Jack Asks Glock 26 or 19?

My recent discussion of the J frame received a comment on our general discussion of the Glock 26 I wanted to reply to here.

@ Grasshoppa and Ryan,
I'm currently looking at an in between from an LCP, my little pocket rocket and my FN 40. I've decided at this point, I want to go 9mm for capacity and more power than a .380. Right now I've thought of the G19 but have recently been playing with the idea of a G26. Either way I carry one back up mag so the difference from 25 to 30 rounds isn't a biggie. If it works out, and the wifey likes it, which I'm almost sure she will since she loves my dads SR9c, I'd get her one down the road. Anyway what are your thoughts from your G26 and 19, respectively? Personal preferences, wish you woulda gone the other way first? I'll probably get both down the road but that could easily be years. Also, taking my current set up in mind, I've got a pocket rocket and a full size what would you suggest? Thanks for your time and help!!! Much appreciated!

Jack

 Jack, If you had said "I'm looking to get my first handgun. It's narrowed down to a Glock 26 or a Glock 19, which should I get?" or "I can only take 1 pistol on our upcoming road/ boat/ whatever trip; should it be the Glock 26 or Glock 19?" the answer would be simple. Glock 19 every day of the week plus twice on Sunday. However your question is a bit more complicated. First you already have a full sized pistol and a tiny gun. Second we get into concept of use.

I love the Glock 19. It is a great compromise of shootability, concealment and round count in a sufficiently potent cartridge for 2 legged predators. On the other hand like any compromise there are some sacrifices at the extreme ends.

When I was a kid in Scouts and such we camped a lot at least 1-2x a month year round. Money was relatively tight for most of us. We couldn't afford to have sets of summer, spring/fall and winter tents/ sleeping bags/ etc. That meant we had to make choices. Gear that was ready for January in the mountains out of the box was a real drag the rest of the time. On the other hand super light summer stuff wouldn't work for half of the year. The answer was to split the middle and get what I would call 3 season gear. In the summer it is easy enough to sleep with a bag open. In the winter you slap a tarp over the tent then add a fleece or wool (depending on the situation) blanket with the sleeping bag and you were good to go. Wasn't perfect but it worked pretty well.

To answer your question we have to get into concept of use. For a gun that will do house duty, concealed carry and potential SHTF type duty I would go with the Glock 19. After selling off a couple other pistols it has became my do everything handgun. For this concept of use I prefer the Glock 19. On the other hand if I wanted the commonality and reliability of a Glock 9mm in a package that was comfortable to carry to the store for popsycles on the hottest August day and already had a larger handgun for other purposes the Glock 26 would probably be the way to go. So my answer would be no I would not do it the other way around. Granted if I had it to do over again, knowing I would later want a Glock 26 when  they are unobtanium at sane prices, might have done some things different so it would be in the safe now but not instead of a G19. In any case there is usually another gun you really wish you could've bought.

[Along those lines I've came to terms with the fact that I'm not getting a G26 any time soon. When they are showing up prices are well above $600 with $650 being pretty common. Simply not willing to pay that silly of a price for something I do not NEED. Availability will come back sooner or later then I will purchase a gently used Glock 26 for a reasonable price. Kinda lame but oh well.]

For your situation. It seems to me like you are looking for a larger more potent gun that YOU WILL CARRY on those hot summer days to the corner store. I fear for that concept of use a Glock 19 will lose out to your LCP almost every time which misses the point of buying it. There is a distinct possibility it will sit by the FN in the safe. On the other hand a Glock 26 will probably make it out the door a good percentage of the time.

So those are my thoughts on that. As always input is appreciated.
-Ryan

Living With My J Frame

I've had my little Smith and Wesson 642 for a little while now. Since it's purchase I removed then ended up selling the Crimson trace laser grips and replacing them with Hogue boot grips. The boot grips are a lot smaller which lets the gun better suit my concept of use which is a little concealed carry piece. Here is what my little J frame looks like now.

I am pretty happy with it though at some point plan to set it up like Alexander's J frame with the wood S&W grips and a Tyler T grip. Aside from looking really good that setup will probably shoot better than my current grips. The only reason I haven't done it is that $60-75ish discretionary gun purchases are a long list.

My holster is a Blackhawk IWB.

It is perfectly adequate for carry in its intended role and does OK as a pocket holster. I'm not in love with it but it works; given the price point around a half rack of cheap light beer it offers a lot of value. If money were no object I would have a nice soft leather IWB holster, a Safariland pocket holster and an ankle holster for this gun. However as mentioned before gun stuff that would be nice to have is a really long list.

Awhile back Alexander Wolfe and I had a discussion about the size difference between compact Glock's like the G19 and J frame revolvers. Since I have been alternating carrying the two for a few months now plus the camera was already out I figured it might be fun to take some pictures then talk about my thoughts on the matter.

The Glock 19 and Smith and Wesson 642 side by side. Man who is the lucky duck that has both of these great carry options. At the first glance they look very similar in size. However as we will see appearances can be deceiving and the differences, however small, are in places where they matter a lot.

The Smith & Wesson 642 sitting on top of the Glock 19. The picture does not really show it bit the J frame is slightly offset and higher than the Glock 19 just because of the way the angles of the two guns came together. This is where the first significant difference in size becomes apparent. The length and height of the two guns are not THAT different. However as you can see the back of the J frame is curved while the back of the Glock 19 is roughly in the same location as the furthest point back on the pistols grip. The backstrap is one of the two points on a pistol that prints (shows through clothing while concealed) the most. Also it is one of the reasons the J frame vanishes under anything except a skin tight t shirt.

