Hey guys... remember to write down the serial number of any firearm you purchase and keep it forever.
If it is lost or stolen, inform the police, give them the serial number and it will go in to a database. If anyone tries to sell that firearm to a dealer or pawn shop it will red flag and you will get your firearm back.
It just happened to a friend of mine who had a gun stolen 9 years ago. Last week a guy tried to sell it at a show and the check on the serial number showed that it was stolen. A detective called my friend and he's getting his gun back after 9 years.
It's important as well as it saves you a load of trouble should a gun that is stolen or lost be used in a crime. If the police track it back to you and you never reported it, they are going to look at you a little funny... and probably be suspicious of the veracity of your statements.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Lethality versus Stopping Power
Ok, time for a discussion on semantics here. You hear lots of debates around the Internet, on forums, heck anywhere anything is discussed, this will probably be mentioned; Lethality and Stopping Power are two completely different things.
Lethality is the ability of a round to cause an end to life.
Stopping Power is the ability to immediately incapacitate.
As I’ve said numerous times, there’s no such thing as a non-lethal bullet. However, there are those rounds that aren’t as potent as others and can, in fact, leave you hanging as it were, if you’re in a bad situation.
That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t carry a .22 or a .25 if that’s what you feel comfortable with or what you can afford; both of these will, when used properly, protect you. They may or may not, however, immediately incapacitate a determined attacker. You’ll have to be very particular in your shot placement to ensure maximum efficacy.
When you are looking for a self protection weapon, you need to determine if you feel comfortable in your PDF’s (Personal Defense Firearm) ability to immediately incapacitate and not its lethality.
In my humble opinion, anything of the caliber of .32 an over is an immediate stopper. There are those that will argue that the .380 is the base line, and those that will go even higher. But, based on the numbers I’ve seen, the .32 should do the job. Again, this isn’t to dissuade you from carrying a .22 or a .25, it’s just another item to consider.
There's a lot to think about when choosing the PDF you're going to use... this is just another thing.
Lethality is the ability of a round to cause an end to life.
Stopping Power is the ability to immediately incapacitate.
As I’ve said numerous times, there’s no such thing as a non-lethal bullet. However, there are those rounds that aren’t as potent as others and can, in fact, leave you hanging as it were, if you’re in a bad situation.
That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t carry a .22 or a .25 if that’s what you feel comfortable with or what you can afford; both of these will, when used properly, protect you. They may or may not, however, immediately incapacitate a determined attacker. You’ll have to be very particular in your shot placement to ensure maximum efficacy.
When you are looking for a self protection weapon, you need to determine if you feel comfortable in your PDF’s (Personal Defense Firearm) ability to immediately incapacitate and not its lethality.
In my humble opinion, anything of the caliber of .32 an over is an immediate stopper. There are those that will argue that the .380 is the base line, and those that will go even higher. But, based on the numbers I’ve seen, the .32 should do the job. Again, this isn’t to dissuade you from carrying a .22 or a .25, it’s just another item to consider.
There's a lot to think about when choosing the PDF you're going to use... this is just another thing.
Cold hard facts on gun violence
Again, I'm going to diverge from my usual tips and reviews to bring you a little cold hard reality.
There are those out there, I know many of them, who think that guns are inherently bad and that no one should be allowed to have them. I respect the opinion and I understand what they want to accomplish with this train of thought, however, I disagree with it. Then again, I also disagree with someone owning a bajillion firearms and spending every free moment practicing their tactical reloads for the "upcoming revolution". I respect their opinion, I just disagree with it.
But for those people who may glance by my blog to see what we, the armed citizens, think, here's the deal.
In 2007, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) 42,031 people died in fatal car accidents. For the exact same period of time 12,632 people died due to a gun shot wound. Take a look at that difference;
we're talking a 3 to 1 ratio here. So, cars are MUCH more dangerous that a firearm when speaking from a pure mortality stand point.
There are those that think a removal of firearms would make for a safer society and that's just not true.
Remember, drugs are outlawed...and we still have a drug problem. Drunk driving is illegal...still happens.
People who refuse to abide by the laws when it suits their fancy aren't going to give a wet slap about the new fangled law you have in place that prevents them from doing whatever it was you were looking to accomplish.
You see, gun control isn't crime control (Thank you ABC News). Regulating something only reduces or changes the accessibility of that item to those people who would seek to obtain said item via legally recognized means.
Guys, you can't legislate safety, if we could, we wouldn't need the police department (God bless every last one of them), we wouldn't need seat belts, we wouldn't need child locks. It would all just magically be safe.
Banning guns will not, I repeat, will not, prevent further crime. Crime will, in fact, increase. If you want to ban them, and I respectfully disagree with that idea, the tell the truth about it. You don't like guns, they scare you and you don't want to be around them. Otherwise, the rest of your arguments are usually bollocks and easily dismissed with about 10 minutes of research.
Ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox.
There are those out there, I know many of them, who think that guns are inherently bad and that no one should be allowed to have them. I respect the opinion and I understand what they want to accomplish with this train of thought, however, I disagree with it. Then again, I also disagree with someone owning a bajillion firearms and spending every free moment practicing their tactical reloads for the "upcoming revolution". I respect their opinion, I just disagree with it.
But for those people who may glance by my blog to see what we, the armed citizens, think, here's the deal.
In 2007, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) 42,031 people died in fatal car accidents. For the exact same period of time 12,632 people died due to a gun shot wound. Take a look at that difference;
we're talking a 3 to 1 ratio here. So, cars are MUCH more dangerous that a firearm when speaking from a pure mortality stand point.
There are those that think a removal of firearms would make for a safer society and that's just not true.
Remember, drugs are outlawed...and we still have a drug problem. Drunk driving is illegal...still happens.
People who refuse to abide by the laws when it suits their fancy aren't going to give a wet slap about the new fangled law you have in place that prevents them from doing whatever it was you were looking to accomplish.
You see, gun control isn't crime control (Thank you ABC News). Regulating something only reduces or changes the accessibility of that item to those people who would seek to obtain said item via legally recognized means.
Guys, you can't legislate safety, if we could, we wouldn't need the police department (God bless every last one of them), we wouldn't need seat belts, we wouldn't need child locks. It would all just magically be safe.
Banning guns will not, I repeat, will not, prevent further crime. Crime will, in fact, increase. If you want to ban them, and I respectfully disagree with that idea, the tell the truth about it. You don't like guns, they scare you and you don't want to be around them. Otherwise, the rest of your arguments are usually bollocks and easily dismissed with about 10 minutes of research.
Ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Accuracy
Alright, we're going to move away somewhat from pure concealment topics and talk about training a little bit.
When I got to the range, I'm not looking to key hole the target at 25 yards, I believe I've made that clear in the past. What I'm looking to do it put a round on paper at a reasonable distance, maybe 7 yards at the most. I don't stage the trigger and really sight in with my carry gun either, I just, basically, point and shoot. The reason being is I won't have time in an engagement to really get a bead on the target. I'll have to "shoot from the hip" as it were. So I try to practice in as loose a manner as possible. The less I have to remember and work on; the less I'll forget should the unfortunate event ever befall me.
You see, when your adrenaline gets running, you lose fine motor skills, so really careful aim is right out. Your accuracy will decrease by about 100% (not scientific, just my guess) when the poop really hits the fan. So if all you practice is slow methodical sighting, staging, squeeze the trigger, etc... you're in for a serious awakening when you're under stress.
Remember, there are hundreds of reports of shoot outs with police where dozens of shots were fired at distance of 15 feet and less where no one was injured at all. And these are trained professionals.
I'm not telling you not to train to be accurate, I think you should. I'm also not telling you not to have proper form when your practicing, you should. In times of stress you will revert to the highest level of training you've mastered...and I mean mastered, it has to be second nature.
You want an example, don't you? Alright... Let's say someone yells "Look out!" and you see some runaway car coming towards you. Well, you're gonna bolt out of the way, right? Right. You aren't going to do some ninja back handspring with a twist to get out of the way, you're gonna run... because that's what you know how to do best.
Practice, practice, practice... Get to where you can hit center mass every time in, I would say, an 8 inch circle on a target. That way, if you're accuracy goes to poop, you'll still be hitting something fleshy regardless of whether it's the shoulder, the leg, neck, bladder (especially nasty wound), etc. Also, practice off-hand, one-hand, and if you can, practice while drawing as well.
All of those things can be useful in a fight, not that we want one. By the same token, I don't want to be in a car wreck, but I have insurance...just in case.
When I got to the range, I'm not looking to key hole the target at 25 yards, I believe I've made that clear in the past. What I'm looking to do it put a round on paper at a reasonable distance, maybe 7 yards at the most. I don't stage the trigger and really sight in with my carry gun either, I just, basically, point and shoot. The reason being is I won't have time in an engagement to really get a bead on the target. I'll have to "shoot from the hip" as it were. So I try to practice in as loose a manner as possible. The less I have to remember and work on; the less I'll forget should the unfortunate event ever befall me.
You see, when your adrenaline gets running, you lose fine motor skills, so really careful aim is right out. Your accuracy will decrease by about 100% (not scientific, just my guess) when the poop really hits the fan. So if all you practice is slow methodical sighting, staging, squeeze the trigger, etc... you're in for a serious awakening when you're under stress.
Remember, there are hundreds of reports of shoot outs with police where dozens of shots were fired at distance of 15 feet and less where no one was injured at all. And these are trained professionals.
