As a civilian, it is very important to be able to identify a threat before you engage your target. The majority of civilian defensive conditions occur in low-light or night time settings, so having some sort of illumination device handy is important.
Night sights and lasers can both be great additions to a defensive sidearm. Night sights contain a small amount of a substance called Tritium in them, which glows in the dark. That allows you to obtain proper sight alignment, even in the dark. Another added side effect is that if you have them on your nightstand gun, you can use them as a reference point in the middle of the night to know where the pistol is, without the need to fumble around blindly. The main downside is cost, but usually for $100-150 you can get a set installed on your pistol, and they also make rifle front sight posts and shotgun beads with tritium. The other downside is that they don't last forever. Tritium has a relatively short half-life, and so the sights dim over time, and need replaced after 10 or 15 years or so.
Lasers can also have definite advantages for defensive use. They make a very visible aiming point on your target, and you don't really need to worry about sights. In target range practice, you should work on mastering aiming with sights before you rely on the laser, but, in at the average ranges in a defense scenario, a laser is a definite advantage. They also have their downsides. They are more expensive than night sights, and run off batteries, which can fail when you need them most (which is why you should know how to use your iron sights too). Also, due to the trajectory at which a bullet travels after it leaves the barrel, which is some variation of a parabolic arch, the laser is only truly on target at a set distance. Aside from that set distance, some sort of Kentucky windage is needed.
Now that I have covered some basics on those sighting aids, back to illumination sources. You have two main options, a weapon-mounted light (WML), or a handheld flashlight, both have advantages and disadvantages, which I will cover. I am not going to attempt to convey proper methods for using/holding flashlights in this post, that is something best covered in actual training.
The handheld flashlight is the simpler of the two. Some traits that you want to look for if you are going to buy a flashlight for defensive use are a momentary switch, something durable, with a long battery life. Surefire, Streamlight and Fenix all make suitable flashlights. You want something small and light enough to carry and conceal, but not so small that it isn't bright enough to use. For reference, I often carry a Surefire 6P LED, or a G2. I prefer flashlights with tail end on/off switches, I find them easier to manipulate properly. I like them to have a temporary on/off, and as well as a constant on/off capability. That way I can use light sparingly if needed, or leave it on without my hand cramping up from holding it too long. The main disadvantage of a handheld light is that you need to modify your grip on whatever firearm you are using, be it a handgun or a long-gun. It is also one more thing that you need to carry and control. But it can also serve as an improvised weapon in your off-hand, for using hammer-fist strikes or a similar technique at close range. Also, with the brightness of modern hand held flashlights, you can use them to temporarily blind/disorient the threat.
WML's seem to be more en vogue these days, sticking with the current "tacti-cool" craze in the firearms industry. The advantage to them is that they let you keep both hands on your firearm for a more solid grip, if they are set up properly, you don't even need to modify your grip. And it keeps everything contained in one package, there is nothing additional you need to grab. One downside is that if you mount a WML on a pistol, it adds bulk and weight onto the sidearm. If you are carrying the pistol concealed, that is a big consideration. Make sure that you function test your sidearm with the light on, it order to make sure that it operates properly with the different balance and weight distribution. You also need to get a specially made holster in order to fit the combo, because you aren't going to have time to put the light on the gun in a lethal situation. This adds cost, as well as makes concealment more difficult. For long-guns, WML's make more sense to me, mounted far forward to reduce barrel shadow, and in a position where I can either operate the tail switch with my forward hand, or with a pressure switch running back to where my hand normally is, or both. Pressure switches can be great, but they can fail, the wiring can go bad, and they have a higher likelihood of getting bumped accidentally when you don't want them to. However, either on a pistol or long-gun, you need to make sure you buy a quality light that is capable of absorbing repeated recoil without damaging the bulb and internals. This is especially true for a light you are going to mount on a gun with a high amount of recoil, like a 12 gauge shotgun.
But, the major difference between the two, and biggest disadvantage of the WML is this: you have to point your gun at something in order to illuminate it. If that thing is a threat, then that is okay. But if that thing isn't a threat, then it is a major issue to muzzle someone or something with a loaded firearm. A cardinal rule of gun safety is "don't point the gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy." And if you are searching into dark corners with a WML, you are almost certainly violating that rule. A handheld light can be used independently of the firearm, you can scan the whole area while keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction. You can illuminate an area in a non-threat scenario, without pulling out your sidearm. Or by using proper technique, you can use a handheld light to illuminate the area your muzzle is pointing.
I do believe that both systems can serve an important role, but you need to be cognizant of which one is proper for your situation. When I am out and about, I usually have some sort of handheld light on my person, and use it fairly often for simply illuminating something. But, at home, my defensive long-guns have WML's on them, which I have trained to use during my time in the Marines, but I also keep a handheld light handy, and which one I will use depends on the situation.