Looking at the two guns from the back we get a better picture of their relative height. The S&W is just a little but shorter than the Glock 19. However when we look at width it's a different story. Aside from the cylinder and the fattest part of the grips the S&W 642 is significantly thinner than the Glock 19. Also very significantly it is a lot thinner at the end of the grip. Combine that with the grip being shorter and you have most of the reason the J frame conceals much easier than the Glock 19. Personally I can hide a J frame under almost anything while the Glock 19 takes a loose button up or polo shirt that's roughly a size larger than my body.

A top view of the guns in the same position. Shows the overall differences in width and length.

Bottom line is the J frame is smaller in all the right places (barrel, width, grip size) to make it a much more concealable gun. It is much easier to conceal than the G 19. I can conceal the J frame wearing anything other than a swim suit. On the other hand the Glock 19 takes a polo or button up shirt 1 size larger than my body to conceal with a real belt to hold it.

Between the two there is no dispute the Glock 19 is a superior firearm. It holds 3x the darn bullets plus it's a much easier gun to shoot well. However that is not the point of this comparison. It's great for folks to pack a full sized Glock, M&P or 1911 with 2x reloads. Seriously good for those guys. However my observation is that most people will not actually pack a full sized heater with any regularity. The running joke that if you ask any guy who says he packs a full sized 1911 to show it to you right now he will mumble some BS about how it's in the glove box/ nightstand/ safe runs true far more often than not.

I genuinely believe in high percentage carry. Personally I carry a gun unless it is really illegal, like years in prison not 'asked to leave the establishment' kind of illegal. When you carry all the time the inevitable 'running to the store for a gallon of milk' scenarios come up. Also there are times you just plain don't feel like strapping on a larger pistol. Plus it is hot and getting hotter down here. Any gun beats the hell out of no gun.

Personally I go back and forth between carrying the J frame and the Glock 19. There is a sort of informal risk assessment for every trip. If I'm leaving our little town it's the Glock 19. If it's after 8 o'clock or so it is the Glock 19 with a light. If I am carrying a lot of cash or making a significant trade it is the Glock 19. Last weekend between my wallet, some garage sale cash and money for the the gun show I was walking around with about a grand; so I carried the  G19 on my right hip and the .38 in my off side cargo pocket.

However all things considered my lifestyle is pretty safe as there are not a lot of muggings and shootings between 3 and 6 pm. Since the risk assessment of going to the store for groceries at 4pm on a Tuesday is pretty low the J frame wins a lot. It wins because I should have a gun but don't need that much of one.

I feel adequately armed with the J frame and 2 reloads.  Sure it's not a Glock 19 with a reload. That being said what realistically concerns me these days is 1) somebody trying to rob me in the parking lot or 2) getting carjacked, the distant 3rd would be just getting caught in something here or there. Either of those  (2 probable) situations will be over one way or another before I shoot 5 rounds. The cold hard truth is that I'll have won, lost or be behind something with time to reload by then.

That being said I am in the market for a Glock 26. Sooner or later one will be saved from a life of an owner who is not me. That might just be the setup. Until then I will split my time between the Glock 19 and the S&W 642.


As always your opinion is welcome.

Baby Glocks?

As it gets hot here packing the G19, other than open carry, isn't getting any easier. Do have a valid option in the J frame but the capacity and reload situation there is not so great. A better option that will be easier to conceal than the G19 would be nice to have on inventory. A Glock 26 came into my head as an option. A bit thick for such a small gun but it holds a lot of bullets for it's size plus the mags/ parts/ ammo are already on inventory.

If you own or have owned a Glock 26 I am interested in your thoughts. Thanks,
-Ryan

Odds N' Ends

The lettuce, spinach and green beans went into pots today. That was big fun. This whole growing my own vegetables thing is pretty cool. Also I'm excited to say it looks like I'll be involved with an intro to canning thing in the near future.

Had dinner and a couple beers at a local bar. Since neither driving slightly inebriated or taking a cab appealed to me I decided to hang out drinking water and reading till the booze wore off. I am currently reading Ghost Wars:The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. I got halfway into this book way back in IBOLC but it lost my interest. These days I am a lot better informed on Afghanistan and the players involved, through research and personal experience, and am probably more patient so it's a bit easier to get through.

On the plus side guns are becoming more available. The local shop has a variety of evil black rifles and semi automatic pistols. They are also doing pretty well on mags. A variety of AR mags including PMAGs at $22ish were present. They had limited pistol mags, I think mostly various Ruger and XD mags plus a few Glock 19 mags at $32ish.

Ammo is trickling into the shops and flying out. A lot of guys are showing up at Wally World early in the morning. Some to meet their own needs and some to resell at stupid prices. The local shop sold 7k in .223 in 2 days with a 3 box per customer limit. Personally I'm semi actively looking and buying when prices are right.

As summer hits here we are seeing consistent temps in the 80's. My little .38 J frame is definitely earning its keep. The G19 is really only viable for open carry these days. However given that it I'm in Arizona that option is legally on the table and socially acceptable to boot. Sort of depends on my mood and the risk of a given venture. Since I'm much more of a grocery store at 4pm than an ATM at 3AM kind of guy the risk is usually pretty low.

