, Safe, Accessibility of Ammo. That's it. That's all there is to it. Notice I didn't say one word about caliber, because I don't care. I will try to get the biggest, strongest caliber I can, of course, but if I can't do it and fulfill the rest of those requirements, then I won't carry it and its a paper weight sitting at my house.
So, the moral of the story is simple, find the right tool for you.
If its a .22 caliber pocket pistol, great! More critters and people have been run off, injured, or killed with a .22 than you can count.
If its a full-sized 1911, great! That thing will stop a Honda at 35 mph.
But whatever it is, make sure that it fits YOU and will work for YOU and will do what you need it to do, which is to not interfere with your day to day activities and to be at the ready if you should ever need it.
Here's why I say its the right tool for you. As I stated earlier, guns are made, handguns at least, with one purpose in mind, to kill another human being should the need arise.
There are NO handguns out there that are incapable of achieving this goal. None. Not one single weapon on the market today is benign enough that you can use it as intended and not kill someone. Remember that, know that, understand that.
So, the right tool for the job is simple; ANY of them will do the job. Some will do it better than others, they don't jam, they are reliable, they have better sights, etc, but at the end of the day, if your weapon works, it will, in fact, do the job.
Be it a .25 ACP, be it a .45 ACP; whatever it is it will do the job.
Your responsibility is to find the one that you are comfortable with and that will lend itself to consistent carry.
I've owned a full size 1911, its a big honking gun. I loved it, I'd like to have one again. I would not want to tote that thing around all day and I wouldn't. It weighs, fully loaded, about 2.5 lbs, its about 8 inches long, and about 5-6 inches tall, and about an inch wide. Basically, get a copy of a mid-length book and shove that in your waistband and walk around all day.
Yeah, no thanks.
So, that isn't the right tool for me.
I've poked and played with and tested around 25 different firearms, calibers, configurations, etc. And there are only a few that might work for me as a day to day carrying weapon.
Here's my criterion; your mileage may vary: Light weight, Reliable, Safe, Accessibility of Ammo. That's it. That's all there is to it. Notice I didn't say one word about caliber, because I don't care. I will try to get the biggest, strongest caliber I can, of course, but if I can't do it and fulfill the rest of those requirements, then I won't carry it and its a paper weight sitting at my house.
So, the moral of the story is simple, find the right tool for you.
If its a .22 caliber pocket pistol, great! More critters and people have been run off, injured, or killed with a .22 than you can count.
If its a full-sized 1911, great! That thing will stop a Honda at 35 mph.
But whatever it is, make sure that it fits YOU and will work for YOU and will do what you need it to do, which is to not interfere with your day to day activities and to be at the ready if you should ever need it.
You have a decision to make...part 2
As I said, there are several things that change when you take this step.
The topic for this post is clothing. Yup, you guessed it, you can't always wear the same things if you carry concealed.
For me, and anyone who knows me knows this to be true, I 100% of the time have a belt on and 100% of the time have my shirt tucked in and about 90% of the time I wear and undershirt. More often than not I wear boots on the weekends.
Will this have to change? You betcha.
They don't make an easily accessible CCW holster that can be completely concealed based on how I normally dress myself. They make ankle holsters, but with boots, that's another step I have to go through to access my weapon. The order would be: bend down, pull up pant leg, reach in to boot, retrieve weapon, get on target, stage the trigger, maintain sight picture and stand up. And I would have to do all that in a matter less than 1.5 seconds.
Why 1.5 seconds you ask? The average time for a non-law enforcement type person to draw, get on target and discharge a round is about 1.5 seconds. An average person can close a gap of 21 feet in that time. So, if they are closer than 21 feet, I'm toast. So the ankle holster wouldn't be a good choice. It could be a last ditch choice, or a place to carry when I'm on a long trip or in an unfamiliar city driving around, but not a walking around town option.
Ok, so that leave the "IWB" or In the Waist Band holster. Well...the grip of your firearm will protrude and SHOULD protrude from the top of your waistline. This allows for you to get a solid grip on the weapon before drawing.