Being able to identify your target, and also being able to control your muzzle are both very important in a high stress threat situation. I think that having some sort of light source handy, at least during low-light or night time is a good idea, for more reasons than just defensive use. I hope this has been informative, as always, if anyone has questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Shoot straight.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Why Do I Need Extra Ammo?
I hear this question on occasion from students: "Why do I need to carry spare ammo? I'm a great shot, and I don't go to bad parts of town, that just seems like too much trouble." So, in this post I am going to try to shed some light on why I believe it is prudent to carry spare ammunition for your defensive sidearm.
The first reason is that you really do not want to run out of ammunition in a gun fight. That is one of the worst things that can happen. If you are already developing a defensive mindset, and becoming aware of your surroundings, and carrying a pistol for defense, concealing an extra magazine or two really isn't any harder. Especially if you are carrying a snub nosed revolver, or a sub-compact semi-auto that has a capacity of 6 or more, this applies. You may be able to put all of your shots in the 10 ring at a static range, and that shows you have the fundamentals of shooting down very well. But life gets a lot different when there is someone shooting at you, with bullets cracking over your head, and your body gives you a massive dose of adrenaline and other chemicals into your blood stream. You get tunnel vision, you lose fine motor skills, you focus on odd aspects of what is going on, your heart-rate increases, you get out of breath easily. You should be moving, and your target is likely moving. That makes it significantly harder to be able to put your bullets where you want them. Additionally, you don't know how many threats you may face, it could be a sole attacker, but criminals rarely work alone. And there is no guarantee that one or two rounds will stop each threat, and you should shoot until the threat is stopped.
This is one of the reasons that you should push yourself in training, and take yourself out of your comfort zone. If your range lets you practice draws, shooting on the move, magazine reloads and malfunction drills, take advantage of that. Don't just stay static on the range and punch holes in paper. That way you can learn how to do complex things while under stress.
So, maybe you have a high-capacity semi-automatic handgun you carry, and you read that last paragraph thinking "If 17 rounds doesn't get me out of the situation, nothing will." Well, that is your opinion, however, with any box-magazine fed gun, the magazine is usually the weakest link in the cycle of operation. Magazines are mechanical and work based on springs, which means they can fail. And with a non-working magazine, your semi-automatic just turned into a single-shot pistol. The majority of malfunctions in a semi-automatic are magazine related. Or what if your magazine release latch somehow got pushed in during all the stress, and your magazine goes flying onto the deck? It is a lot easier to grab a new magazine from your waistline than scrambling in the mud for it. Or if the base-plate got knocked off of your magazine while grappling on the ground, and the spring, follower and bullets are now in the mud too? If for some reason your magazine or ammunition has failed, often the best solution is to replace it. So, having a spare magazine or two to reload with is an excellent idea.
So, maybe after that paragraph, you are thinking "I carry a revolver, so that doesn't apply to me!" In which case, refer back to the earlier paragraph, because you probably have a 5-6 round capacity. If you are in the revolver category, it is probably also a good idea to carry your spare rounds in some sort of device made to hold them. There are speed loaders, speed strips, and moon clips, and you need to find what works best for you, but all of them make the loading process much faster and easier. You don't want to be fumbling around in your pocket for loose rounds while you are reloading in a threat situation. For a revolver spare ammo is usually carried on the strong side, in order to facilitate a proper reload, as was taught to the military and police for decades.
For semi-automatic carriers, usually just taking a magazine and throwing it in your pocket is not ideal. The reason for that is that it means the magazine will not be in a consistent position when you grab it. Having your magazines in a consistent position will help make your reloads a lot faster. That way you can build solid muscle memory and know what your body needs to do in order to reload quickly. So, your magazines should be in a magazine carrier, preferably on your weak side, to facilitate a smooth reload. I usually buy double magazine pouches, and carry two spare magazines. That is a personal choice, and I decide if I am going to conceal one magazine, I can conceal two. But there are single magazine carriers available. An additional advantage of having the spare magazines on the weak side of the waistline is that it helps balance out the weight I am carrying, and actually makes it more comfortable for me to carry a full sized pistol. With just the pistol on my belt in a holster, after half a day or so, sometimes it gets uncomfortable, with the magazines opposite the pistol, I don't notice the weight all day.
I believe it is prudent for someone who takes defense seriously to carry at least one reload for their firearm. I don't think that as a civilian I need to carry the hundreds of rounds that I used to carry as a Marine infantryman in combat zones, however, a spare magazine or two still makes a lot of sense. If you have any comments or questions about this, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.
EDIT: As a response to a comment below, questioning the viability of situations that would require more than 8 rounds, here is an addendum:
Steve,
Thank you for taking the time to read and respond.
Maybe it isn't the far fetched scenario of having to stare down 9 guys like Snake. Maybe it is one guy that is high on some strong drugs, like PCP, or a determined attacker.