In writing this rambling, I'm too lazy to do something serious post I realized that a month ago I wrote basically the same thing. Big fun.

Spring Carry and Gardening

The weather here in Southern Arizona seems to have decided to stop snowing and that it's Spring. A pleasant change but pretty fast. Suppose that's the nature of the desert. This brings up a couple issues worth discussing.

Carrying a gun in the fall and winter is easy. Pack whatever you want then put on a coat. It's the good times for sure. The benefits of packing a full sized piece without any of the issues of concealment. Spring and summer are what separates those who practice high percentage/ consistent carry from the fair weather strap on a heater in the winter or when they are going to wherever and want to pose.

Warm weather carry is not hard with a bit of planning. Get an inside the waistband (IWB) holster and get started. Blackhawk makes a decent one at a great price. You can choose to carry a compact pistol like a Glock 19 or subcompact pistol like a baby Glock or J frame which makes things easier. While I do not like following the rabbit hole of smaller guns down to a really small gun like a Beretta 21A/ NAA .22 revolver, etc but  they certainly beat not having a gun at all. On the other side of the coin you can dress around a bigger gun (though most won't and it will stay in the glove box/ nightstand/ safe) or open carry.

The endstate is to not let the weather getting warmer stop you from carrying.

The garden is coming along pretty well. The green onions from the store definitely sprouted in the cup of water. Turns out the roots need space below them and once I lifted them off the bottom of the cup they went crazy.  Now they are sitting in a pot of dirt. The potatoes (also from the store) are sort of going. They definitely have white shoots coming from the original taters and a couple are growing some leaves. I am optomistic that the rest will catch up. Hopefully they will get to growing and in a week or so I'll put them into a container.

The garden is coming along. So far I am really enjoying it and find the whole thing quite calming. Maybe I will try to do a second wave of stuff and or try to grow some more herbs.

Concealed Carry While Running

I received a question about carrying a gun while running today.

Carrying while running is reasonable and prudent but you have got to be realistic about what it will be.  A compact or subcompact pistol of a fairly light flavor like the various aluminum/ titanium/ whatever or polymer gun will carry pretty well. A full sized steel pistol, specially a big N frame is not going to carry well for running. Also a lethargic 2 miler around the neighborhood/ lake is different from 5 or 10k or even longer, especially if you are concerned about speed.

There are lots of options out there and I have not bought then tried them all. I immediately discounted anything on the waist or in the crotch. Also a shirt which the gun is held with Velcro into does not seem like a good option. Suppose a light gun in a fanny pack might work but haven't tried it.

I have carried running in two ways: a camel back and a hill people gear kit bag. Can talk about each of them.

The camel back I used is one of the ones with a couple pouches on top of the bladder compartment. I think it is the MULE but am not sure. The gun I carried was a little lightweight .38. It carried very well. I like to have water for longer runs and I didn't notice the bit of extra weight from the gun. The downside is that it is not at all close to a quick draw. You would have to take it off 1 shoulder, pull it around to the front then unzip the pouch.

The Hill People Gear kit bag is another option I have tried. It's review is overdue but basically it is a chest rig that instead of having a mag pouches has a bag with a main compartment, a smaller front pouch and a dedicated pouch to carry a handgun. I like this option a lot. Packed properly for running (pretty light) and adjusted properly it is pretty comfortable, especially if you are used to wearing chest rigs. Not as comfortable as slipping it into a pouch on the camel back but still quite acceptable. The up side is that the weapon is safely on your torso and the draw is pretty decent. Far better than fumbling around with something on your back. Personally I hook the kit bag (they call it docking) to my camel back for I go trail running. In the kit bag there is a pistol (either an airweight .38 or Glock 19), a reload, a knife, a lighter and some other similar items.

Anyway that is what I have tried and how it has worked. If you carry a gun while running, especially one of the non uuber tiny .22/ .25/ Kel Tech .32/ .380 type variety please share how you do it.

Basic Guns Part 1.5: Common Make, Common Caliber and Compact

We did Basic Guns Part 1 and upon reflection I realized a few things were missing.

I am a big fan of common manufacturer/ model guns. This is for a few reasons. First the nature of business is that good gun manufacturers stay around and become common. Winchester, Ruger, Marlin, Remington, Colt, Sig, Glock, Smith and Wesson, Mossberg and the like tend not to make junk. Conversely Bob's Basement Armory might make something very questionable.

Common models are just as important. First they are important because, like the manufacturers, they stand the test of time for a reason; that they tend to be good guns. A rifle like a Ruger 10-22 which has been around forever is around because it is a good gun.

Also common manufacturer/ model guns have much wider availability of spare parts, mags, etc. Ask for a 17 cal mag for your Old Commie Arms Romanian varmit rifle and the guy at the gunshop will laugh at you. Ask him (in the more common non firearmagedon environment) where the Ruger 10/22 mags are and he will point to a big shelf of them. Ditto for a Glock 19/17 or 23/22, Sig P226, 1911, etc.