Well, tucking your shirt in, for the most part, kind of defeats the "concealed" portion of the show, doesn't it? And yes, there are holsters out there that are "tuck in" holsters. But for me, that wouldn't work. I don't blouse out my shirts when they are tucked in, I keep them pretty darn taut.
So, what option does that leave me? I have to untuck my outer shirt. Is it a big change? No, of course not. Is it going to take some getting used to? You bet it will.
Also, for you ladies, if you like tighter fitting pants and shirts, well, those are things you'll have to consider. Men have no compunction about buying a size 42 waist band for jeans, if they know that it serves a purpose. Heck, I'd be willing to revert to sansibelt slacks, if I knew my weapon wouldn't print (show through) while I was wearing them.
I know women who won't even shop at certain stores because that store has clothes marked as size 4, and this store over here calls the same thing a size 2, and they would NEVER admit to buying a size 4, or 6, or whatever.
Now, some women will say "I could keep it in my purse" and yes, yes you can. However, ladies, I've seen inside your purses... Jimmy Hoffa could be in there and you'd never be able to find him. In a moment of panic you need to have it in ONE specific place, so you can remember where it is and be trained to go to it instinctively every time. Rooting around in your purse, taking your eyes off the threat, drawing, getting back on target, etc... that will take more then 1.5 seconds.
Could you carry a larger weapon that you can find in your purse? Yes, you sure can. But a mid to full size weapon weighs anywhere from 15 oz up to 2 full pounds. That will start wearing you down and that will stop you from carrying. Your decision, of course, but you see where I'm heading.
Again, these are just a few of the decisions that one has to make when they decide to carry concealed. Heck, this is just how to decide what to WEAR... You can see why this is a doosie of a decision and not to be taken lightly.
The topic for this post is clothing. Yup, you guessed it, you can't always wear the same things if you carry concealed.
For me, and anyone who knows me knows this to be true, I 100% of the time have a belt on and 100% of the time have my shirt tucked in and about 90% of the time I wear and undershirt. More often than not I wear boots on the weekends.
Will this have to change? You betcha.
They don't make an easily accessible CCW holster that can be completely concealed based on how I normally dress myself. They make ankle holsters, but with boots, that's another step I have to go through to access my weapon. The order would be: bend down, pull up pant leg, reach in to boot, retrieve weapon, get on target, stage the trigger, maintain sight picture and stand up. And I would have to do all that in a matter less than 1.5 seconds.
Why 1.5 seconds you ask? The average time for a non-law enforcement type person to draw, get on target and discharge a round is about 1.5 seconds. An average person can close a gap of 21 feet in that time. So, if they are closer than 21 feet, I'm toast. So the ankle holster wouldn't be a good choice. It could be a last ditch choice, or a place to carry when I'm on a long trip or in an unfamiliar city driving around, but not a walking around town option.
Ok, so that leave the "IWB" or In the Waist Band holster. Well...the grip of your firearm will protrude and SHOULD protrude from the top of your waistline. This allows for you to get a solid grip on the weapon before drawing.
Well, tucking your shirt in, for the most part, kind of defeats the "concealed" portion of the show, doesn't it? And yes, there are holsters out there that are "tuck in" holsters. But for me, that wouldn't work. I don't blouse out my shirts when they are tucked in, I keep them pretty darn taut.
So, what option does that leave me? I have to untuck my outer shirt. Is it a big change? No, of course not. Is it going to take some getting used to? You bet it will.
Also, for you ladies, if you like tighter fitting pants and shirts, well, those are things you'll have to consider. Men have no compunction about buying a size 42 waist band for jeans, if they know that it serves a purpose. Heck, I'd be willing to revert to sansibelt slacks, if I knew my weapon wouldn't print (show through) while I was wearing them.
I know women who won't even shop at certain stores because that store has clothes marked as size 4, and this store over here calls the same thing a size 2, and they would NEVER admit to buying a size 4, or 6, or whatever.
Now, some women will say "I could keep it in my purse" and yes, yes you can. However, ladies, I've seen inside your purses... Jimmy Hoffa could be in there and you'd never be able to find him. In a moment of panic you need to have it in ONE specific place, so you can remember where it is and be trained to go to it instinctively every time. Rooting around in your purse, taking your eyes off the threat, drawing, getting back on target, etc... that will take more then 1.5 seconds.