The man who was supposedly on bath salts and eating another man's face was shot 4 times before the threat ended. And since a police officer shot him, it is fairly safe to assume it was with a service caliber weapon and modern hollowpoint ammo.
In the 1986 Miami FBI shootout, one suspect was shot 6 times, the other 12. That event is what prompted the FBI to go to more powerful, higher capacity pistols than the .38 revolvers most of their agents carried.
David Brown Jr, in Dallas Texas, killed one police officer and a bystander, before he was shot 9 times and killed by another officer. He was high on PCP. Once again, multiple rounds from a service caliber and defensive ammo.
I am aware that all of those examples are police shootings, and maybe you think they don't apply because of it. But, for information about performance of modern defensive ammo, that is one of the best sources. But one, or two determined attackers, or attackers high on something that makes them feel no pain, can easily take multiple shots before the threat is over.
Shot placement is key, but it is very hard to put a shot in the right place while moving away from the threat and towards cover, and with all that physiological stuff I mentioned before going on. The areas of the human body that need to be shot for instant incapacitation are rather small.
Some states do have a duty to retreat, and those requirements differ from state to state. And since I am not a lawyer and can not give legal advice, I am not going to comment on what the law may or may not say. Lethal threat scenarios are too dynamic and fluid to make a judgement call on something like that unless you have all the information.
But, I think that assuming the 6,7,8, rounds in your pistol is enough may be wishful thinking with the behavior some drugged up criminals exhibit.
I do agree that other sorts of training are very valuable as well. As a trainer, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my own skills. "If the only tool you have is a hammer, pretty soon everything starts to look like a nail" applies here. Beyond all the firearms disciplines, firearms retention, open hand skills, defensive knife skills, and improvised weapon skills are all excellent additions. And of course, developing an acute defensive mindset is the more important defensive training of all.
Thank you for your response. If you like what you read in my blog, feel free to share it with your friends. Hopefully this helped clear up any issues you had. Take care.
The first reason is that you really do not want to run out of ammunition in a gun fight. That is one of the worst things that can happen. If you are already developing a defensive mindset, and becoming aware of your surroundings, and carrying a pistol for defense, concealing an extra magazine or two really isn't any harder. Especially if you are carrying a snub nosed revolver, or a sub-compact semi-auto that has a capacity of 6 or more, this applies. You may be able to put all of your shots in the 10 ring at a static range, and that shows you have the fundamentals of shooting down very well. But life gets a lot different when there is someone shooting at you, with bullets cracking over your head, and your body gives you a massive dose of adrenaline and other chemicals into your blood stream. You get tunnel vision, you lose fine motor skills, you focus on odd aspects of what is going on, your heart-rate increases, you get out of breath easily. You should be moving, and your target is likely moving. That makes it significantly harder to be able to put your bullets where you want them. Additionally, you don't know how many threats you may face, it could be a sole attacker, but criminals rarely work alone. And there is no guarantee that one or two rounds will stop each threat, and you should shoot until the threat is stopped.
This is one of the reasons that you should push yourself in training, and take yourself out of your comfort zone. If your range lets you practice draws, shooting on the move, magazine reloads and malfunction drills, take advantage of that. Don't just stay static on the range and punch holes in paper. That way you can learn how to do complex things while under stress.
So, maybe you have a high-capacity semi-automatic handgun you carry, and you read that last paragraph thinking "If 17 rounds doesn't get me out of the situation, nothing will." Well, that is your opinion, however, with any box-magazine fed gun, the magazine is usually the weakest link in the cycle of operation. Magazines are mechanical and work based on springs, which means they can fail. And with a non-working magazine, your semi-automatic just turned into a single-shot pistol. The majority of malfunctions in a semi-automatic are magazine related. Or what if your magazine release latch somehow got pushed in during all the stress, and your magazine goes flying onto the deck? It is a lot easier to grab a new magazine from your waistline than scrambling in the mud for it. Or if the base-plate got knocked off of your magazine while grappling on the ground, and the spring, follower and bullets are now in the mud too? If for some reason your magazine or ammunition has failed, often the best solution is to replace it. So, having a spare magazine or two to reload with is an excellent idea.
So, maybe after that paragraph, you are thinking "I carry a revolver, so that doesn't apply to me!" In which case, refer back to the earlier paragraph, because you probably have a 5-6 round capacity. If you are in the revolver category, it is probably also a good idea to carry your spare rounds in some sort of device made to hold them. There are speed loaders, speed strips, and moon clips, and you need to find what works best for you, but all of them make the loading process much faster and easier. You don't want to be fumbling around in your pocket for loose rounds while you are reloading in a threat situation. For a revolver spare ammo is usually carried on the strong side, in order to facilitate a proper reload, as was taught to the military and police for decades.