I believe even more strongly in common calibers. The reason I believe even stronger than in guns/ parts is that ammo is very consumable. Mags can wear out but ammo just can't be shot twice. Pick up a dozen spare mags, a few sets of springs and a few key spare parts and you will probably never need to go hunting for a firing pin for the oddball pistol you love in a lifetime of shooting. This can typically be done for $300 or so and will easily fit into a shoe box. On the other hand all the ammo a semi active shooter will burn up would take up much more space and cost more. Also if you end up at Bob's or in Smithville the ability to use their ammo is almost immediately important, while the ability to get more mags and potentially parts is a more distant theoretical concern. I talked more about the common caliber issue awhile back.

Lastly it is worth talking about pistols a little bit. If you are going to have 1 pistol due to financial or space constraints it needs to be something you will readily conceal in fairly normal clothing. Note that I said "will conceal" instead of "can conceal". The reason is that strictly speaking carrying a big old Glock 34, steel 1911 or 6" N frame revolver concealed is possible. The issue is that the vast majority of people will not actually do it. The old saying 'if somebody says they carry a  (standard size/ weight) 1911 ask them to show it to you right now and they will inevitably mumble some excuse about why it is either in the glove box or nightstand." is definitely true. Now if you are one of the folks who rocks a steel 1911 or 6" .44 mag every day you are the exception and probably will not get much out of this article anyway. The whole point of a pistol is that it is a gun you can carry as close to all the time as possible.

That being said I would recommend against going too small for your only handgun for a couple reasons. First the bullets get smaller and there are fewer of them. Having a decent fighting handgun can be important in rough times so you want that capability. This is a balancing act with the concealability you need to make it practical. Second and more aimed towards beginning type shooters smaller compact (certainly below J frame size and very arguably including the J frame) handguns are usually hard to shoot well. Small grips, short sight radius, microscopic sights and rough triggers can all make these guns difficult to master. Without getting into the weeds I would look hard at guns like the Glock 19, M&P Compact 9/.40 or 3" barreled J/K framed /38/.357mag revolvers to fill a 1 pistol role.

Well that finished up the stuff that should have been in part 1 of this.

AZ and Open Carry

So I have been down here in Arizona for a few months. We like it a lot. The weather is generally real nice, stuff is pretty cheap, very pro gun. (For background we come from a pretty gun friendly open carry legal state.) This brings us to open carry.

First I will discuss trends I have seen in OC down here and then we will talk about OC as a concept. Pretty much every time we go to a place with a lot of folks (like Walmart or a grocery store or a festival/ parade) I see at least one person open carrying. Almost all the folks open carrying are (at the risk of judging ethnicity by appearance) white men. I have seen 1 Hispanic fellow open carrying and 2 women.

Personally ,with no statistical backing, I do not think there are more people packing guns around  than at home in the PNW. I just think the ratio of open carry is a lot higher down here in Arizona for whatever reason.  Should anybody have actual evidence that shows different I would love to see it.

Broadly speaking most seem to be lower middle to middle class (for whatever that means). There have been no definite trends in terms of guns. A few Glocks, a few Kel Tech's, some double action wheel guns, either a black powder pistol or a single action revolver, a nice stainless 1911 and a Sig. As to holsters I have seen 1 nice leather rig (the guy with the 1911 who also carried 2 spare mags and either knew what he was doing or at least how to buy like he did), a few kydex holsters, some various cheapo leather rigs, and a bunch of el cheapo Uncle Mikes nylon rigs.

I do appreciate that everybody we have interacted with that was open carrying was very nice. The (to some people) scary looking biker dude packing a SAA knock off in an Uncle Mikes holster with his significant other trying to find the right toy for some little kid were nice to us and Walker. A chick packing a Kel Tech (PF9?) was quite pleasant and careful not to smoke near our kid at a parade. They were probably good folks or at least realized armed people need to behave at a higher level.

Now it is worth touching on Open Carry as a method of carry. My YouTube acquaintance Hoss USMC is a big open carry advocate as well as a patriot. I have talked it a bit with him in the comments of various posts on his channel. Anyway...

Open carry is a deterrent to problems. Strait up folks are a lot less likely to try and mug you if they see a handgun. I used to need to travel to a pretty sketchy town for basic services. Packed my 1911 OC and never had any issues. Some people might say folks will target you because you have a gun but I think that is dumb. People who want to steal a gun will break into a house or a car that has a Glock/ XD/ HK sticker on it, not try and roll a dude packing a pistol who will likely shoot them.

A lot of folks try and talk about the statistics of cops getting killed with their own guns or whatever and relate them to open carry. This is invalid because cops are in an oppositional situation with a lot of criminals and marginalized folks. That just does not relate to Joe Bob open carrying a pistola to Starbucks then Bed Bath and Beyond and eventually for some sushi. He is not in an oppositional situation with any thugs.

Personally I do not open carry as a rule. I OC if in a state where that is the only way I can legally carry. Did so in my trip down here. This is mostly for my wife. She would rather not have people looking at us and such stuff which I understand.

Concealed carry gives an advantage in terms of tactics because you could surprise a person with a weapon.

Niche Guns: The Really Small Pistol

I've said for a long time that to cover the basics a person needs a center fire rifle, center fire pistol, shotgun and .22. That makes sense to most folks as it should; I stole the idea from Massad Ayoob who is a smart dude. For me those weapons would be an AR, a Glock 19, a Remington 870 and a Ruger 10/22. This is not to say a guy who chooses an FN-FAL, a Glock 21, a Mossberg 590 and a tube fed Marlin is at all wrong. Just doing things a bit differently.