I'm not telling you not to train to be accurate, I think you should. I'm also not telling you not to have proper form when your practicing, you should. In times of stress you will revert to the highest level of training you've mastered...and I mean mastered, it has to be second nature.
You want an example, don't you? Alright... Let's say someone yells "Look out!" and you see some runaway car coming towards you. Well, you're gonna bolt out of the way, right? Right. You aren't going to do some ninja back handspring with a twist to get out of the way, you're gonna run... because that's what you know how to do best.
Practice, practice, practice... Get to where you can hit center mass every time in, I would say, an 8 inch circle on a target. That way, if you're accuracy goes to poop, you'll still be hitting something fleshy regardless of whether it's the shoulder, the leg, neck, bladder (especially nasty wound), etc. Also, practice off-hand, one-hand, and if you can, practice while drawing as well.
All of those things can be useful in a fight, not that we want one. By the same token, I don't want to be in a car wreck, but I have insurance...just in case.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Failure to Feeds...aka Limp Wristing
If you’re an inexperienced shooter, or a experienced shooter who has ever had a gun fail to feed and someone told you that it was because you may have been “limp wristing” the weapon and wondered what in the heck that had to do with anything… I’m here to explain what that had to do with anything.
This is a fairly visual and scientific explanation, but I’ll do the best I can.
When you pull the trigger on a pistol the firing pin hits the primer in the round of ammunition. The primer ignites and causes the powder in the round to explode causing the bullet to be propelled forward due to the pressure of the expanding gasses.
The recoil is the force of the explosion in the equal and opposite direction of the propulsion of the projectile. This recoil is required to push the slide backwards causing the round to reach the terminus of its travel, be expelled by the extractor pin. The next round in the magazine is then pushed upwards by the spring behind the magazine follower. The slide rebounds due to the guide rod spring; the round is then captured by the slide and pushed forward in to the barrel.
If there isn’t enough propulsion from the expansion of the gasses, the slide may not make the complete circuit, then the next round of ammunition may not have the room to completely extend in to the receiver, thus causing a failure to feed.
At the same time, if you “limp wrist”, as opposed to holding a firm grasp on the weapon, your wrist may act as a shock absorber and rob the pistol of some of its energy thus causing the slide not to extend all the way to the far back position.
So, if you have failure to feeds, don’t check the ammo or the magazine first, check your grip… that could easily be the cause.
This is a fairly visual and scientific explanation, but I’ll do the best I can.
When you pull the trigger on a pistol the firing pin hits the primer in the round of ammunition. The primer ignites and causes the powder in the round to explode causing the bullet to be propelled forward due to the pressure of the expanding gasses.
The recoil is the force of the explosion in the equal and opposite direction of the propulsion of the projectile. This recoil is required to push the slide backwards causing the round to reach the terminus of its travel, be expelled by the extractor pin. The next round in the magazine is then pushed upwards by the spring behind the magazine follower. The slide rebounds due to the guide rod spring; the round is then captured by the slide and pushed forward in to the barrel.
If there isn’t enough propulsion from the expansion of the gasses, the slide may not make the complete circuit, then the next round of ammunition may not have the room to completely extend in to the receiver, thus causing a failure to feed.
At the same time, if you “limp wrist”, as opposed to holding a firm grasp on the weapon, your wrist may act as a shock absorber and rob the pistol of some of its energy thus causing the slide not to extend all the way to the far back position.
So, if you have failure to feeds, don’t check the ammo or the magazine first, check your grip… that could easily be the cause.
The venerable 1911
Well, we've talked about the wanna-be's when it comes to semi-auto pistols, so we might as well talk about the one that started it all. The venerable and most excellent, not to mention longest standing production firearm...well, ever.
Not only is it functional, I think it's pretty to look at.
However, pretty isn't a requirement for CCW, let's talk about this in serious terms.
The 1911 is a single action, semi-automatic, hammered pistol. It is usually chambered in .45 acp. In it's "mil spec" format it carries 7 in the magazine and one in the chamber.
It has, as part of it's design, two safety mechanisms. One is a manual safety which can only be actuated when the hammer has been moved fully to the rearward position, and a grip safety. The grip safety is actuated when you actually grasp the firearm itself. If you were to pull the hammer back and then pick the gun up by the trigger (Don't do that... I'm just saying) it would not fire. The grip safety has to have pressure applied to it before it allows the mechanisms to do their thing.
Because it is single action only, one must have the hammer fully moved to the rearward position before it will fire the first round. After that, you're good to go.
Now, the interesting thing about how you carry this is that there are 3 positions in which it can be carried. I forget the order, so bear with me on this one, and if it's in the wrong order...I don't care, the info is correct.
Condition 1: Hammer is down, safety is disengaged.
Condition 2: Hammer is back, safety is engaged.
Condition 3: Hammer is back, safety is disengaged.