For semi-automatic carriers, usually just taking a magazine and throwing it in your pocket is not ideal. The reason for that is that it means the magazine will not be in a consistent position when you grab it. Having your magazines in a consistent position will help make your reloads a lot faster. That way you can build solid muscle memory and know what your body needs to do in order to reload quickly. So, your magazines should be in a magazine carrier, preferably on your weak side, to facilitate a smooth reload. I usually buy double magazine pouches, and carry two spare magazines. That is a personal choice, and I decide if I am going to conceal one magazine, I can conceal two. But there are single magazine carriers available. An additional advantage of having the spare magazines on the weak side of the waistline is that it helps balance out the weight I am carrying, and actually makes it more comfortable for me to carry a full sized pistol. With just the pistol on my belt in a holster, after half a day or so, sometimes it gets uncomfortable, with the magazines opposite the pistol, I don't notice the weight all day.
I believe it is prudent for someone who takes defense seriously to carry at least one reload for their firearm. I don't think that as a civilian I need to carry the hundreds of rounds that I used to carry as a Marine infantryman in combat zones, however, a spare magazine or two still makes a lot of sense. If you have any comments or questions about this, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.
EDIT: As a response to a comment below, questioning the viability of situations that would require more than 8 rounds, here is an addendum:
Steve,
Thank you for taking the time to read and respond.
Maybe it isn't the far fetched scenario of having to stare down 9 guys like Snake. Maybe it is one guy that is high on some strong drugs, like PCP, or a determined attacker.
The man who was supposedly on bath salts and eating another man's face was shot 4 times before the threat ended. And since a police officer shot him, it is fairly safe to assume it was with a service caliber weapon and modern hollowpoint ammo.
In the 1986 Miami FBI shootout, one suspect was shot 6 times, the other 12. That event is what prompted the FBI to go to more powerful, higher capacity pistols than the .38 revolvers most of their agents carried.
David Brown Jr, in Dallas Texas, killed one police officer and a bystander, before he was shot 9 times and killed by another officer. He was high on PCP. Once again, multiple rounds from a service caliber and defensive ammo.
I am aware that all of those examples are police shootings, and maybe you think they don't apply because of it. But, for information about performance of modern defensive ammo, that is one of the best sources. But one, or two determined attackers, or attackers high on something that makes them feel no pain, can easily take multiple shots before the threat is over.
Shot placement is key, but it is very hard to put a shot in the right place while moving away from the threat and towards cover, and with all that physiological stuff I mentioned before going on. The areas of the human body that need to be shot for instant incapacitation are rather small.
Some states do have a duty to retreat, and those requirements differ from state to state. And since I am not a lawyer and can not give legal advice, I am not going to comment on what the law may or may not say. Lethal threat scenarios are too dynamic and fluid to make a judgement call on something like that unless you have all the information.
But, I think that assuming the 6,7,8, rounds in your pistol is enough may be wishful thinking with the behavior some drugged up criminals exhibit.
I do agree that other sorts of training are very valuable as well. As a trainer, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my own skills. "If the only tool you have is a hammer, pretty soon everything starts to look like a nail" applies here. Beyond all the firearms disciplines, firearms retention, open hand skills, defensive knife skills, and improvised weapon skills are all excellent additions. And of course, developing an acute defensive mindset is the more important defensive training of all.
Thank you for your response. If you like what you read in my blog, feel free to share it with your friends. Hopefully this helped clear up any issues you had. Take care.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Why Waistline Carry Makes the Most Sense to Me
While staying on the topic of the last thread, which was why it is important to have a complete concealed carry rig, as opposed to just a holster, today I am going to discuss why waistline or belt carry, makes the most sense to me. Belt carry is the most popular way to carry a concealed handgun, and for good reason. It keeps the firearm in place, is comfortable with the right rig, conceals well for most, and offers a rather fast draw time. With a proper rig, you can also conceal a full sized handgun without too much of a problem, provided you are wearing appropriate clothing. If keeps the handgun easily accessible in case you need it, and doesn't require you to cross over any of your own body parts, or flag, with the muzzle of a loaded firearm. But it is not the only way to carry a firearm, some of the other options include pocket carry, shoulder holsters, ankle carry, and I will explain some of the pros and cons of each of those.
Pocket carry is the only way that I carry a pistol aside from waistline carry, and is a viable option for the most part. Now, when I am talking about pocket carry, I don't mean just take a pistol and jam it in your pocket with your keys and cell phone. You still should be using a holster for pocket carry, and a number of manufacturers make pocket holsters. I am partial to the Desantis Nemesis for this role, as it stays in the pocket during the draw. A pocket holster provides two functions, first, it protects the trigger to make sure no foreign objects can interact with it, and second, it helps break up the outline of the pistol. If you are wearing skin tight jeans or pants made of very thin material. pocket carry probably won't work for you, because the pistol will print (be visible through the fabric). Also, if you are going to pocket carry, the pistol should be the only thing in that pocket, put your keys, cell phone, knife, wallet or whatever else goes in your pockets somewhere else.