If something happened and these guns were all I had that would be fine. Of course that is for ME. For a couple I would *like* both people to have a pistol and ideally a rifle of their own. These should be compatible when possible/ practical. The shotgun and .22 can be 'pool' weapons unless you need 2 at the same time for hunting or whatnot. A reasonable person could stop at 4 guns and be just fine. Some like redundancy by owning two or more of the same weapons platform and that is great if you have the money and inclination to do so. However moving past these 4 basic guns there are a few really useful things to have.

Depending on what the first rifle is a military pattern semi auto or a surplus/ bolt action hunting type rifle getting the other type really gives a lot of options. This is probably the biggest benefit of the semi auto .308's. You can really do both pretty well with any of the common 'battle rifles'. Or you could pick up a bolt gun to round things out and only have one cartridge. Regardless our first niche gun will be the scoped rifle (or semi auto if you had a scoped in the basic 4).

The next one that comes to mind is a really small pistol. Yes I coined the title myself. Genius I know. We could debate the exact top end of this size but I don't feel like putting that much thought into it. To me the universal snubby .38, Walther PPK and Baby Glock's are a  little bit too big to really fit here. We are talking guns like the Kel Tech P3AT, S&W Bodyguard .380, Ruger LC380, baby Beretta's, NAA tiny revolvers, etc all.

Calibers range from .380 down to the good old .22 Long Rifle. Personally I do not see a huge point in arguing ballistics here. They all suck to varying degrees. Seriously it is a race to the bottom like a Toyota Prius owner arguing with a Smart Car owner and a Hyundai Accent owner about who has the best performance.

Strait Forward in a Crooked World makes a good case for the little .22 that I touched on awhile back. .22 ammo is uuber common and generally considered more benign, and thus easy to acquire, than other pistol calibers. Something to think about anyway. The new breed of little single stack 9mm's such as the S&W shield, Ruger LC9 as well as the older established Khar and Kel Tech's make a good case for skipping the .380 entirely. 

After a lot of consideration these guns have a viable, if narrow role. Dressed in anything more than a Speedo these guns can be concealed. There is a lot to say for this ability. Carrying a small or really small pistol as a backup is something people do for various reasons.   For cops and other various folks who tend to be at higher than average risk this is probably smart. For Joe Everyday CCW it probably isn't necessary but then again a little pistol in a pocket holster isn't a huge sacrifice.

Some folks carry these guns as a primary weapon. I am not a huge fan of this. As these guns (to varying degrees) are difficult to shoot well AND carry small amounts of weak cartridges it doesn't seem like the best idea to me. Certainly better than harsh words but if better options are realistically possible I would suggest them.

Not sure if I would go really small pistol before or after the scoped rifle (or semi auto) first. It probably depends on your situation. A dude living in the hinterboonies should probably get the other rifle while a suburbanite would be well advised to pick up a really small pistol.

Do you have a really small pistol? What role does it fill?

Ted Nugent Schools Piers Morgan about Gun Coltrol

What Did You Do To Prepare This Week?

Aside from running, lifting and trying with moderate success to eat healthy most energy this week went to unpacking our place. I got the last of my crazy junk out the living room and into the right places this weekend which was good. Also dry fire practice continued.

We started stocking up on some emergency food in a small way with #10 of rice and beans, some peanut butter and a few of those small canisters of propane. We did some used stuff hunting where a wool blanket was found. A sweet new pistol mag pouch came home from the gun shop. 

Considering the amount of time that went into unpacking I am pretty happy with this week's progress.

A bit of tab clearing:
Massive Silver withdrawals from COMEX. Look folks, if you are purchasing gold or silver for inflation/ default protection it is essential that you take physical possession. The only circumstances I can see owning 'certificates' or 'metals stored in a vault' or 'precious metals ETF's' is if you are trading it as a commodity like copper or pork bellies or whatever. In that situation the costs associated with shipping, as well as buying and selling physical metals would really hurt your margins.

Overly Manly Man is a short coffee break's worth of entertainment.

Oleg Volk wrote a great post titled The Mid-Directed Fetish of Marksmanship.

Chris Costa of Magpul fame and lately Costa Ludis is putting out a zombie firearms training series called Operation Z. Got to like a guy who run's a gun like crazy, has a sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously.

Well it is time for me to make breakfast. Hope all of your Monday's are as good as they can be.

Dry Fire Practice

I have started doing dry fire practice over the past few days. Definitely good stuff. I have figured out a few things and am getting my overall concealed carry system sorted out. While K over at Combat Studies Group has some interesting ideas to fill a few sessions I am sort of flying fast and loose without an overall plan. Suspect I will end up with something cyclical. Will figure it out soon enough; if I recall there is a good book on dry fire training on my Amazon wish list.

Need to figure out the shooting scene here. My goal is to conduct dry fire training not less than 6 days a week and live fire training monthly. Would like bi weekly better but I am not sure if that is realistic right now. Will have a better idea once I figure out the logistics of shooting here and some other stuff. Certainly monthly is realistic.

I discovered the TV show Longmire and it is pretty cool. A contemporary Western that has some of the good parts of those old shows without being a cheese throwback.

Anyway that stuff was all going on and all of a sudden I realized it was after midnight and I hadn't posted anything today. Now I'm off to bed.