Could you carry a larger weapon that you can find in your purse? Yes, you sure can. But a mid to full size weapon weighs anywhere from 15 oz up to 2 full pounds. That will start wearing you down and that will stop you from carrying. Your decision, of course, but you see where I'm heading.
Again, these are just a few of the decisions that one has to make when they decide to carry concealed. Heck, this is just how to decide what to WEAR... You can see why this is a doosie of a decision and not to be taken lightly.
You have a decision to make...
And its a doosie!
By no means is it an easy decision to carry, it isn't. Well, at least it shouldn't be. You need to wrestle with it, you need to worry about it, you need to think long and hard about it. Because at the end of the day, you change as a person when you start strapping on a firearm and walk out in to the world.
You mindset has to change, your attitude has to change, even the places you go has to change. And the places you go is what I want to talk about in this post.
Where I live there are certain places you just plain can't carry on you. Now, admittedly, if you do it right, no one would ever know that you have a weapon on you, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is illegal in certain places.
For instance: Places where alcohol is purchased and consumed, places where there is an admission charge (movies, etc), places where there is a sign posted saying "No weapons".
I can see both sides of the arguement; on one side, if you are in a place with a sign that says "no concealed weapons" then you should respect the wishes of the owner of that establishment. I wouldn't want someone carrying a wet pregnant badger in to my house (not that I feel the need to post a sign up about it, but you get the picture), but when I'm in someone's place of business I am a guest and need to show them the proper respect. The flip side of that is...if there's a sign, then the bad guys know no one carrys there either.
However, let's say you carry, and you take your gun off and leave it in the car. You are then abiding by the law of the land. The down side is, you are no longer armed and able to assist or defend in the case of an emergency, but you are following the law, the law which you have taken full use of by being a CCW carrier.
You see the conundrum? This is the LEAST of the things you have to worry about when you carry.
More to follow...
By no means is it an easy decision to carry, it isn't. Well, at least it shouldn't be. You need to wrestle with it, you need to worry about it, you need to think long and hard about it. Because at the end of the day, you change as a person when you start strapping on a firearm and walk out in to the world.
You mindset has to change, your attitude has to change, even the places you go has to change. And the places you go is what I want to talk about in this post.
Where I live there are certain places you just plain can't carry on you. Now, admittedly, if you do it right, no one would ever know that you have a weapon on you, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is illegal in certain places.
For instance: Places where alcohol is purchased and consumed, places where there is an admission charge (movies, etc), places where there is a sign posted saying "No weapons".
I can see both sides of the arguement; on one side, if you are in a place with a sign that says "no concealed weapons" then you should respect the wishes of the owner of that establishment. I wouldn't want someone carrying a wet pregnant badger in to my house (not that I feel the need to post a sign up about it, but you get the picture), but when I'm in someone's place of business I am a guest and need to show them the proper respect. The flip side of that is...if there's a sign, then the bad guys know no one carrys there either.
However, let's say you carry, and you take your gun off and leave it in the car. You are then abiding by the law of the land. The down side is, you are no longer armed and able to assist or defend in the case of an emergency, but you are following the law, the law which you have taken full use of by being a CCW carrier.
You see the conundrum? This is the LEAST of the things you have to worry about when you carry.
More to follow...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A few of my toys
A few of my favorite "toys"...
Before going any further it should be noted for the record that I do NOT consider firearms toys. True there is endless diversion that can be had with the proper and safe usage of firearms but by no means are they toys. They are tools, they are weapons, they are, in some instances, collectible relics, however they are not toys.
Nothing that can put a 4 inch hole on the other side of a human being can be consider a toy, no matter how benign its original intention.
Also note, that I do not have children and therefore, until my dogs grow thumbs and sufficient arm strength to work the action of one of my collection, I am putting no one, save myself, in any danger.
I also don't keep them loaded, the ammunition is within reach should I need it, however.
Having said all that... let's begin, shall we?
I have had a fascination with firearms since I was a child. And I don't mean the standard "playing guns" that most male members of American society have from watching television, I mean a deeper desire to understand them and have a deeper connection to this, the single most important invention in human development. You disagree? Ok... let's look at some of them.