But, pocket carry allows you to still have a rather fast draw time, and you can have your hand on your pistol without alerting anyone (something you can not do easily with belt carry). And with the right pants it conceals rather well, and can be carried in styles of dress where belt carry is not possible, like business casual. The biggest drawback of pocket carry for me is that it really limits what firearms you can carry. When I pocket carry, it is with a S&W 638 snub nosed revolver, whereas my normal carry pistol is currently a Sig Sauer 220. So, I am carrying a pistol that is harder to shoot because of the shorter grip and sight radius, with less rounds, a slower reload, and a less powerful caliber. But, the gun in your hand when you need it is better than the one at home in the safe, so, if due to how I need to dress I can't carry my preferred gun, pocket carry with a small revolver or semi-auto beats being unarmed. So pocket carry is an option, just keep in mind most pants pockets won't hold a full sized pistol, so you sacrifice in things like magazine capacity and ease of shooting for your carry pistol.
Next is shoulder holster carry, which honestly I have never really had work for me. Some people say they get it to work, and in my experience, that is usually tall skinny people. One of the few advantages of shoulder holsters is that they let you carry even larger pistols than belt carry, especially with a vertical shoulder holster. If you want to carry a Smith and Wesson N or X frame, this is the way to do it (although, those are more appropriate for big game hunting and would be open carried in my opinion). But usually unless you have decently thick fabric in your cover garment, the harness prints through. I also don't like that the holster is not stable while you are carrying, it can move around, and I like my holster to be consistently in the same spot.
My two biggest issues with shoulder holster carry is that first, you need to reach across your body to draw. Now, if you spend a majority of time seated, like working as a driver, a cross draw belt holster or shoulder holster might make sense. But, if someone is already at bad breath distance from you, and you need to reach your hand across your body to draw your pistol, that is a rather simple move for the bad guy to block. And what if he has already knocked you down and is literally on top of you? He can just pin your arm down with a leg or hand, and you can't draw. In that instance, it is easier for him to draw your pistol. But, my biggest issue with shoulder holsters is that you pretty much have to flag a part of your own body with the muzzle of a loaded handgun during the draw. Usually that part of your body is your off-side arm. I am a firm believer in the firearms safety rules, including to never point a weapon at anything you don't want to shoot. I do not want to shoot myself in the arm, or any other body part. So during a high stress lethal situation, I don't want to have to flag any part of my body with my loaded firearm while a chemical cocktail inside my own body is doing things like decreasing my fine motor skills. So, for me, shoulder holster carry is not an option. It looks really cool in the movies, but doesn't seem really practical for real life.
Next up is ankle carry, which also seems really cool in the movies. But is probably the worst of the "mainstream" ways to carry a pistol. First of all, it isn't very comfortable a lot of the time, and can make you feel unbalanced as you walk. Like pocket carry it basically restricts you to small semi-automatics or revolvers, meaning your pistol is going to be harder to shoot, and have a smaller capacity. But the real downfall of ankle carry is the draw method. If you are standing and need to draw, you have to expose the top of your head to the threat, which isn't something I ever want to do, while simultaneously moving your head closer to the bad guy. You also are compromising your balance if you try to bring your leg up to you, which would make it much easier for someone to knock you over, and gain a dominant position where even unarmed they could do significant damage. If you are sitting down the draw is a little bit better balance wise, but you still may have to expose the top of your head. And if you are already on the ground grappling with someone, you can pretty much forget making it to your pistol. Ankle carry can also be hard to conceal, because if your pants leg rides up during movement, you are no longer concealing your pistol. So, ankle carry is not a method that I would recommend.
In my opinion, waistline carry, either inside the waistband, or outside the waistband is still the best option, which is probably why it has been the preferred method since pistols began to be made and be carried a couple hundred years ago. It is the best balance between conceal-ability with a service sized handgun, comfort, and accessibility and speed during the draw. I know that there are several other methods of carry that people have come up with, but for now I chose to stick with the methods outlined above. If anyone has questions about any other specific carry method, feel free to contact me, and I will answer your questions. Thanks for reading, I hope everyone learned something this post, or at least read something that makes them think about concealing differently.
Pocket carry is the only way that I carry a pistol aside from waistline carry, and is a viable option for the most part. Now, when I am talking about pocket carry, I don't mean just take a pistol and jam it in your pocket with your keys and cell phone. You still should be using a holster for pocket carry, and a number of manufacturers make pocket holsters. I am partial to the Desantis Nemesis for this role, as it stays in the pocket during the draw. A pocket holster provides two functions, first, it protects the trigger to make sure no foreign objects can interact with it, and second, it helps break up the outline of the pistol. If you are wearing skin tight jeans or pants made of very thin material. pocket carry probably won't work for you, because the pistol will print (be visible through the fabric). Also, if you are going to pocket carry, the pistol should be the only thing in that pocket, put your keys, cell phone, knife, wallet or whatever else goes in your pockets somewhere else.