Video and Discussion: Womens Concealed Carry

I stumbled into this video while looking for the end of youtube. It is pretty interesting going over relevant options for on the body carry that work for a woman wearing normal clothes. It is my observation that most people will not significantly change their overall 'style' to carry a handgun.

They will either find a system (gun/holster/belt/etc) that fits what they actually wear or not carry. (Part of the problem here is that folks buy a full sized handgun planning to conceal it, get the cheapest Uncle Mikes holster in the store and put it on whatever belt they were using before. Spend a few bucks and get a good holster like a Bianchi 100 professional and a decent belt like a 'rigger' belt of one of the various gun belts made by numerous companies. End rant.) They will have the intention to carry but won't do so at a high percentage because it is not convenient and easy. Folks who fall into this group will then leave the darn pistol at home (worse outcome) or in a vehicle (bad) or gal's will stick it in their purse or dudes in some sort of a man purse thing. These are all bad ideas in their own ways. The darn thing needs to be on your body for it to be useful in most real world self defense scenarios.

I cannot speak to all of the specific pistols and holsters mentioned in the video. In general the systems she lays out seem to make sense. The only one I am less than comfortable with is using an ankle holster to carry a defensive weapon. It is my semi informed opinion that a person will not be able to access and thus employ that weapon in most scenarios. On the other hand folks won't be looking there for a gun so it might be a nice place for a backup pistol like that little .22 if you choose to carry one.

Anyway I hope this gives the gal's some ideas about how to make ON THE BODY carry fit into their lives.

Notes From The Road- Day 3

Well I am safely in Arizona. Got a late start today. Partially because I slept in which was totally worth it. Then I ordered what looked like a quick to go breakfast and waited almost an hour. Ended up not really getting onto the road until close to 11.

The miles flew by and I got some good pictures. Hit rush hour in Phoenix which sucked. Ended up getting a late linner (lunch-dinner) in Tuscon at In and Out Burger. First time I had ever been there. The burger was good but I am not so sure about the fries. Will have to try again to see if it was an anomaly.

Anyway I am at my destination and in a motel for the night. Tomorrow if all goes well I will get into our residence. Wifey and kiddo will follow in a couple weeks when things are set up.

So far Constitution Carry and In and Out are compelling reasons that Arizona is pretty awesome. 

Think I am going to take a shower and hit the sack,
R

Questions I Have Been Mulling- Mag Pouches and Private Party Firearms

A couple things have been in my head recently and I am curious about your take on them.

1) How do you guys carry a spare mag (or mags) for concealed carry? What sort of mag pouch do you prefer?

2) What weight, if any, do you give to purchasing guns via private party. Some folks only purchase guns this way and others do not care at all. I am curious about your take on the matter. If you wanted to mention (with OPSEC considerations) what you have done and why it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
R

Product Review: Bianchi 100 Professional

Today I want to talk about my concealment/ EDC holster the Bianchi 100 professional. It is an inside the waist band (IWB) leather concealment holster that attaches to a belt with a metal clip. Onto the usual format.

The Good: It would be an exaggeration to say everything but just a small one. The holster is high quality with good stiff leather but it is flexible enough to have the bit of give that makes leather more comfortable than alternatives. Draws are fast and smooth. Retention, relative to open top concealment holsters, is good. The handgun will stay in the holster if it is turned upside down and shaked. Also pleasingly the leather is stiff enough that you can reholster with the holster on your body which is not possible with nylon or thinner leather holsters.

It conceals well and (in conjunction with a decent belt) is comfortable to carry all day long. I am pleased to say that I can wear it under a shirt against skin and it is comfortable. I have not experienced this in other IWB holsters and attribute it to thoughtful ergonomics and a lack of sharp edges. Fit and finish are great. The cost is a bit over $40 which considering the quality of materials and workmanship is a heck of a deal.

The Bad: Sometimes the  metal clip will not stay securely on a belt. It will not fall out due to belt tension but if the clip comes loose it can migrate up a bit. Additionally  the holster can migrate a little bit. Not a big deal but this requires a minor adjustment which breaks the cardinal concealed carry 'don't touch the darn gun' rule of not getting made.

I think for a concealed carry rig the clip has enough benefits to outweigh the minor downside. I really like being able to put it on or take it off fast and easily. The holsters that have loops with snaps work but are less convenient. To me this benefit is worth slight movement.

The Ugly: Nada.

Overall Assessment: I think it is a heck of a holster, especially for the price. You might be able to do better but could definitely do worse.

Range Report- 25 September

Got some range time today which was pretty awesome. I have forgotten what a great stress reliever shooting is. The revolvers were fun as always. Decided to hold onto the one that I was looking at selling. It is a sweet shooter and would not bring a ton of money on resale. Forgot to bring the Browning Buckmark which was a bit of a bummer.

I have been working on being more intentional than I have in the past when it comes to shooting. Either starting from the low ready or holster and shooting controlled pairs at multiple targets. Reloads were often used. If I wasn't sold before the modern isosceles is definitely the ticket. The Glock 19 shot like a champ. There is a reason lots of really smart folks use them.

Practicing with the gear I carry with has been interesting. Like the gun, belt and leather. However my spare mag storage needs to be addressed. I have been tossing a spare mag in my off hand cargo pocket which sucks a lot for the reload. Might as well stop to get a drink of water, use the bathroom and wash my hands during a speed reload. The back pocket is better (at least it won't get turned around) but not by much. Granted carrying a 15 shot pistol a reload is unlikely but I like having one around. I've been meaning to get a spare mag pouch and start using it for CC but this really beats that point in.