The most practical carry method is cocked and locked (hammer back, no safety). The gun isn't going to go off without someone grasping the grip and pulling the trigger, so that's how it is mainly carried by those who carry it.
The ergonomics of this gun are the best in the world, period. There's not but 14 shooters in the world who won't agree with that statement. It really is a well designed pistol. It's comfortable, has a good grip radius, and just feels good in the hand.
While it shoots one of the biggest rounds out there, there's not much in the way of recoil. The gun, on average, weighs two pounds unloaded. It doesn't feel that heavy in hand, it feels substantial, but not heavy. That weight soaks up alot of the recoil as does the fact that the recoil spring is about 3.5 inches long.
I've owned one before (and I will again...) and it is very accurate and very reliable. It does have a problem with feeding if you limp wrist it (I'll talk about that in another post) and certain models don't like certain ammo, but otherwise, she cycles like she's supposed to.
I have put a double tap on to a Starbucks "Double Shot" (no pun intended) can at 15 feet before from a low ready stance, in about 1.5 seconds. I'm not that great of a shot, but that's impressive, I don't care who you are.
The only downside about this weapon is the size and weight. The barrel is anywhere from 3.5 to 5 inches long. Add another 2.5 inches for the extraction port and upper receiver and you have a long pistol. The width is nice an lean, but that barrel makes it a little unwieldy in a CCW application. However, if you can make it work, you'd be hard pressed to find a better option out there. They aren't cheap, good ones anyway, and after market upgrades are plentiful, so you can shell out some money on one of them, but it would serve you well.
Glock 26 - Review
I guess, if I'm going to have any credibility with concealed carry people all around the globe, I'm gonna need to review the Glock 26.
This seems to be, kind of, the gold standard for concealed carry by a lot of people.
There is no more reliable firearm on the planet. It is flawlessly designed and impeccably executed. It shoots like a champ as well.
Here's the low down on this tank of a pistol.
Design: It's a no nonsense, utilitarian design. There's no extraneous parts or gadgets. There are no external safety levers. The grip on the G26 is short due to it being a sub-compact. It's basically a 2 finger grip. You can get an extension for the magazine which adds 2 rounds of capacity and a little more room on the grip. All in all a good feeling pistol in hand.
Function: This is a striker fired, semi-automatic, single action pistol. You must chamber a round by actuating the slide in order to "prime" the striker. After that, you pull the trigger... it goes bang.
Reliability: The single most reliable handgun on the planet, period. There are examples of G26s out there with 100,000 round through it and it's still going strong. Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to say that this gun will last, literally, forever.
Shooting impressions: This is a shooter's gun. If you enjoy trigger time, you'll like this gun. It's accurate, has almost no appreciable recoil, and will eat any ammo you put in it, period.
So, on paper this is a great gun, heck, in reality it's a great gun.
I however, contrary to all the good things it has going for it, would probably not carry it.
Simply put this thing is a solid brick of steel. It isn't necessarily heavy, but it is bulky. Unless you're willing to shell out some serious money on a serious holster and carry system this thing may be a wee uncomfortable, or at least unconcealable.
Now, there are guys out there that carry them religiously, but they change their entire manner of dress to accomodate the pistol. I'm all for a little bit of adaptation, but I'm not going to wear a shooting vest at all times just so I can carry a weapon.
All of that being said, if you had the money (although they aren't terribly expensive) you could do a heck of a lot worse than picking up this or it's middle sibling the Glock 19. It's a lot of gun for a very reasonable price and you won't be disappointed in the value it gives you.
Just consider how you're going to carry it before you lay down the cash.
This seems to be, kind of, the gold standard for concealed carry by a lot of people.
There is no more reliable firearm on the planet. It is flawlessly designed and impeccably executed. It shoots like a champ as well.
Here's the low down on this tank of a pistol.
Design: It's a no nonsense, utilitarian design. There's no extraneous parts or gadgets. There are no external safety levers. The grip on the G26 is short due to it being a sub-compact. It's basically a 2 finger grip. You can get an extension for the magazine which adds 2 rounds of capacity and a little more room on the grip. All in all a good feeling pistol in hand.
Function: This is a striker fired, semi-automatic, single action pistol. You must chamber a round by actuating the slide in order to "prime" the striker. After that, you pull the trigger... it goes bang.
Reliability: The single most reliable handgun on the planet, period. There are examples of G26s out there with 100,000 round through it and it's still going strong. Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to say that this gun will last, literally, forever.
Shooting impressions: This is a shooter's gun. If you enjoy trigger time, you'll like this gun. It's accurate, has almost no appreciable recoil, and will eat any ammo you put in it, period.
So, on paper this is a great gun, heck, in reality it's a great gun.
I however, contrary to all the good things it has going for it, would probably not carry it.
Simply put this thing is a solid brick of steel. It isn't necessarily heavy, but it is bulky. Unless you're willing to shell out some serious money on a serious holster and carry system this thing may be a wee uncomfortable, or at least unconcealable.