Fire... we didn't invent that, we discovered it. Lightning hit something and we saw it and said "Ugh..." or something equally eloquent in our struggle to master a dialect. Terribly useful, but not our invention. We discovered how to recreate the effect, but we did not, in fact, invent it.
Movable type... Ok, that's a good one. It brought religion to the masses, it brought understanding and literature to all mankind. No doubt important.
Automobiles, a good one, but that one's lead to more harm than good in the grander scheme of things. Now, I'm not going to start walking to work, I love my Truck, but without cars there would be a tighter family unit, more community involvement and not so damn much of this beautiful world covered with black asphalt.
The firearm. Well now, let's look at this one, shall we? With its advent and continued use for, I'll approximate, 500 years it has allowed humans to hunt on a more efficient scale, it has driven off enemies, it has, in fact, changed the course of human history in more than one occasion.
Don't believe me? Arch Duke Ferdinand would disagree, he was assassinated by a single shot to the head by a lone gun man and this was the turning point which started World War I.
Not good enough? Alright, Harper's Ferry, the "shot hear 'round the world" which started the American Revolution, if memory serves me correctly. Then there was Lincoln's mournful and horrid killing at the Ford's Theatre, which took away a brilliant mind as well as a good man. Two Kennedy's were killed the same way, both good men.
Are these good examples, do these paint a rosy picture of the firearm as a great invention, no. However, does this macabre list at least begin to point out how the world has changed, if only using these examples and no others at all? I believe it does... But again, this is my opinion, if you don't agree... I'm just going to have to be a peace with that.
Now there are several types of fire arms in the world, by definition.
Rifles, Carbine Rifles, Sporting Rifles, Assault Rifles, Infantry Rifles, Machine Guns, Sub-machine guns, machine pistols, pistols (both revolver and semi-automatic)... so on and so forth.
I will not bore you with a litany of their descriptions and differences. But, let me say this, they all have one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to inflict wounding/mortal damage on another living entity.
I believe that once people more closely align their perceptions to that fact, then there will be less trouble out there because some 12 year old is playing with one and accidentally shoots himself or his friends. A tragedy in every sense of the word.
Alright, now that I have all my disclosures and opinions out of the way, I just want to brag on one more thing...my wife. Why? Well, she's the one who said I could have them in the house.
One of the many reasons she's a great woman.
I have decided that this post have become a little cumbersome and would require much to long to read in its entirety without getting extremely bored.
So, from here on, there will be one post per weapon... I think that will make things flow a little better.
Before going any further it should be noted for the record that I do NOT consider firearms toys. True there is endless diversion that can be had with the proper and safe usage of firearms but by no means are they toys. They are tools, they are weapons, they are, in some instances, collectible relics, however they are not toys.
Nothing that can put a 4 inch hole on the other side of a human being can be consider a toy, no matter how benign its original intention.
Also note, that I do not have children and therefore, until my dogs grow thumbs and sufficient arm strength to work the action of one of my collection, I am putting no one, save myself, in any danger.
I also don't keep them loaded, the ammunition is within reach should I need it, however.
Having said all that... let's begin, shall we?
I have had a fascination with firearms since I was a child. And I don't mean the standard "playing guns" that most male members of American society have from watching television, I mean a deeper desire to understand them and have a deeper connection to this, the single most important invention in human development. You disagree? Ok... let's look at some of them.
Fire... we didn't invent that, we discovered it. Lightning hit something and we saw it and said "Ugh..." or something equally eloquent in our struggle to master a dialect. Terribly useful, but not our invention. We discovered how to recreate the effect, but we did not, in fact, invent it.
Movable type... Ok, that's a good one. It brought religion to the masses, it brought understanding and literature to all mankind. No doubt important.
Automobiles, a good one, but that one's lead to more harm than good in the grander scheme of things. Now, I'm not going to start walking to work, I love my Truck, but without cars there would be a tighter family unit, more community involvement and not so damn much of this beautiful world covered with black asphalt.
The firearm. Well now, let's look at this one, shall we? With its advent and continued use for, I'll approximate, 500 years it has allowed humans to hunt on a more efficient scale, it has driven off enemies, it has, in fact, changed the course of human history in more than one occasion.