But, pocket carry allows you to still have a rather fast draw time, and you can have your hand on your pistol without alerting anyone (something you can not do easily with belt carry). And with the right pants it conceals rather well, and can be carried in styles of dress where belt carry is not possible, like business casual. The biggest drawback of pocket carry for me is that it really limits what firearms you can carry. When I pocket carry, it is with a S&W 638 snub nosed revolver, whereas my normal carry pistol is currently a Sig Sauer 220. So, I am carrying a pistol that is harder to shoot because of the shorter grip and sight radius, with less rounds, a slower reload, and a less powerful caliber. But, the gun in your hand when you need it is better than the one at home in the safe, so, if due to how I need to dress I can't carry my preferred gun, pocket carry with a small revolver or semi-auto beats being unarmed. So pocket carry is an option, just keep in mind most pants pockets won't hold a full sized pistol, so you sacrifice in things like magazine capacity and ease of shooting for your carry pistol.
Next is shoulder holster carry, which honestly I have never really had work for me. Some people say they get it to work, and in my experience, that is usually tall skinny people. One of the few advantages of shoulder holsters is that they let you carry even larger pistols than belt carry, especially with a vertical shoulder holster. If you want to carry a Smith and Wesson N or X frame, this is the way to do it (although, those are more appropriate for big game hunting and would be open carried in my opinion). But usually unless you have decently thick fabric in your cover garment, the harness prints through. I also don't like that the holster is not stable while you are carrying, it can move around, and I like my holster to be consistently in the same spot.
My two biggest issues with shoulder holster carry is that first, you need to reach across your body to draw. Now, if you spend a majority of time seated, like working as a driver, a cross draw belt holster or shoulder holster might make sense. But, if someone is already at bad breath distance from you, and you need to reach your hand across your body to draw your pistol, that is a rather simple move for the bad guy to block. And what if he has already knocked you down and is literally on top of you? He can just pin your arm down with a leg or hand, and you can't draw. In that instance, it is easier for him to draw your pistol. But, my biggest issue with shoulder holsters is that you pretty much have to flag a part of your own body with the muzzle of a loaded handgun during the draw. Usually that part of your body is your off-side arm. I am a firm believer in the firearms safety rules, including to never point a weapon at anything you don't want to shoot. I do not want to shoot myself in the arm, or any other body part. So during a high stress lethal situation, I don't want to have to flag any part of my body with my loaded firearm while a chemical cocktail inside my own body is doing things like decreasing my fine motor skills. So, for me, shoulder holster carry is not an option. It looks really cool in the movies, but doesn't seem really practical for real life.
Next up is ankle carry, which also seems really cool in the movies. But is probably the worst of the "mainstream" ways to carry a pistol. First of all, it isn't very comfortable a lot of the time, and can make you feel unbalanced as you walk. Like pocket carry it basically restricts you to small semi-automatics or revolvers, meaning your pistol is going to be harder to shoot, and have a smaller capacity. But the real downfall of ankle carry is the draw method. If you are standing and need to draw, you have to expose the top of your head to the threat, which isn't something I ever want to do, while simultaneously moving your head closer to the bad guy. You also are compromising your balance if you try to bring your leg up to you, which would make it much easier for someone to knock you over, and gain a dominant position where even unarmed they could do significant damage. If you are sitting down the draw is a little bit better balance wise, but you still may have to expose the top of your head. And if you are already on the ground grappling with someone, you can pretty much forget making it to your pistol. Ankle carry can also be hard to conceal, because if your pants leg rides up during movement, you are no longer concealing your pistol. So, ankle carry is not a method that I would recommend.
In my opinion, waistline carry, either inside the waistband, or outside the waistband is still the best option, which is probably why it has been the preferred method since pistols began to be made and be carried a couple hundred years ago. It is the best balance between conceal-ability with a service sized handgun, comfort, and accessibility and speed during the draw. I know that there are several other methods of carry that people have come up with, but for now I chose to stick with the methods outlined above. If anyone has questions about any other specific carry method, feel free to contact me, and I will answer your questions. Thanks for reading, I hope everyone learned something this post, or at least read something that makes them think about concealing differently.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
More Than Just a Holster
The last few post I have written were more about the "software" side of things, dealing with a defensive mindset and and associated topics. This one is going to be a change of pace, and go back to talking about the hardware and gear side. Holsters and carry rigs are pieces of gear that often do not get the attention that they deserve, and without the right gear, it can be very difficult to successfully conceal a handgun. I conceal full sized service handguns (like a full sized 1911 or Sig 220) on a regular basis, and am able to do so because I have put the time and effort into finding the concealed carry set-up that works for me, and the money into buying it. I am going to focus for this post on waistline, or belt carry, as it is how most people successfully conceal handguns for defense, and it has a lot of advantages. In a future post I will cover more ways to carry, like shoulder holsters, ankle and pocket carry.