Now, there are guys out there that carry them religiously, but they change their entire manner of dress to accomodate the pistol. I'm all for a little bit of adaptation, but I'm not going to wear a shooting vest at all times just so I can carry a weapon.
All of that being said, if you had the money (although they aren't terribly expensive) you could do a heck of a lot worse than picking up this or it's middle sibling the Glock 19. It's a lot of gun for a very reasonable price and you won't be disappointed in the value it gives you.
Just consider how you're going to carry it before you lay down the cash.
Info by Caliber and some other data points
I decided to lay this out there for anyone who is interested.
I've compiled (not a difficult task, just go to wikipedia) a listing of the speed and initial impact force (theoretical, based on F=MA) of the most popular handgun calibers out there for concealed carry.
Caliber Ft/s MPH Sonic Ft/Lbs
0.25 900 614 Sub 63
0.22 1080 736 Sub 104
0.32 925 631 Sub 123
0.380 1000 682 Sub 200
0.38 980 668 Sub 235
0.45 1060 723 Sub 412
9mm 1300 886 Super 420
0.40 1190 811 Super 424
0.357 1600 1091 Super 710
The "most" important number on this list is the "Ft/Lbs" of force at the end. That means how hard does this thing hits. I say this is a theortical number, basically because in the real world if you were hit with 710 lbs of force, for instance, you'd explode. Basically, take a 710lb weight, and drop in on your chest from a height of 1 foot... yeah, ouch time.
For those people who say that a .40 cal is world's better than a 9mm... check the numbers, you'd be wrong. It's a little better, but not much. The .45 is on par with the 9mm and .40, but it's a much larger round, so there's more hole produced, so, bigger wound.
However, as I have stated, the .357 magnum is the ultimate in hand gun calibers.
Just a little info for you so you can determine which caliber you'd like to start looking at.
I've compiled (not a difficult task, just go to wikipedia) a listing of the speed and initial impact force (theoretical, based on F=MA) of the most popular handgun calibers out there for concealed carry.
Caliber Ft/s MPH Sonic Ft/Lbs
0.25 900 614 Sub 63
0.22 1080 736 Sub 104
0.32 925 631 Sub 123
0.380 1000 682 Sub 200
0.38 980 668 Sub 235
0.45 1060 723 Sub 412
9mm 1300 886 Super 420
0.40 1190 811 Super 424
0.357 1600 1091 Super 710
The "most" important number on this list is the "Ft/Lbs" of force at the end. That means how hard does this thing hits. I say this is a theortical number, basically because in the real world if you were hit with 710 lbs of force, for instance, you'd explode. Basically, take a 710lb weight, and drop in on your chest from a height of 1 foot... yeah, ouch time.
For those people who say that a .40 cal is world's better than a 9mm... check the numbers, you'd be wrong. It's a little better, but not much. The .45 is on par with the 9mm and .40, but it's a much larger round, so there's more hole produced, so, bigger wound.
However, as I have stated, the .357 magnum is the ultimate in hand gun calibers.
Just a little info for you so you can determine which caliber you'd like to start looking at.
An interesting point on Self-Defense ammo
A friend of mine was told, or I should say warned, in his CCW class that the kind of ammo you buy could make a difference in your trial should, Heaven forbid, you get involved in a tangle.
Oh, you didn't think you'd go to court? Yeah, guess again. Depending on where you live, it could be a mandate that there's a trial whenever there's a shooting. Where I live, the police department will choose whether to press charges or not, however, that's just where I live.
Back to the point...
The instructor of the class made the statement that a prosecuting attorney could and probably will ask you what type of training you've had, what kind of weapon you carry, and what kind of ammunition you have in it.
If you are a once-in-a-while range goer; and you took the requisite class and passed it for your license, while at the same time carrying standard off the shelf, nothing special ammunition, you won't "look" so much like a person who was hoping to have to defend yourself.
However, if you're at the range every week; you take tactical clinics several times a year and you carry the newest and messiest personal defense ammo from Hornady "Now with 1000% more brain smushing power"... guess what; you could be made to look like someone who was hoping to get in to a fight just so you could use all these tools and training.
Remember, the appearance of impropriety is enough to convict in some cases.
There's the "Hope versus Wish" philosophy in self-defense. Me, I'm of the "I hope nothing ever happens, I hope I never have to defend myself, I hope my bullets rust in the magazine before I'd ever have to draw it".
Then there's the "I wish someone would step up to me" mentality. If you are of that mind-set, please, do us all a favor and sell your guns right now. We don't want you around, nor are you a responsible gun owner. You will make the rest of us look bad and we don't want that.
I'm not saying don't carry, I'm not saying don't practice. I'm saying that there are about a million things that one must think about before starting down this road.