Don't believe me? Arch Duke Ferdinand would disagree, he was assassinated by a single shot to the head by a lone gun man and this was the turning point which started World War I.
Not good enough? Alright, Harper's Ferry, the "shot hear 'round the world" which started the American Revolution, if memory serves me correctly. Then there was Lincoln's mournful and horrid killing at the Ford's Theatre, which took away a brilliant mind as well as a good man. Two Kennedy's were killed the same way, both good men.
Are these good examples, do these paint a rosy picture of the firearm as a great invention, no. However, does this macabre list at least begin to point out how the world has changed, if only using these examples and no others at all? I believe it does... But again, this is my opinion, if you don't agree... I'm just going to have to be a peace with that.
Now there are several types of fire arms in the world, by definition.
Rifles, Carbine Rifles, Sporting Rifles, Assault Rifles, Infantry Rifles, Machine Guns, Sub-machine guns, machine pistols, pistols (both revolver and semi-automatic)... so on and so forth.
I will not bore you with a litany of their descriptions and differences. But, let me say this, they all have one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to inflict wounding/mortal damage on another living entity.
I believe that once people more closely align their perceptions to that fact, then there will be less trouble out there because some 12 year old is playing with one and accidentally shoots himself or his friends. A tragedy in every sense of the word.
Alright, now that I have all my disclosures and opinions out of the way, I just want to brag on one more thing...my wife. Why? Well, she's the one who said I could have them in the house.
One of the many reasons she's a great woman.
I have decided that this post have become a little cumbersome and would require much to long to read in its entirety without getting extremely bored.
So, from here on, there will be one post per weapon... I think that will make things flow a little better.
My decision
Yes, as you probably guessed, I decided to get my CCW and I will be carrying with me.
There are many reasons why I decided to take this path. And believe me, I still sit up a night and think about it; the implications just about scare me to death. Aside from pledging my life to the woman I love, its the biggest responsibility I can think of; aside from kids.
The first is to protect myself, my wife, or anyone else who happens to be in need; the hope being that never, ever, ever (x 10) do I want to have to use it or even draw my weapon, ever.
I've thought about this for a long time and being a good southern boy, there are certain things you aren't so much taught but are almost genetic in you. One of those (aside from a need to keep appliances on the front porch) is the fierce loyalty and protection of our family.
And since there's been some interesting activity in my neighborhood and in my city in general, I'd feel better about being able to protect the ones I love.
Granted, I'm a big guy (those who know me can attest to this) and I can take care of myself. However, 240lbs of Kyle can turn really quickly in to 240lbs of dead in a skinny minute if one isn't prepared. And at that point, what good am I to anyone? How can protect anyone? How can I be a good husband, a good son, a good anything if I'm...you know...not around? ANSWER: I CAN'T!! And personally, I like living, I've grown accustomed to it... I'd prefer to keep doing it.
The second reason is that I have the right to do it. I'm all about fully exploring my rights. I love rights, they are awesome! I've been to many countries that don't have it nearly as good as we do. We've got more rights and freedom than we (literally) know what to do with. I have right to ride a motorcycle, and I do, I have the right to speak my mind and I do, I have the right to come and go as I please, and I do. Full expression of ones rights is the ultimate defense of citizenry!!
There are many reasons why I decided to take this path. And believe me, I still sit up a night and think about it; the implications just about scare me to death. Aside from pledging my life to the woman I love, its the biggest responsibility I can think of; aside from kids.
The first is to protect myself, my wife, or anyone else who happens to be in need; the hope being that never, ever, ever (x 10) do I want to have to use it or even draw my weapon, ever.
I've thought about this for a long time and being a good southern boy, there are certain things you aren't so much taught but are almost genetic in you. One of those (aside from a need to keep appliances on the front porch) is the fierce loyalty and protection of our family.
And since there's been some interesting activity in my neighborhood and in my city in general, I'd feel better about being able to protect the ones I love.