All in all I was pretty happy with things especially considering pistol range time has been pretty light for a pretty long time. A pair of good ear muffs would make things a bit more pleasant and a shot timer would help me get serious about training.

The old 30-30 needed some love. It is one of those models that came with the infernal cross bolt safety. Hating said safety I promptly removed it. That left the rifle functioning how it should but with noticeable and unpleasant holes in the sides of the receiver.  Did not want the safety back but didn't want the holes either. the whole thing bothered me so it got stashed away in the safe. Recently I used some google fu to see if other people have had this same problem.

Stumbled into this article by a fellow who had the same problem. For less than a buck at the hardware store I got 2 1/4 in nylon hole inserts and gave it a shot. The gun looks like it should, well at least to a quick glance which is good enough for me. I had considered selling the gun and getting an older one (a 16" 30-30 trapper would be great but it is pretty low on the list) without the safety which is an infernal nod to our overly legalistic society but this solved the problem.

Look it is probably a bad idea to do any at home gunsmithing, let alone messing with safety features. As such I cannot recommend it to anybody and in fact suggest not doing it. As an adult with a decent understanding of firearm safety and the safe handling of this weapon I made a choice that may not be right for others.

Any day shooting is a good day. Most things went really well and there is some stuff to work on.  Planning to do some research and start incorporating dry fire practice into the mix. Hopefully there will be a lot more shooting happening (shooting for monthly as a goal) so this will be a more frequent feature.

Get out there and train!

Gun Carrying Man Ends Stabbing Spree

Read the story here.

Reader Question: Gear and Tools for Women

Awhile back I asked readers an open question about blog content. That lead to a question I have kind of sat on. Wasn't sure exactly how to answer it and then it slipped out of my mind for awhile. Anyway here we are.

The question was "I notice you like to discuss and review equipment. I would like to see an article on equipment addressing my needs. I am a woman and would like to see opinions of high quality, practical tools addressing a woman's normal physical traits--less upper body strength, smaller hand size, less powerful hand grip, etc."

This was difficult for me to respond to. On one hand it is absolutely true that women are physically different than men. They tend to be smaller and have less physical strength (particularly upper body) and endurance. Not saying all women are small or weaker than men but on average most are. On the other hand this can lead us down the "women need X because they are small/ weak/ whatever" rabbit hole. I will address relatively gender neutral issues first then gender specific ones afterwords.

In terms of physical size and strength for an individual it is about just that, height/weight/composition and strength as measured against a broad group of yardsticks (squat, deadlift, bench press, press, pullups, pushups, etc). The situation for a gal who is 5'7" #135lbs with a strength of X and a guy who has comparable stats are not magically different. It does not matter that she has boobs and and he doesn't. Everybody, even big strong people can have tasks they need to do that they cannot physically complete without friends or tools. It is just for some people that their breaking point is past most normal occuring tasks so it isn't really much of an issue.

[It doesn't quite fit anywhere in the rest of the post but I would be doing a disservice by failing to mention that getting stronger is a good answer to the problem of not being able to complete various tasks. If you can't pick things up then start squating and deadlifting. If grip strength is an issue do some flexed arm hangs, pullups or farmers walks. However I would recommend just starting a basic weight training program like 531 as part of your overall fitness plan. Too many people think they are somehow special and need a customized program they are invariably not capable of setting up. I hate to say it but you don't have a "weak spot" if you are just weak.]

My general observation is that strength lets you 'cheat' or 'cut corners' while those with less strength need to have the right tools for the job. If you can't open a jar or turn something with your hands then use a strap wrench, an oil filter wrench or the right set of pliers depending on the task at hand. For turning tough bolts some WD-40 is a good start. If that doesn't do it a wrench with a longer handle will create more torque or you can slip a metal bar over it for additional leverage. Before doing this I would make sure the thing is actually supposed to move the way you want it to. Though bolts do rust or get stuck brute force usually isn't the right answer in mechanical stuff.

For lifting things an old school lever and fulcrum is a solid option. For lifting and moving stuff I would look hard at getting a hand truck to do in the house/ garage stuff and some sort of garden cart for outdoor stuff or to aid in the dreaded on foot bug out. Also when it comes to lifting things the saying "many friends make for light work" is absolutely true. I am used to friends and neighbors helping eachother with a variety of tasks. Typically for small quick ones there is no compensation aside from a beer and a thanks. Dad and I helped the neighbor take the hard top off his jeep every spring and put it on every winter for years. We also helped friends drag a huge christmas tree into the house and put it up. A neighbor man helps my Grandmother move things now and then. If you have a bigger job like a couple yards of gravel to get spread or a pallet of brick pavers that need to become a path that is what unemployed young men and teenaged neighbor boys are for.

As to gear and guns I think there is a lot of profiling in terms of gender. One certainly doesn't need to get a certain gun just because of their plumbing. Depending on your training and hand size/ strength a variety of models might suit your needs. Thankfully adjustable backstraps and the Glock SF (short frame, they basically trimmed up the backstrap) made a lot of compact and full sized service type pistols a viable option to those with smaller hands. Broadly speaking frame mounted controls work better than slide mounted ones as they work with smaller hands. It is worth rehashing that if weapons will be 'pool guns' ie the guns with multiple users you have got to size them to the smallest user. A big guy can shoot the Glock 19SF and M4agery his small wife is able to use however she probably couldn't shoot a big double stack .45 and FN-FAL very comfortably.