A lot of people go buy their gun, and get their permit, and then use the cheapest holster they can find for their gun. This is often either a Kydex belt slide that a lot of makers now ship with the gun, or a nylon one size fits many holster from the local gun store. To me this is the equivalent of buying a high end sports car, and then putting the cheapest discount brand of tires you can find on it. Will they do they job, maybe, but, you can probably spend a little more money, and get much better performance out of the product.
The holster is actually, in my opinion, not the most important part of a carry rig. It is tied in importance with a good, purpose made gun-belt. By gun-belt I don't necessarily mean a gunslinger rig for a six shooter from an old western, or even a police style duty belt. But, there are companies and manufacturers out there who make belts specifically designed to hold up and distribute the weight of a handgun. You can find dressier leather ones that can be worn when needed, or more casual nylon belts that usually have a polymer stiffener in them. You can determine which works best for your fashion needs, but having a good gun belt is a must. When I started carrying I was just using whatever belts I owned from the department stores, and concealing a full sized 1911. I noticed two things, first, is that the top of the pistol had a tendency to flop outward, making it harder to conceal, and second, that I was needing a new belt every month or two, because they couldn't take the abuse. By the time I had gone through 3-4 belts, it wound up costing me more than the $60-100 a good gun-belt would have cost me, and then I had to buy the gun-belt too. Most things in the firearms world, are a front end heavy investment. But spending a little bit more upfront usually saves you money in the long run, belts and holsters are no exception.
I would rather have a good gun-belt and mediocre holster, than a good holster and mediocre belt. A good belt makes a properly designed holster more concealable. Now, holsters are still important. Your basic choices are leather, a plastic like material known as kydex, and nylon. Now, I have never found a nylon holster that works for me. They are generally cheap, generic holsters with weak attachment points that don't work particularly well for any gun. They offer no retention (the ability to keep the firearm in the holster), and make re-holstering more difficult because they collapse on themselves when empty. So, I don't really like them as an option. Between leather and kydex, it really is your choice, both have advantages and disadvantages and can be found in comparable price ranges. First of all though, over time, either one will cause finish wear on your pistol. Carry wear is a fact of life for a pistol that is going to be carried for defensive use, and something which the owner needs to be aware of.
But, taking a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of leather. Properly made leather holsters really can be beautiful works of art. They can come with elements made from exotic animal skins, like shark or snake, and in different colors. When made and properly boned for a firearm, they can offer excellent retention. With the addition of some sort of reinforcement at the opening, one handed re-holstering is simple, and the material is flexible, so that it molds to the shape of your body for better concealment. Some of the disadvantages are that sometimes new leather holsters can squeak like a new shoe, and if not dyed properly it can bleed onto clothing. Over time the leather can lose some of its shape, although this usually takes years with a well made holster. Leather is not the most durable material in the world, and can be damaged if it gets wet. Leather holsters are still mostly made by hand, so there can be a wait of weeks or months for a holster custom made for your gun, but this wait can be worth it for a holster that you will use for years.
Kydex also offers some advantages and disadvantages. Retention with kydex is usually excellent, and there is no need to reinforce the opening, because the material is rigid to begin with. The material is very resistant to the elements, and able to take a lot of abuse before it is really damaged. It is generally more utilitarian looking than leather, a trait which some people enjoy. It doesn't really mold to the user, so sometimes there is a slightly more difficult time concealing a kydex holster. It can also be harder to break in if it is a bit too tight when it comes from the manufacturer. Kydex can usually be had a with a slightly shorter length than leather, although this depends on the maker and their demand. Also, if made improperly or too thin the kydex can be brittle. Kydex can also be rougher on your clothing with daily use, although with daily use leather or kydex can wear through fabric.
Whichever one you choose, make sure you do some research, and buy a quality made product. Some reputable holster makers also offer trial periods of up to 30 days, where if you don't like the product for some reason, you can send it back.
The last part of my carry rig is a spare magazine carrier. I will detail all the reasons why I think carrying spare ammunition is prudent in a later post. But, I will say that spare magazines on my offhand side balance out the rig better, and make it more comfortable for me to carry all day.
When you are going to be carrying a sidearm for defense, make sure you make the investment in well made gear that will help you do so effectively, and also give you years of use. Spending a little bit more up front can help you avoid the dreaded "box of holsters" that many of us who have been carrying for a while seem to accumulate. This is just a short glimpse into things to consider when you are going to start shopping for carry rigs. If you have more specific questions, feel free to contact us and we will share our knowledge with you. And if you have a question you would like to see a post on, contact me through this blog, Facebook or Twitter (@lmtactical), and I will put a post up.