Granted, I'm a big guy (those who know me can attest to this) and I can take care of myself. However, 240lbs of Kyle can turn really quickly in to 240lbs of dead in a skinny minute if one isn't prepared. And at that point, what good am I to anyone? How can protect anyone? How can I be a good husband, a good son, a good anything if I'm...you know...not around? ANSWER: I CAN'T!! And personally, I like living, I've grown accustomed to it... I'd prefer to keep doing it.
The second reason is that I have the right to do it. I'm all about fully exploring my rights. I love rights, they are awesome! I've been to many countries that don't have it nearly as good as we do. We've got more rights and freedom than we (literally) know what to do with. I have right to ride a motorcycle, and I do, I have the right to speak my mind and I do, I have the right to come and go as I please, and I do. Full expression of ones rights is the ultimate defense of citizenry!!
When seconds count
...The police are minutes away.
This is a sad but true statement. It is in no way an admonishment of the police, they do what they can with the limited resources they have. They sacrifice in ways we will never understand.
However, there are things that we, the citizenry, can do to help.
1. Don't break the law... ok, that's obvious, right?
2. Be a good witness. If you see something happen, hang around, talk to the officers, it helps!
3. Be aware. If things feel/look/smell hinky...get out of there. Don't be a victim.
4. If you are of the mindset get your CCW (concealed carry permit) and carry your firearm.
The first 3 are pretty simple and they don't take any special training or know-how. The last one, however, is not so easy. Some people don't like firearms, they don't want to use, be around, and certainly don't want to carry one. That's fine, it is a personal decision, and I respect that.
It is a big responsibility and a big liability as well. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, nor is it one that should be assumed by over-macho cowboys who think its cool to go "strapped".
But if you have your CCW, and you do carry, God bless you. The life you may save could be that of my wife, mom, grandma, dad, brother, or some guy I don't know anything about. Either way, you took the responsibility to become a watcher and I, for one, appreciate it.
This is a sad but true statement. It is in no way an admonishment of the police, they do what they can with the limited resources they have. They sacrifice in ways we will never understand.
However, there are things that we, the citizenry, can do to help.
1. Don't break the law... ok, that's obvious, right?
2. Be a good witness. If you see something happen, hang around, talk to the officers, it helps!
3. Be aware. If things feel/look/smell hinky...get out of there. Don't be a victim.
4. If you are of the mindset get your CCW (concealed carry permit) and carry your firearm.
The first 3 are pretty simple and they don't take any special training or know-how. The last one, however, is not so easy. Some people don't like firearms, they don't want to use, be around, and certainly don't want to carry one. That's fine, it is a personal decision, and I respect that.
It is a big responsibility and a big liability as well. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, nor is it one that should be assumed by over-macho cowboys who think its cool to go "strapped".
But if you have your CCW, and you do carry, God bless you. The life you may save could be that of my wife, mom, grandma, dad, brother, or some guy I don't know anything about. Either way, you took the responsibility to become a watcher and I, for one, appreciate it.
Introduction
Thank you for coming by and visiting. Since you are my guest and I am your host, I should tell you a little bit about myself. I'm just a regular guy. I have a regular job, a wife, dogs, a mortgage, you know, the usual.
I am, by no means, a hard liner on any particular subject, I believe there are shades of gray for almost everything. I am not an expert on many of the subjects I'll talk about but believe me I take the time to research, find out, learn about, and in all other ways know what I'm talking about before I start spouting off...
And spout off I will. There are things I believe in, things that are as real to me as the ground I stand on and I will talk about them. I'll get angry, I'll get excited, and I'll write about it. Nothing is off limits and I'll more than likely wander from day to day in my topics. Hey, its my blog, you want order, go to the library...
Thanks again for stopping by, please feel free to leave a comment or a message.
I am, by no means, a hard liner on any particular subject, I believe there are shades of gray for almost everything. I am not an expert on many of the subjects I'll talk about but believe me I take the time to research, find out, learn about, and in all other ways know what I'm talking about before I start spouting off...
And spout off I will. There are things I believe in, things that are as real to me as the ground I stand on and I will talk about them. I'll get angry, I'll get excited, and I'll write about it. Nothing is off limits and I'll more than likely wander from day to day in my topics. Hey, its my blog, you want order, go to the library...
Thanks again for stopping by, please feel free to leave a comment or a message.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)