As to gear  women will often do better with commercial backpacking/ camping stuff then the military surplus that survivalists love. While military stuff is getting more adjustable (MOLLE packs for example) it is designed for average sized men. A jacket that is a bit big can be overcome but if your boots don't fit things are not going to go well. Backpack/ rucksack's that really fit are probably also a worthwhile consideration. While it isn't cheap REI and other big outdoor companies have a lot of good stuff designed to fit women that is seriously worth considering. Boots and packs that fit are pretty darn important while a jacket or sleeping bag can be a bit big.

I can't really speak to concealed carry issues for women. Brigid and Tam have almost surely written some great stuff on it. Limalife's youtube channel is also worth checking out. Really the fundamentals of buying gun(s) that fits your body and lifestyle, getting the equipment to use them like a good belt and holster, slings and whatnot then seeking out some training are the same for guys and gal's. Really if you don't know what you are doing it is probably best to seek out the training (most places worth training at have a few rental/ loaner guns available if you talk with them in advance) then get the stuff.

Anyway I am sorry to the lady who left the comment for the excessive delay. Also I hope somebody gets a thing or two out of this.

Is Your Ammo Stored Properly?

I saw A Hard Lesson; Survivor Ammunition Storage awhile back and for whatever reason didn't discuss it. Definitely a hard lesson and I am glad the fellow had the humility to share it. Letting people know when you are a bad ass is easy but telling them when you step all over it takes guts. Anyway the point of storing ammunition in ammo cans is made abundantly clear in the lesson.

I look at ammo cans the same way I do other cases, as a form of insurance. Spending less than twenty bucks on an ammo can to protect a few hundred bucks in ammo is a simple decision for me. Check the seal, put the ammo in the can, toss in some silica gel and it will be there waiting for you in a year or a decade.

We use mostly 50 caliber ammo cans but have a few of the big 120mm mortar cans too. The 50 is a good size because they hold a lot but yet small enough to easily move and fit into nooks and crannies. The big 120mm mortar ones hold a ton of ammo but loaded weigh a lot. Probably a couple hundred pounds when fully loaded. Really a hassle but they have the advantage of a really low cost per round/case stored. Odds are I will reallocate things at some point and use them for something a bit lighter.

Now comes the question of how to load your cans. I would recommend having some sort of logical system before you get started. It is a lot easier to maintain a system (and inventory) then it is to impose one retroactively. We will discuss what I have going on and what is probably optimal.

I have one can loaded with the stuff I regularly use when home on leave. It has mags for the Glock 19 and AK as well as ammo to fill them and some more to keep handy. Also a holster for the Glock and a Cold Steel folder. The purpose of this can is to avoid digging around to find the things I need and keep things easy. I did this the trip home before last and it seems to be working pretty well.

The rest of my cans, I am ashameed to say are a complete mess. Some are all one caliber, others are a mix, there really is no rhym or reason. If I need something it is guess the ammo can time. Really the only good thing I can say about the system (or lack theirof) I am using is that a) my ammo is stored in ammo cans and b) they have sillica gel inside.

The optimal system, as far as I can see, is as follows:
-Special purpose cans. I have the home carry can. Another guy might have a hunting can or whatever else suits your specific purposes.

-Combat loaded cans. Combat loading in this context is a way of loading your supplies so things are spread around. The goal is to have a logical mix of whatever you need in multiple locations. So if hypothetically you can only move a few cans of ammo to a new location in a hurry you wouldn't accidentally end up with just pistol and shotgun ammo but no rifle and rimfire or whatever. I don't think you need to get too crazy about this. For example you probably don't need a box of .220 Swift for the old varmiter Grampa left you or .32 S&W for the antique safe queen you picked up years ago in every can. I would focus mostly on the core guns you use and rely on like your defensive rifle and pistol, a hunting rifle, rimfire and shotgun.

Having a portion of your ammunition combat loaded makes sense. How much I can't say exactly. I would say at least as much as you plan to have make the first cut if you have to leave town for whatever reason in a hurry.  [Yes I would like to say that I would take all my ammo but that may not be realistic. Lets say we define (this is off the cuff) the first cut as in and on top of the vehicle, the second as a trailer and the third as a potential second trip, etc. What is loaded in our BOB's and chest rigs plus 2-3 cans would probably be all that could make the first cut when you consider extra food, camping gear, photo albums, etc. The rest of the cans would have to go in a trailer or whatever. Obviously bringing 30k rounds of ammo or whatever would be more of a concern during a Mad Max scenario than if we are leaving because of a more mundane event like hurricane or other natural disaster. ] So maybe 2-4 50 cal cans worth would probably make sense for most folks.

-The remainder of ammo would be loaded into cans by caliber and if applicable type of cartridge.

All cans would be labeled with at least caliber and quantity and if practical/ applicable type, it could be as simple as "7.62x39 2,200 rounds". I would probably do it using permenant black marker on duct tape so it is easy to remove/ change. Depending on your scenario you may want to have it be discrete for opsec. However folks probably won't think you are storing chocolate bars in ammo cans anyway so I would just think about where I store them and who I let go there.

Anyway those are my thoughts on that.