Oh, you didn't think you'd go to court? Yeah, guess again. Depending on where you live, it could be a mandate that there's a trial whenever there's a shooting. Where I live, the police department will choose whether to press charges or not, however, that's just where I live.
Back to the point...
The instructor of the class made the statement that a prosecuting attorney could and probably will ask you what type of training you've had, what kind of weapon you carry, and what kind of ammunition you have in it.
If you are a once-in-a-while range goer; and you took the requisite class and passed it for your license, while at the same time carrying standard off the shelf, nothing special ammunition, you won't "look" so much like a person who was hoping to have to defend yourself.
However, if you're at the range every week; you take tactical clinics several times a year and you carry the newest and messiest personal defense ammo from Hornady "Now with 1000% more brain smushing power"... guess what; you could be made to look like someone who was hoping to get in to a fight just so you could use all these tools and training.
Remember, the appearance of impropriety is enough to convict in some cases.
There's the "Hope versus Wish" philosophy in self-defense. Me, I'm of the "I hope nothing ever happens, I hope I never have to defend myself, I hope my bullets rust in the magazine before I'd ever have to draw it".
Then there's the "I wish someone would step up to me" mentality. If you are of that mind-set, please, do us all a favor and sell your guns right now. We don't want you around, nor are you a responsible gun owner. You will make the rest of us look bad and we don't want that.
I'm not saying don't carry, I'm not saying don't practice. I'm saying that there are about a million things that one must think about before starting down this road.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Kel-Tec PF9 - PDF!
I think this might be the third time that I have mentioned or outright reviewed the Kel Tec PF9, and with good reason, it's a fantastic little firearm.
Please to enjoy:
I was recently given this little gem for my Birthday, so who's luckier than me? Ok, enough grandstanding, let's get down to business. On paper, this is a fine firearm and would work in a variety of roles. Home defense, CCW (PDF), or the ever present "Truck Gun" would all be roles that this gun could fulfill and do well.
My initial impressions of the weapon were mostly favorable, I liked the size and weight and I liked the feel in the hand. The only down side was the rather sharp edges on the grip. Otherwise, the fit and finish are good, but not great, but then again, this isn't a showpiece, this is a tool.
So, obviously, after being given this little beauty, I had to take her to the range, so I did.
My shooting impression of the firearm are even better than my perception of the pistol on paper. I bought the crappiest ammo I could find, 1984 military surplus from Pakistan, and went to the range. My feelings were this; if it will feed, fire, and eject this junk, it'll do just fine with decent home grown ammo.
Well, it ate 50 rounds of Paki ammo and had not one fail to feed or fail to eject. I will admit that it did fail to stay open on an empty magazine twice, but I've had full blown 1911's do the same thing, so I'm not worried. My main concern is feeding, firing, and ejecting.
Now, where the rubber meets the road is when you pull the trigger. I was expecting the trigger to be longer and more difficult, truth be told, but it wasn't. It was easy to engage, easy to pull, super easy to stage, and all in all quite pleasant and surprisingly easy to use all around.
The weapon is accurate, although, I will admit I only had it out to about 5-6 yards, and I was just going for center mass shots, so for that purpose, it did well. It shoots a little left (that could be me as well) so I'm going to drift the rear sight to make up for that, and all should be well.
Also, I've read many places that this isn't a fun gun to shoot because it is a lightweight and it's pumping out a 9mm. I would agree and disagree with that statement. The recoil is manageable, no worries, and the report isn't that bad. There is some muzzle flash, which is more than likely due to the ammo. Otherwise, it doesn't buck nearly as bad as an airweight Smith and Wesson or my Derringer.
Where it got a little uncomfortable was the sharp points on the grip, those weren't fun. To be honest, they weren't a problem until I squeezed off a round one handed. That one hurt, but two hands, not a worry in the world.
I have doctored some of the hard edges and will probably get a sleeve grip to go over it, but it isn't really necessary, just something I'd like to do.
I carry it in a $14.00 blackhawk size 5 holster and she carries like a champ. It's very thin and light, so there's not uncomfortable or unseemly bulk around my waist. I could carry it all day long and probably not notice.
All in all, I'd have to say that this was a great choice as an everyday carry option. Will I say it's the end all be all of CCW possibilities, no. Will I say that this is a gun that anyone can handle, no.
What I will say is that if you are an experienced shooter and get this for its intended purpose, you will not be disappointed in the slightest.
That's all for now.
Please to enjoy:
I was recently given this little gem for my Birthday, so who's luckier than me? Ok, enough grandstanding, let's get down to business. On paper, this is a fine firearm and would work in a variety of roles. Home defense, CCW (PDF), or the ever present "Truck Gun" would all be roles that this gun could fulfill and do well.