A lot of people go buy their gun, and get their permit, and then use the cheapest holster they can find for their gun. This is often either a Kydex belt slide that a lot of makers now ship with the gun, or a nylon one size fits many holster from the local gun store. To me this is the equivalent of buying a high end sports car, and then putting the cheapest discount brand of tires you can find on it. Will they do they job, maybe, but, you can probably spend a little more money, and get much better performance out of the product.
The holster is actually, in my opinion, not the most important part of a carry rig. It is tied in importance with a good, purpose made gun-belt. By gun-belt I don't necessarily mean a gunslinger rig for a six shooter from an old western, or even a police style duty belt. But, there are companies and manufacturers out there who make belts specifically designed to hold up and distribute the weight of a handgun. You can find dressier leather ones that can be worn when needed, or more casual nylon belts that usually have a polymer stiffener in them. You can determine which works best for your fashion needs, but having a good gun belt is a must. When I started carrying I was just using whatever belts I owned from the department stores, and concealing a full sized 1911. I noticed two things, first, is that the top of the pistol had a tendency to flop outward, making it harder to conceal, and second, that I was needing a new belt every month or two, because they couldn't take the abuse. By the time I had gone through 3-4 belts, it wound up costing me more than the $60-100 a good gun-belt would have cost me, and then I had to buy the gun-belt too. Most things in the firearms world, are a front end heavy investment. But spending a little bit more upfront usually saves you money in the long run, belts and holsters are no exception.
I would rather have a good gun-belt and mediocre holster, than a good holster and mediocre belt. A good belt makes a properly designed holster more concealable. Now, holsters are still important. Your basic choices are leather, a plastic like material known as kydex, and nylon. Now, I have never found a nylon holster that works for me. They are generally cheap, generic holsters with weak attachment points that don't work particularly well for any gun. They offer no retention (the ability to keep the firearm in the holster), and make re-holstering more difficult because they collapse on themselves when empty. So, I don't really like them as an option. Between leather and kydex, it really is your choice, both have advantages and disadvantages and can be found in comparable price ranges. First of all though, over time, either one will cause finish wear on your pistol. Carry wear is a fact of life for a pistol that is going to be carried for defensive use, and something which the owner needs to be aware of.
But, taking a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of leather. Properly made leather holsters really can be beautiful works of art. They can come with elements made from exotic animal skins, like shark or snake, and in different colors. When made and properly boned for a firearm, they can offer excellent retention. With the addition of some sort of reinforcement at the opening, one handed re-holstering is simple, and the material is flexible, so that it molds to the shape of your body for better concealment. Some of the disadvantages are that sometimes new leather holsters can squeak like a new shoe, and if not dyed properly it can bleed onto clothing. Over time the leather can lose some of its shape, although this usually takes years with a well made holster. Leather is not the most durable material in the world, and can be damaged if it gets wet. Leather holsters are still mostly made by hand, so there can be a wait of weeks or months for a holster custom made for your gun, but this wait can be worth it for a holster that you will use for years.
Kydex also offers some advantages and disadvantages. Retention with kydex is usually excellent, and there is no need to reinforce the opening, because the material is rigid to begin with. The material is very resistant to the elements, and able to take a lot of abuse before it is really damaged. It is generally more utilitarian looking than leather, a trait which some people enjoy. It doesn't really mold to the user, so sometimes there is a slightly more difficult time concealing a kydex holster. It can also be harder to break in if it is a bit too tight when it comes from the manufacturer. Kydex can usually be had a with a slightly shorter length than leather, although this depends on the maker and their demand. Also, if made improperly or too thin the kydex can be brittle. Kydex can also be rougher on your clothing with daily use, although with daily use leather or kydex can wear through fabric.
Whichever one you choose, make sure you do some research, and buy a quality made product. Some reputable holster makers also offer trial periods of up to 30 days, where if you don't like the product for some reason, you can send it back.
The last part of my carry rig is a spare magazine carrier. I will detail all the reasons why I think carrying spare ammunition is prudent in a later post. But, I will say that spare magazines on my offhand side balance out the rig better, and make it more comfortable for me to carry all day.
When you are going to be carrying a sidearm for defense, make sure you make the investment in well made gear that will help you do so effectively, and also give you years of use. Spending a little bit more up front can help you avoid the dreaded "box of holsters" that many of us who have been carrying for a while seem to accumulate. This is just a short glimpse into things to consider when you are going to start shopping for carry rigs. If you have more specific questions, feel free to contact us and we will share our knowledge with you. And if you have a question you would like to see a post on, contact me through this blog, Facebook or Twitter (@lmtactical), and I will put a post up.
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