My initial impressions of the weapon were mostly favorable, I liked the size and weight and I liked the feel in the hand. The only down side was the rather sharp edges on the grip. Otherwise, the fit and finish are good, but not great, but then again, this isn't a showpiece, this is a tool.
So, obviously, after being given this little beauty, I had to take her to the range, so I did.
My shooting impression of the firearm are even better than my perception of the pistol on paper. I bought the crappiest ammo I could find, 1984 military surplus from Pakistan, and went to the range. My feelings were this; if it will feed, fire, and eject this junk, it'll do just fine with decent home grown ammo.
Well, it ate 50 rounds of Paki ammo and had not one fail to feed or fail to eject. I will admit that it did fail to stay open on an empty magazine twice, but I've had full blown 1911's do the same thing, so I'm not worried. My main concern is feeding, firing, and ejecting.
Now, where the rubber meets the road is when you pull the trigger. I was expecting the trigger to be longer and more difficult, truth be told, but it wasn't. It was easy to engage, easy to pull, super easy to stage, and all in all quite pleasant and surprisingly easy to use all around.
The weapon is accurate, although, I will admit I only had it out to about 5-6 yards, and I was just going for center mass shots, so for that purpose, it did well. It shoots a little left (that could be me as well) so I'm going to drift the rear sight to make up for that, and all should be well.
Also, I've read many places that this isn't a fun gun to shoot because it is a lightweight and it's pumping out a 9mm. I would agree and disagree with that statement. The recoil is manageable, no worries, and the report isn't that bad. There is some muzzle flash, which is more than likely due to the ammo. Otherwise, it doesn't buck nearly as bad as an airweight Smith and Wesson or my Derringer.
Where it got a little uncomfortable was the sharp points on the grip, those weren't fun. To be honest, they weren't a problem until I squeezed off a round one handed. That one hurt, but two hands, not a worry in the world.
I have doctored some of the hard edges and will probably get a sleeve grip to go over it, but it isn't really necessary, just something I'd like to do.
I carry it in a $14.00 blackhawk size 5 holster and she carries like a champ. It's very thin and light, so there's not uncomfortable or unseemly bulk around my waist. I could carry it all day long and probably not notice.
All in all, I'd have to say that this was a great choice as an everyday carry option. Will I say it's the end all be all of CCW possibilities, no. Will I say that this is a gun that anyone can handle, no.
What I will say is that if you are an experienced shooter and get this for its intended purpose, you will not be disappointed in the slightest.
That's all for now.
Friday, September 3, 2010
to .380 or not to .380
And this is a pretty serious question. Actually, every question or idea I've posted on this blog are serious questions, simply because one day (and let's all pray that day never comes) you could be betting your life or the life of a loved one on the choices you've made.
I've gone over calibers and personal choice on which firearm to carry. Every decision is a trade off. You want a small concealable gun, you're going to give up caliber. If you don't give up caliber, you give up comfort and magazine capacity. Trade offs, that's the name of the game.
After doing, what I would consider to be extensive, research, I've settled on the determination that for true concealed carry the .380 is probably the best choice for me. Here's why I say this:
To be of any use to you whatsoever, you have to actually carry your PDF, right? Right. I mean, it's no good to you at home should the poop hit the fan.
So, that means, for me at least, that the firearm in question needs to be small enough to conceal completely but at the same time not get lost in my pocket, etc.
I have that Beretta .25, and I like it, I carry it in a pocket holster on in the waist band pretty consistently. However, and this is just a fact of life, despite what I've said about a .25s power (which admittedly isn't much, but better than nothing) I'd like to step up a couple notches.
I am pretty sure I don't want to carry, ok, I KNOW I don't want to carry a Glock 26, or something of that size. I just wouldn't like it and I wouldn't carry it all that often thus defeating the purpose. I'd love to have one, but I wouldn't carry it.
The .380 sits right in that wheel house of comfortable to carry, easy to shoot, and effective.
Now, there has been an explosion of popularity in the .380 recently, but I've been a fan of the .380 for about 10 years. When I went to my first range and shot my first gun, it was a Bersa .380 and I was in love from the beginning.
If you'll check my reviews of the Bersa and the TCP you'll find that I'm a big proponent of this caliber and the pistols that can be made to fit this round.
So, the question becomes, should you vote for a .380 for your PDF. I'd say yes.
You have a good sized projectile going at a pretty good rate when it comes out of the barrel. It hits, on average, with 200 ft/lbs of force when it hits. Here's how to consider that. Drop a 200 lb weight from a distance of one foot on to your chest, yeah, that's gonna put a hurting on someone..
You tend to get decent round count, 6 or more, and they are usually in slim, lightweight, easy to conceal and manage frames.
Some people will say that you need a minimum of 10 rounds plus an extra magazine, etc, etc. I disagree completely. If I need to shoot more than twice then some very bad things are going on. The main problem is that I'm not hitting my target, the next problem is that I'm way outnumbered... and besides, you can't miss enough to stop and engagement.
So, I'd go with a nice, easy to conceal .380 every day of the week.
Y'all be safe out there.
I've gone over calibers and personal choice on which firearm to carry. Every decision is a trade off. You want a small concealable gun, you're going to give up caliber. If you don't give up caliber, you give up comfort and magazine capacity. Trade offs, that's the name of the game.
After doing, what I would consider to be extensive, research, I've settled on the determination that for true concealed carry the .380 is probably the best choice for me. Here's why I say this:
To be of any use to you whatsoever, you have to actually carry your PDF, right? Right. I mean, it's no good to you at home should the poop hit the fan.
So, that means, for me at least, that the firearm in question needs to be small enough to conceal completely but at the same time not get lost in my pocket, etc.
I have that Beretta .25, and I like it, I carry it in a pocket holster on in the waist band pretty consistently. However, and this is just a fact of life, despite what I've said about a .25s power (which admittedly isn't much, but better than nothing) I'd like to step up a couple notches.
I am pretty sure I don't want to carry, ok, I KNOW I don't want to carry a Glock 26, or something of that size. I just wouldn't like it and I wouldn't carry it all that often thus defeating the purpose. I'd love to have one, but I wouldn't carry it.
The .380 sits right in that wheel house of comfortable to carry, easy to shoot, and effective.
Now, there has been an explosion of popularity in the .380 recently, but I've been a fan of the .380 for about 10 years. When I went to my first range and shot my first gun, it was a Bersa .380 and I was in love from the beginning.
If you'll check my reviews of the Bersa and the TCP you'll find that I'm a big proponent of this caliber and the pistols that can be made to fit this round.
So, the question becomes, should you vote for a .380 for your PDF. I'd say yes.
You have a good sized projectile going at a pretty good rate when it comes out of the barrel. It hits, on average, with 200 ft/lbs of force when it hits. Here's how to consider that. Drop a 200 lb weight from a distance of one foot on to your chest, yeah, that's gonna put a hurting on someone..
You tend to get decent round count, 6 or more, and they are usually in slim, lightweight, easy to conceal and manage frames.
Some people will say that you need a minimum of 10 rounds plus an extra magazine, etc, etc. I disagree completely. If I need to shoot more than twice then some very bad things are going on. The main problem is that I'm not hitting my target, the next problem is that I'm way outnumbered... and besides, you can't miss enough to stop and engagement.
So, I'd go with a nice, easy to conceal .380 every day of the week.
Y'all be safe out there.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Taurus TCP 738 - .380acp
Hey guys, I'm coming back at ya with another firearm review.
This one is on the Taurus TCP (Taurus Compact Pistol) in .380 acp.
I'll admit that I haven't shot this gun yet and as soon as I do I will have more to say on the subject...however, this is a first impressions review.
The TCP is comparable to the Ruger LCP or Kel-tec P3AT, as in it is a compact, extremely lightweight concealed carry pistol. Here's what it looks like.
Now, most pocket pistols are small and compact, etc, etc, but this one feels a little more substantial in the hand, which is nice, and it has a nice deep grip, so it fills your hand nicely. Of course the grip is abbreviated, but not so much as to be an issue.
The TCP is, of course, dual action only, so there's no external safety, which is nice. That makes for a much slimmer design. Also, this model has a slide stop, so the gun fails open on an empty chamber.
The trigger pull on most pocket pistols is horrible, just plain old terrible. The TCP has a very smooth, light pull (about 4 lbs), with a reasonable travel length. This is in stark contrast to the LCP, for instance, which has such a long pull that you aren't even sure if the gun will go off at all.
All in all, I give this an initially favorable review. I'll let you know more once I've put some rounds down range.
This one is on the Taurus TCP (Taurus Compact Pistol) in .380 acp.
I'll admit that I haven't shot this gun yet and as soon as I do I will have more to say on the subject...however, this is a first impressions review.
The TCP is comparable to the Ruger LCP or Kel-tec P3AT, as in it is a compact, extremely lightweight concealed carry pistol. Here's what it looks like.
Now, most pocket pistols are small and compact, etc, etc, but this one feels a little more substantial in the hand, which is nice, and it has a nice deep grip, so it fills your hand nicely. Of course the grip is abbreviated, but not so much as to be an issue.
The TCP is, of course, dual action only, so there's no external safety, which is nice. That makes for a much slimmer design. Also, this model has a slide stop, so the gun fails open on an empty chamber.
The trigger pull on most pocket pistols is horrible, just plain old terrible. The TCP has a very smooth, light pull (about 4 lbs), with a reasonable travel length. This is in stark contrast to the LCP, for instance, which has such a long pull that you aren't even sure if the gun will go off at all.
All in all, I give this an initially favorable review. I'll let you know more once I've put some rounds down range.
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